By Angelina Newsom:
In the town of Naperville, Illinois, there is an annual country music festival as part of a celebration called Ribfest. This patriotic festival is put on by the Exchange Club of Naperville, an organization that advocates for children and families. Part of their mission statement is to work toward the elimination of child abuse and domestic violence.
It was recently announced that country singer Toby Keith would headline the festival this summer, and then tickets went on sale. While this is normally great news—and a sure sign that the festival will be more than successful—some residents didn’t take too kindly to the announcement. Several expressed their disapproval in the choice of entertainment via social media. According to those residents, Toby Keith shouldn’t be allowed to perform at the festival because he’s seen as being too political; he performed at the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
The Ribfest organizers responded by stating they will not be dropping Toby Keith, as he is a professional who has not been known to use politics in his performances. In fact, Toby Keith didn’t endorse any candidate during the election. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more qualified performer than Toby Keith to headline a patriotic event. Not only has he traveled the world performing for the armed forces, Toby Keith opened a chain of bar and grills that cater to military personnel, at which he offers discounts and free items for service members.
I have personally attended one of the many concerts Toby Keith put on overseas. In fact, it was my very first concert I had ever attended, so I remember it fondly. The atmosphere was amazing, and there were people of all demographics present. I didn’t get the impression that any politics were involved, nor did I feel like he was catering to any particular crowd (except for the military, of course). It was a very welcoming slice of home for those of us who were so far away from American soil.
I think anyone can recognize at least one Toby Keith song, whether or not they are a fan of country music. He has traveled to theaters of combat operation in order to perform for military audiences. His name has become synonymous with military appreciation in so many different ways. It is utterly ridiculous that residents of Naperville, a suburb of Chicago, feel that Toby Keith should be dropped because he performed for the newly-elected President.
He has stated that he will not apologize for performing for the country or the military. I don’t see why he should have to. I also don’t see a problem here– America is supposed to be a melting pot for both diversity and individuality. It’s alarming that in 2017, there are people who can’t accept that not everyone thinks exactly the way they do. I’m glad the festival didn’t drop Toby Keith, and I can say with certainty that those present for his show will not be disappointed.
Angelina Newsom is an OpsLens Contributor and U.S. Army Veteran. She has ten years experience in the military, including a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. She studies Criminal Justice and is still active within the military community.
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