This should be sufficiently irritating to the lefties — one of their counter-culture heroes has joined the other team.
The group played benefits for Robert Kennedy three months before his assassination in 1968. "He was probably the best of the Kennedy family," Hillman said. "He was a fighter. He went after Hoffa and organized crime, and he was a principled man."
Hillman maintains that Vietnam was a tragic mistake. "It was a bad, bad move because we didn't learn from the French," he said. "We didn't see what was going on. We had no business there, but it was the mindset at the time."
Civil rights, too, was a just cause, Hillman said. But today, he feels that a liberal agenda mutated King's message, punctuated by the famous "I have a dream" speech.
"Did it really accomplish what it started out to?" Hillman asked. "I'm not sure, because the race card is constantly played and at this point in time, we should be colorblind."
As for his political shift, Hillman quoted Reagan: "I didn't leave the Democratic Party. It left me."
Hillman voted for Bill Clinton in 1992. But he became "disillusioned" after Clinton made gays in the military a priority shortly after taking office.
. . .
... "Gay marriage? Get out of here. It's not meant to be. Two dads? Two moms? It's a mortal sin. I defend their right to do that, but don't politicize it."
Hillman has little patience for the practice of throwing taxpayer dollars at public schools and government social programs, saying it will not cure society's ills. "All of that comes out of this liberal bent of 'Everybody gets a fair deal,' " he said. "It just borders on bad socialism to me."
He's still a damn slow-growth advocate, though.
As for his new music, I had a chance to listen to his (and Herb Pedersen) new CD today. It's probably the best thing he's done in a decade or more. All of you "Sweetheart of the Rodeo"/Flying Burrito Brothers fans will be real, real pleased with it. It's a keeper.
Article comments
1 - James Russell
So gay marriage is a mortal sin, yet he defends their right to do it? I'm confused.
2 - Al Barger
Yes, that's a perfectly reasonable stance on Mr. Hillman's part. HE thinks it is wrong, but does not presume to force other people to conform to HIS beliefs in THEIR private lives.
3 - Michael Jopling
Sweetheart of the radio?
4 - Rodney Welch
How many times have we heard this hoary old cliche? "I didn't leave the Democratic Party. It left me." I always like what the Clarence Darrow character said to his William Jennings Bryan counterpart in Inherit the Wind: "Perhaps it is you who have moved away -- by standing still."
5 - Phillip Winn
I didn't get the idea from the article that Hillman is actually voting Republican or anything, so I'm not sure if it's fair to saw that he "switched sides." He certainly wouldn't be alone in becoming more conservative as he got older and started raising a family.
How does that expression go? "If you are young and not a liberal, you have no heart. If you are old and not a conservative, you have no brain."
Or something like that.
6 - Howard Owens
He was a liberal. Now he's a conservative. If that isn't switching sides, I don't know what is.
7 - BJ
If his new record is good (and thanks for the tip!) I can't say that I care so much about his politics.
I'm not a Byrds scholar, but I'd have to guess his influence is greatly underestimated. Sure, the arrival of Parsons changed the course of the Byrds (and to some extent the course of all American music), but the fact that Hillman was on board and "got it" must have been important in creating a critical mass for that change. Their departure to form the Burritos would seem to confirm that. Any Byrds experts know if that's true?
8 - Howard Owens
That's a good take ... before the Byrds, Hillman had his own bluegrass band called the Hillmen. I believe they put out one album.
9 - ClubhouseCancer
Yes, Hillman was most interested in country of all the original Byrds. He played mandolin in a few bluegrass groups and "jug-band" influenced ensembles before joining McGuinn et al.
So when "jazz pianist" Gram Parsons joined in 68 and subsequently revealed that he was actually more interested in country, Hillman became his hillbilly comrade, and of course eventually left the Byrds to jon Parsons in the Enchilada Bros. Quesadilla Bros.? I'm not quite sure of the precise Mexican dish, but they sure made some great music.
I'm not sure of the significance of the political conversion of a forgotten 60's figure, but I suppose the righties will take their gay-bashing wherever they can get it.
BTW, I have inside information that the former drummer for Gerry and the Pacemakers has come out against the recent Bush tax cut.
10 - Al Barger
How exactly did Hillman "bash" gays here? He said that he thought it was sinful- the obvious judgment of most major religions- while in the same breath saying that they have a right to their own chosen lifestyles regardless.
11 - ClubhouseCancer
Here is some gay-bashing:
"Gay marriage? Get out of here. It's not meant to be. Two dads? Two moms? It's a mortal sin."
The "meant to be" part has obvious echoes of the typical homophobe's complaint about gay sex. The disapproval of the idea of same-sex-led households is also disappointing.
If by including discriminating against gays holding them to standards we wouldn't hold others to (i.e. judging the sex they have), I've made the definition too broad for you, I can accept that.
It's not the worst gay-bash ever.
I suppose I'm guilty of rhetorical excess. I still say who the hell cares what Chris Hillman says about politics?
12 - MikeStanford
It's disappointing to read such bigoted words coming from Chris Hillman. Still saying gay is a sin? I'm not sure what to even say to such primitive thinking. You'd think with his life experience he would be a bit more sophisticated/educated. I hope he's evolved somewhat since this writing... hopefully our culture is moving away from this kind of primitive thinking... for all our sakes (gay & straight).