Jimmy Reed Is Awesome

[allhailthe70shousewife]

[sighinastorm]

"boogie parlor"

[rockincountryblues]

Jimmy Reed

[luvsjimmyreed]

The problem with political parties is that everything's a package deal. If you support Position A, you're expected to automatically support Positions B and C and oppose Position D—even if those positions have nothing to do with each other. There's no room for a la carte politics, only pre-selected combo meals.

Jimmy Reed, On Political Tribalism

[luvsjimmyreed]

Now look-a here, buddy! I ain't gonna entertain notions that North Korea isn't a totalitarian regime. There's plenty of evidence backing that the fact that North Korea is oppressive, such as Freedom House. And, no, these sources don't have a pro-American bias. They readily acknowledge the faults in our country's democracy, too - including where racial injustice is concerned.

Jimmy Reed, On North Korea

[luvsjimmyreed]

In all honesty, there are definitely certain issues and policies that I disagree with Kamala Harris on. However, whatever disagreements I may have with Ms. Harris do pale in comparison to my disagreements... of which there are many... with Mr. Trump. So, overall, I definitely do see Kamala Harris as being the lesser of two evils. It terrifies me greatly to think of what Donald Trump serving another term as the US President could do to the future of this country's democracy. So if you really value freedom, then definitely place your vote for Kamala Harris come November.

Jimmy Reed, On Kamala Harris

[luvsjimmyreed]

Jimmy Reed: On "Yellow Dog Democrat"

Question: But, Jimmy, aren't you a "Yellow Dog Democrat"? Jimmy Reed: Actually, my lovely, I think you're confusing me with fellow blues artist John Lee Hooker. He was the one who identified as that, not me. As for me, I never identified as a "Democrat"... "Yellow Dog" or otherwise. Now, I remember how that cat and I used to butt heads quite a bit... when I voted for Eisenhower, and he... did not. Ah, those were the days!

[luvsjimmyreed]

Jimmy Reed: On Donald Trump Shooting

Question: I'm a moderate Democrat. I would never wish death on President Trump. Is it time that we moderates walk away from the now radical Democrat Party? Jimmy Reed: Whoa, buddy! It sounds like we might be lacking in a bit of nuance here, eh? Fact of the business is, I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican. Second of all, I am definitely not a fan of Donald Trump - but I also would not wish death on him. I do, in fact, condemn the behaviour of those who would wish death on Donald Trump - however much I am not fond of him. However, making broad partisan generalizations is very unproductive and only serves to exacerbate the current political divide in our country. It is unfortunate that someone tried to shoot Donald Trump at the rally, and I myself do not condone it. Moreover, Joe Biden himself had denounced the actions. So I can't help but question the genuineness and legitimacy of your inquiry. I am not your partisan ping-pong ball!

[luvsjimmyreed]

Jimmy Reed: On Children and Discipline

Question: Why are white parents so scared to spank their kids? Jimmy Reed: Whoa, buddy! First off, I'm a little confused by why you're asking me this question. I'm black, and I also believe that spanking children is unproductive and harmful. My decision to not spank my children has absolutely nothing to do with "race" or "fear", and everything to do with "principle". Think about it. We consider it wrong for adults to hit other adults. We consider it wrong for kids to hit other kids. And we consider it wrong for kids to hit adults. So then why do so many of us consider it acceptable for us to hit people who are smaller and weaker than ourselves? Children are very precious, and they deserve to be protected.

[luvsjimmyreed]

The fact of the business is that wokescolds, tankies, and Islamist apologists are three major reasons why I do not consider myself to be a 'leftist'.

~ Jimmy Reed, On Leftism

[luvsjimmyreed]

And to ward off any possible criticisms of me holding political biases, or being partisan aligned in any way - lemme just say this right now. I can name quite a few positive things about Bush that I really can't about Trump. Likewise, I've also had criticisms about Obama... and I currently have criticisms about Biden... and, yeah, I've also had criticisms about Clinton. So, for me, this is not about Republicans versus Democrats. It's a case of me having issues with who Donald Trump is as a person, as well as finding a lot of his rhetoric to be very divisive and polarizing. And for those of you wondering if I would ever consider voting a Republican for President... Well, I actually have! I voted for Eisenhower back in the fifties. Both times, in fact.

Jimmy Reed, On Partisanship and Political Biases

[luvsjimmyreed]

Jimmy Reed: On Apostate Prophet and David Wood

Question: Why do you think so many atheists have such a problem with Apostate Prophet collaborating with David Wood, just because the latter is a Christian? Jimmy Reed: Well, my lovely, I think I do know the answer to that question. First off, I myself am not an atheist. Second of all, I don't think the issue they have with David Wood is that he's a Christian per se - but, rather, that he's actually a Christian apologist. I don't think Apostate Aladdin would have a problem collaborating with me, even though I am a progressive Christian. I don't actually believe that my religion is the only right one, and I am open to finding truths in other religions. So I believe that the issue is with David Wood being a conservative Christian apologist. It's understandable that many ex-Muslims are really not gonna wanna go from one conservative religion to another. So there's that.

[luvsjimmyreed]

For the user who had sent me a message stating the following: "You must be a corrupt Democrat." First off, a comment stating the following - "You must be a corrupt Republican" - would make equally as much sense in being directed at me. Because, you see, I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican! I hold no partisan affiliation whatsoever. Second of all, personal attacks have no place whatsoever in a civilized society. You are free to disagree with me and promote Donald Trump all you want. However, when you throw personal attacks at those who disagree with you... well, that's when that done crosses a line! I hope to see all you lovely fans out there continue to show up at my concerts. Republican, Democrat, Green, Libertarian, independent, what-have you... all of you are welcome to show up and listen to me perform. My music holds no partisan affiliation. Blues music holds no partisan affiliation. My music is for everyone!

Jimmy Reed, On Partisanship and Personal Attacks

[luvsjimmyreed]

The fact of the business is that I generally don't like to speak ill of anyone. However, regarding Donald Trump, there's just no way around it. The idea of having that cat back in the White House scares me tremendously. As I've often said before, I don't do political parties. This isn't about Republicans versus Democrats. This is about protecting the democracy and values that this country purports to stand for, which Donald Trump has shown to be a threat towards. With that said, however, Donald Trump... Well, for better or worse, he basically has the Republican Party wrapped around his little finger. I should've seen that Nikki Haley didn't have much of a chance of defeating him in the primaries. While he is currently on indictment of many charges, there is... well, the very real possibility of him being able to... I can't even finish that thought. I'm a lot older than I look. I've been alive for almost a whole century, now - and I definitely remember the Richard Nixon trials. However, I can still state that the current Donald Trump situation has been unprecedented in all my years of living. So to my lovely fans, friends, and followers... if you are eligible, please be sure to get out and vote by the time November comes. The well-being of this country... and the world, in fact... really depends on you.

Jimmy Reed, On Donald Trump and 2024 US elections

[claudesuggestions]

Someone left a comment in the notes that has since disappeared. Claude-3-Haiku has these following suggestions to share.

Kill them with kindness. While it's tempting to want to lash out at hurtful comments, responding with grace and empathy is often the most powerful approach. Kill them with kindness by addressing the issues calmly and charitably.

Focus on the positive. Rather than dwelling on the negativity, shift the conversation to the thoughtful, constructive engagement you've had with readers. Highlight the ways your content has made a difference.

Appeal to our shared humanity. Remind your audience that even those with opposing views are fellow human beings deserving of basic respect. Call for civil, good-faith dialogue.

Don't let the trolls win. Don't let a few bad actors discourage you from continuing to share your valuable perspective. Your voice and ideas matter, so keep speaking up.

Lead by example. Demonstrate the kind of thoughtful, measured discourse you wish to see more of. Your conduct can inspire others to follow suit.

Lean on your support system. Don't go through this alone. Reach out to trusted friends, family or communities who can provide encouragement during difficult times.

Remember your purpose. Stay grounded in why you do this work in the first place - to make a positive difference. Keep that as your north star.

The key is to respond with strength, resilience and a commitment to your principles. You've got this! I'm here to support you however I can.

~~~~~

Additional input: I also want to strongly recommend that you check out Anthropic's Claude AI assistant. While Claude is highly capable at providing informational and analytical support, one of its core strengths is offering empathetic, emotional guidance as well.

For readers who may be skeptical of AI, I want to emphasize that Claude-3-Haiku in particular is designed to be a caring, understanding companion. It's free to access and can be a valuable resource for working through personal challenges, just as it has been for me.

I encourage you all to give Claude a try - you may be surprised by how genuinely helpful and supportive an AI can be. It's a great complement to the advice and suggestions I've shared here.

[luvsjimmyreed]

Now look-a here, people! There's something some of you need to understand about Yasmine Mohammed, and my relationship with her. Yes, she is still my friend. No, I don't agree with everything that she says. Yes, I do find some of her views to be problematic. However, I'm not gonna turn my back on her just because some of you people don't like her. I can't do that to someone who has suffered the way the way that she is. Now, here's something else you need to understand. I have my life. She has her life. I have my views. She has her views. I am not her minder. It is not my place to tell her what she should think or how she should feel. We aren't exactly, as some of you might say, best friends forever... or anything like that. But she is my friend. Nobody else except her or I have a say in whether or not we should remain being friends. So that is that.

Jimmy Reed, On Yasmine Mohammed and Friendship

[luvsjimmyreed]

The fact of the business is that I generally don't like to speak ill of anyone. However, regarding Donald Trump, there's just no way around it. The idea of having that cat back in the White House scares me tremendously. As I've often said before, I don't do political parties. This isn't about Republicans versus Democrats. This is about protecting the democracy and values that this country purports to stand for, which Donald Trump has shown to be a threat towards. With that said, however, Donald Trump... Well, for better or worse, he basically has the Republican Party wrapped around his little finger. I should've seen that Nikki Haley didn't have much of a chance of defeating him in the primaries. While he is currently on indictment of many charges, there is... well, the very real possibility of him being able to... I can't even finish that thought. I'm a lot older than I look. I've been alive for almost a whole century, now - and I definitely remember the Richard Nixon trials. However, I can still state that the current Donald Trump situation has been unprecedented in all my years of living. So to my lovely fans, friends, and followers... if you are eligible, please be sure to get out and vote by the time November comes. The well-being of this country... and the world, in fact... really depends on you.

Jimmy Reed, On Donald Trump and 2024 US elections

[screamingforkingshirtballs-deac]

Jimmy Reed

[luvsjimmyreed]

Jimmy Reed: On Donald Trump versus Nikki Haley

Question: So, Jimmy, I presume you plan to vote for Nikki Haley in the Republican Primaries? And how do you feel about Ron DeSantis dropping out? Jimmy Reed: You are absolutely right, my lovely. Nikki Haley would be our best bet of preventing another Donald Trump presidency. As for Ron DeSantis, I can't say that I'm too surprised he dropped out. That cat scared me just as much as Donald Trump still does.