Few current topics bring more contention among conservatives than Ukraine. There is little, if any, common ground between the two prevailing core belief sects. One side believes the country is an innocent victim of Russian aggression, therefore deserves all possible support short of war. The other sees Ukraine as a corrupt cesspool deserving not a second thought. Besides, liberals support Ukraine; consequently, it must automatically be wrong to do so.
Reality is more multi-faceted. It is possible to both support Ukraine and demand accountability for the billions of dollars being poured into its war effort. If anything, supporters should be the ones most insistent on transparency and proper vetting of every dime going to Kyiv. It is also possible to acknowledge that while Ukraine isn’t exactly the Snow White of foreign governments, the Russian invasion, bringing destruction, death, and displacement of civilians, is something one can and should firmly oppose.
All of which leads to Guns N’ Roses.
The band with a well-earned reputation regarding its appetite for self-destruction recently concluded a European tour that by GN’R standards went off nearly without a hitch. Carrie Underwood — yes, the country singer — returned Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose’s favor of appearing at her show during this year’s Stagecoach Festival by joining the band for a couple of numbers during their London appearances earlier this month. The band did cancel one show for unspecified medical reasons, but aside from that, given the absence of riots or on-stage meltdowns things went smoothly.
Rose took to Twitter on July 16th to express his thanks.
— Axl Rose (@axlrose) July 16, 2022
While Rose is anything but a Trump supporter, it is interesting he would specifically mention Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
I’d also like to thank everyone for showing such love and support during the tour for the people of Ukraine and their noble and horrifying fight for freedom against an increasingly totalitarian regime ran by a callous, lying, murderous, little man with outdated ambitions and no regard for human life.
It’s safe to say Guns N’ Roses won’t be playing in Red Square anytime soon.
The band also will not be making any appearances in China, assuming the government there has a relatively lengthy memory (and they do). In 2008, Guns N’ Roses, which at the time was Rose and whoever else was in the room as Rose and lead guitarist Slash were on the outs, released Chinese Democracy. As if the album title alone wasn’t enough to rouse Beijing’s ire, the title track’s lyrics, which Rose wrote, definitely didn’t score any CCP brownie points.
If they were missionaries
Real-time visionaries
Sitting in a Chinese stew
To view my disinfatuation
I know that I’m a classic case
Watch my disenchanted face
Blame it on the Falun Gong
They’ve seen the end and you can’t hold on now
‘Cause it would take a lot more hate than you
To end the fascination
Even with an iron fist
More than you got, to rule the nation
When all I’ve got is precious time
In an article headlined “American band releases album venomously attacking China,” the Global Times said unidentified Chinese Internet users had described the album as part of a plot by some in the West to “grasp and control the world using democracy as a pawn.”
The album “turns its spear point on China,” the article said.
Touchy, aren’t they?
When Axl Rose has a better grip on foreign policy than the present Administration, you know you’ve got problems.
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