It's Flinn, Not Flynt.

The race for Tennessee's 8th Congressional District has sparked the interest of a local popular newspaper columnist.  Actually, not the race itself, but one of the candidates.  Dr. George Flinn is a Republican candidate for this seat.  He is running on a conservative platform and this is where the columnist, Wendi Thomas, takes issue.  Dr. George Flinn is a Radiologist, a County Commissioner, a Radio Mogul, and according to Ms. Thomas....a peddler of filth and smut.  Normally, Wendi and I are on the same page.  After a week of reading the Twitter missives and then today's column, I felt compelled to look into this matter a little further than just my usual "phfffft, whatever."  Wendi Thomas has awarded Dr. George Flinn her "On The Pipe" Award because he owns Hot 107.1 FM and is campaigning on a family values platform. 

Basically, what this boils down to is a conflict in private values and public values.  Clearly, Ms. Thomas likes her politicians honest and transparent.  And, really, who doesn't?  There are arguments on both sides about free enterprise and the dangers of liberal leadership.  I am not a fan of "urban music".  In fact, I don't know that I have ventured that far right on the dial since The Pig left the pen.  I don't have to though.  I already know what's there, because I have eyes.  I have seen the Mo Money Taxes commercials.  I live north of Memphis which means that I have to pass through some of the "urban" areas to get to my destination.  Before moving North, I was one of the last holdouts in my Berclair neighborhood.  I know what the music talks about.  Pimpin, druggin, slappin/clockin, whorin, and hustlin.  Not exactly family values material.  But, not exactly Larry Flynt material either. 

Ms. Thomas phoned Dr. Flinn's campaign headquarters to inquire about how his peddling of smut went along with his conservative values.  She asked if Dr. Flinn would allow his grandchildren to tune into Hot 107.1.  What is the right answer here?  There isn't one.  Which makes it a good question; however, the intent seems to be quote seeking instead of genuine curiosity.  I wonder if Dr. Flinn would let his grandchildren play with all that high dollar x-ray equipment?  Same difference.  Both are means of income for Dr. Flinn.  The message here, at least the message I am getting, is this:  You must align yourself with what you do or else you are smoking crack. If an out of work vegetarian was offered a liveable wage in exchange for peddling beef products, should she refuse it?  How much swiss chard can she feed her kids on $275 of unemployment each week?  Living by one's personal ideals sounds great, but is it really possible in practice?  I advocate on behalf of people with serious mental illnesses.  Would I allow one of my clients to babysit my child?  Hell no.  What if I owned a liquor store?  Would I let my grandchildren select their favorite wines before boarding the school bus?  No.  Say I owned said liquor store (which, by the way, would be an awesome enterprise that I would seek out with my lottery winnings) and I ran for the Tennessee Legislature. I would likely run as a Republican; therefore, could I expect a call from Ms. Thomas asking me if my grandkids prefer Grey Goose to Absolut?  Drinking certainly creates social ills, right?  I would venture to say that alcohol is responsible for far more deaths than "adult urban contemporary" music.  George Flinn's grandkids can operate a radio, I'm fairly certain.  The difference is this:  If someone's grandchildren are getting the message on life's path from a radio station...something else went terribly wrong somewhere down the line. 

Ms. Thomas went on to question the ethics of owning a check cashing business and not supporting predatory lending.  First of all, the "self centered capitalism" that Ms. Thomas equates with conservative value isn't what brought our economy to a screeching halt.  It was the self centered entitlement of this society.  A careless attitude of how your actions affect other communities is her description of conservatism.  What could be more careless than borrowing twice the amount that you can afford so that you could live large for a couple of years only to abandon that "American Dream" when the bill came due?  How about going to college on the government's dime, only to fizzle out after a couple of semesters.  And TENNCARE...that was a great idea.  I'm certain that Dr. Flinn has on more than one occassion aimed his nuclear beam at the insides of a TENNCARE client.  Does that mean he endorses the program?  I doubt it.  Dr. Flinn also owns Radio Ambiente 1030AM, a Spanish language station.  Can we expect to see Dr. Flinn holding the gate open for illegal aliens?  He owns WHBQ, the local radio authority on sports, does that mean he favors steroid use among athletes? 

So, Ms. Thomas takes issue with Dr. Flinn not practicing what he preaches.  How can Dr. Flinn sit on the porch of a country store and talk about family values and clean living when he profits off of the opposite.  It's simple.  Dr. Flinn has a realistic, as opposed to an idealistic, view on how things work.  Clearly, there is a market for "adult urban" music.  Seeing an opportunity and seizing it is what makes America "The Land of Opportunity".  Sitting around and waiting for opportunity to come to you is what America has turned into.  "Urban Music" has it's place in society.  As does tobacco, alcohol, health care, debt, and freedom of speech.  Dr. Flinn is going to play Project Pat because there is a market for it.  It isn't Dr. Flinn's job to raise our children, Ms. Thomas.  If the children tuning in had parents who demonstrated drive, ambition, and morals, they may not be so quick to absorb the teachings of Hot 107.1.  Dr. Flinn isn't robbing anyone, and he isn't being dishonest.  I support free speech, does that mean that I am opposed to decency?  No. What a wonderful world it would be if every person could practice according to their values.  Where "do as I say not as I do" wasn't necessary.  That is a vision, not a reality.  We come from the land where it is hard out here for a pimp.  George Flinn is trying to make it a little harder by lifting up values.  If those same values are torn down by something as simple as a song on a radio station, then I don't blame the song, the artist, the station, or the station owner.  I blame the person who is in charge of instilling the value into the young ears of the listener.  The parent.  Neither government, nor the media, is in the business of raising children.  Ruling out candidates with good ideas based on a 6 degrees of separation look into their affiliations and holdings could have very well cost our President that office. 

With all that said, I have decided to award Ms. Wendi Thomas the first "On The High Horse" award.  I don't take issue with you personally, Wendi, just your logic.  The problem isn't the song, it is the weak ears listening. 

Disclaimer:  I, FormerMeanGirl, do not endorse any candidate for this particular race...as I am still undecided.  However, in the coming months, I will be educating myself about each candidate without regard to party affiliation.  My support of one candidate over all others will be based on the practicality of his ideas and plans and how those align with my day to day functioning.  And, for the record, my favorite radio station is XM 70's, but I do not endorse one night stands, psychedelic drug use, disco dancing, or polyester.