La Shawn Barber is a freelance writer and columnist with book reviews, columns and essays published in The Washington Times, Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer,Jewish World Review, Townhall.com, Grace-Centered Magazine, Today's Christian Woman and other publications. For comments or reprint information, please contact her at
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Ain't No Rag: Freedom, Family,
and the Flag Written by: Charlie Daniels
Publisher: Regnery Publishing, Inc. I'm no fan of country music, but the first time I heard The Charlie Daniels Band performing "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" in the 1980 hit movie, "Urban Cowboy", I knew country could be cool. With six platinum albums and a career spanning 40 years, Charlie Daniels is riding the celebrity autobiography circuit with his new book, Ain't No Rag: Family, Freedom, and the Flag.
Daniels's book is a straightforward account of his life and outspoken opinions on the hottest political topics. Politically correct he is not. He is a plain and simple man who worked hard to achieve success in the music business. And he loves his country. How refreshing!
The title of the book is taken from his controversial song, "This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag", and is a collection of columns that have appeared on his band's web site. With plainspoken "cowboy logic", Daniels reminds the reader what it means to be an American: love of country, freedom and God. Divided into three themes: "Cowboy Logic", "Why I Love America" and "Faith and Family", the 241-page book is good reading. Daniels makes no apologies for his simple prose and candid views. Having traveled all over the world performing for fans, including U.S. troops, he's done a whole lot of living. He discusses issues like abortion, welfare, illegal immigration, hyphenated Americans, patriotism and his love for Jesus Christ. Daniels warns, chastises, praises, advises and evangelizes.
And he has more than a few things to say to organizations like the ACLU and the North American Man/Boy Love Association, and celebrities like Sean Penn and Barbra Streisand. Read the book to find out what he has to say to Jane Fonda and why. It's not quite what you'd expect for the former "Hanoi Jane."
Daniels's sense of humor is worth noting. In one hilarious chapter, he berates France via British rocker Chrissy Hynde--who reportedly said she hoped Iraq defeated the United States in the war--for its anti-American stance. And which country, Ms. Hynde, would be there to help England if attacked by terrorists? "The French?" Daniels asks. "The French are afraid of their own shadow. The only war they ever won was the French Revolution, and that's just because they were fighting each other." Brilliant.
In the best chapter of the book, "My Beautiful America", Daniels waxes eloquent with image after image of the splendor of America: the beauty of watching the sun go down in Hawaii, tasting gumbo in New Orleans, seeing wild horses running across the Nevada plains, and crossing the mighty Mississippi River. "America the free, America the mighty, America the beautiful."
True to his inspirational message, Daniels writes of his hope for a world in the midst of chaos. He recounts an incident he experienced while listening to a news program about Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky. "For some reason or another, I flipped the channel during the commercial and there was Billy Graham proclaiming the eternal good news about Jesus Christ, and there it was, the truth of truths, almighty God is still in charge." Ain't No Rag proclaims good news of its own: America is still worth loving and fighting for.
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