Are You Ready for Harrassment? March 22, 2006
Posted by TimTheFoolMan in Football, Humor, Music, News.trackback
Allegations have been brought against Hank Williams Jr., suggesting that he didn’t need to have his “rowdy friends comin’ over tonight.” If the reports are true, it appears Hank Williams Jr. (that emblem of higher education and paragon high-level reasoning) is capable of enough rowdiness, all by himself.
Does this mean that Monday Night Football will replace the spectacular hits (and the accompanying “hit it… just hit it” lyrics from the song) in various NFL contests with Hank “tipping waitresses?” I think I’d rather see a gang of waitresses go cow tipping, with this cow as their target.
Hopefully, Williams’ daughters will recover from the injuries they recently sustained in a car wreck, and he can once again focus his attention on bringing some much needed “Norman Einstein” entertainment into the homes of NFL fans. In the meantime, here’s a better model for someone like Mr. Williams to use in tipping his waitress.
A Fool and his Words are Soon Parted 
How pathetic of you to sit comfortably ensconced behind your laptop keyboard and type that ridiculous message regarding Hank Williams Jr. Here is a man who has been through more in the past week than most of us hopefully will ever have to endure. As his daughters lie broken in a Memphis hospital you opt for slander as opposed to compassion. Rather than assuming innocence, you choose to fan the flames of what could very well be just a horrible rumor started by a mixed up young lady. It’s clear from your post that you consider yourself blindingly intelligent, and somehow of higher breeding than anyone who would ever lower themselves to listen to Hank Williams, Jr. Well, don’t break your arm patting yourself on the back. You come across as a sad, smug little jerk. Slanderous banter such as this, furtively posted on an obscure website is the height of bad taste, not to mention cowardice. Get a life…
Cap, let me begin by saying, whether you like this entry or not, I appreciate you taking the time to write it. Negative feedback is usually more useful than positive.
As for the entry, if the allegations are true, then Hank Williams Jr’s actions are even more objectionable, given the timing of the event. Does the condition of his family excuse such alleged behavior? You correctly observed that my sympathy lies with the possibility that the “mixed up lady” may be telling the truth. If she is, I would hope that you would be just as quick to jump to her defense, and immediately condemn the man that you’re so quickly defending.
However, if the accusations are false (and I have not stated them as fact), then I am guilty of repeating a story that has appeared roughly 195 times online, but have done so in a much more benign manner. After all, the audience of people reading my personal ramblings for news is even lower than those reading it for entertainment, which is, as you have astutely observed, a relatively low number.
My “slander” in this piece is to take lyrics from songs that Mr. Williams has sung (many times) and behavior that he has publicly glamorized, and juxtaposed this with his recently-alleged behavior. If pointing out this absurdity makes me a coward, then grab the yellow paint and give me a coat. – Tim
Tim-
You make some valid points, and perhaps I was a bit strong in my condemnation of your prior editorial. At the risk of cliché’, this is a free country and you have as much right as anyone to ponder, suppose and otherwise opine on this or any other website. And as you suggest, if Hank Jr is guilty of such behavior – behavior that is criminal in nature – then the timing of such an act makes it particularly unfortunate and unseemly.
If he is innocent however, I would suggest that this young lady is guilty of no less degree of unseemly and criminal behavior. You seem to have bought into the bravado and outlaw persona that Mr Williams has worked so hard to cultivate over the years. Lets not forget however that he is a father whose two daughters have just been horribly injured. If ever there was a time to restrain from wild speculation, I would think it would be now. Just my opinion. I would hope that you would be just as quick to post something proclaiming his innocence (if proven so) on this web site – even if, as we have agreed, the audience would be limited.
Fair is fair, don’t you think?
-CAP
Cap,
Absolutely! You may not “read it here first,” but if he’s vindicated, this will be an instance where I’m perfectly happy to eat some crow. Your comments caused me to do some additional reflection and remembered a similarly unfortunate situation.
A teacher friend of mine had his career tarnished by allegations of misconduct by a couple of students who thought it would be funny. Unfortunately for my friend, the damage to his reputation was such that no amount of “mea culpa” from the students was sufficient to rebuild the trust that the community had built up with him. (He was reinstated, but nearly 10 years later, he realizes that this event dramatically affected his opportunities to advance or relocate.)
Above all else (given that the waitress’s injuries, if any, were very minor), let’s hope and pray that his daughters are able to recover fully from their injuries. – Tim
P.S. It has also occurred to me that my car is bright yellow. Hmmm… 😀