A guest commenter on the MSNBC program Now With Alex Wagner came on a little hot when she declared that "nothing says 'let's go kill some Muslims' like country music." The quote came from Ebony.com senior editor Jamilah Lemieux, discussing Ted Cruz's recent comments that he had become a country music fan following September 11.
“My music taste changed on 9/11…and it’s a very strange…I actually find this very curious, but 9/11, I didn’t like how rock music responded," he said, probably not realizing that no band has played more concerts for troops overseas than Korn. "And country music collectively, the way they responded, it resonated with me, and I have to say it, just as a gut level, I had an emotional reaction that says, ‘these are my people.’”
Cruz, who earlier this week became the first member of the Republican party to declare his candidacy for President in the 2016 election, mentioned during a CBS interview that he had taken to the genre because he felt country's response to the tragedy "resonated" more. That's fair enough, although it reminds us of a certain South Park running joke featuring Alan Jackson.
Lemieux didn't seem to be too sincere in her own comment, as it came with a humorous mood, and indeed it drew a laugh from fellow guests Joan Walsh and Michael Steele (who, for context, was the former chairman of the Republican National Convention).
One person who didn't laugh was Ari Melber, who was hosting the show as a substitute for Wagner. He looked rather uncomfortable, immediately clarifying that there was "plenty of country music that doesn't have that message" (most sensible listeners realize that very little actually has that message). He would reference the quote later, telling viewers that MSNBC brass had quickly passed down a message that they did not condone Lemieux's quotes.
Lemieux hasn't made a statement on the controversy as of publication.
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