Despite getting a fair share of backlash over media censorship last week, the CMA Awards took place last night (November 8) in Nashville. And while the celebrations inside the Bridgestone Arena went down without much controversy, acclaimed country rocker Sturgill Simpson took a rather impressive stand outside.
Simpson busked in the streets outside the venue, raising funds for the ACLU.
He acknowledged early on that "I haven't been recognized once," but nevertheless delivered a mock acceptance speech, in which he criticized weak gun laws, discrimination against the LGBTQ community, racism and fascism.
"Nobody needs a machine gun, and that's coming from a guy who owns quite a few guns," he said. "Gay people should have the right to be happy and live their life any way they want to and get married if they want to without fear of getting drug down the road behind a pickup truck. Black people are probably tired of getting shot in the streets and being enslaved by the industrial prison complex. Hegemony and fascism is alive and well in Nashville, Tennessee. Thank you very much."
He also fielded questions from his Facebook followers, and when asked what he thought of the current U.S. president, Simpson replied: "He's a fascist fucking pig." He added that anyone who is still supporting Donald Trump "can't be anything, in my mind, but an ignorant fucking bigot."
Watch the full Facebook video stream of Simpson's political protest below.
Simpson busked in the streets outside the venue, raising funds for the ACLU.
He acknowledged early on that "I haven't been recognized once," but nevertheless delivered a mock acceptance speech, in which he criticized weak gun laws, discrimination against the LGBTQ community, racism and fascism.
"Nobody needs a machine gun, and that's coming from a guy who owns quite a few guns," he said. "Gay people should have the right to be happy and live their life any way they want to and get married if they want to without fear of getting drug down the road behind a pickup truck. Black people are probably tired of getting shot in the streets and being enslaved by the industrial prison complex. Hegemony and fascism is alive and well in Nashville, Tennessee. Thank you very much."
He also fielded questions from his Facebook followers, and when asked what he thought of the current U.S. president, Simpson replied: "He's a fascist fucking pig." He added that anyone who is still supporting Donald Trump "can't be anything, in my mind, but an ignorant fucking bigot."
Watch the full Facebook video stream of Simpson's political protest below.