People are listening to this song in more places than just Tennessee. No doubt, different people in different places, and in different circumstances will interpret the song differently. Living in Philadelphia, I know how the average city boy is going to hear these lyrics. To them, this song will have the effect of a Saturday Night Live skit.
The idea that this song (with or without the ketchup) will incite gay-bashing is about as valid an argument as the one that goes: gangsta rap makes poor, young, black men violent.
We're not going to agree, Milo, and we don't need to. Remember the point of this website?
"It is my feeling that a story is not finished until it is read, and that the reader finishes it through his or her life experience, prejudices, world view and thoughts." - Annie ProulxWe bring our own life experiences to
Brokeback Mountain, and it changed all of us in some way; otherwise, I doubt we'd still be interested in being here. Everything we see is viewed through the lens of our own experiences. This is just another example of that.
Let be.