Hillbillies are people too

Do you ever get that urge to put on a cowboy hat, grab the nearest 45 and shoot at a jukebox to change the song?\nI certainly do. It all started when I decided to give country music a chance.\nWhile driving in the car one day I stopped the radio on a country station. It felt so wrong. After about 30 seconds of twang, I panicked and changed the station.\nConfronting anything scary (i.e. public speaking, Count Chocula, country music, etc.) requires baby steps.\nCountry music has a large following, but I've heard more negative comments about the genre than any other kind of music, even bagpipe drones.\nThe popular music world seems to consist of two main groups: Those who like country, and those who like everything except country music.\nThe music has a stigma in our society, and it stems largely from stereotypes.\nSome have difficulty separating country music from the image of the backward Southerner.\nThe stereotype of a country fan, or to be politically correct, musical cowboy enthusiast, is someone who spends the day at the demolition derby, but only if the rodeo is not in town. We'll call this person "Jeb."\nJeb drives only American-made cars. He eats a diet strictly composed of biscuits and gravy -- and road kill on special occasions. He still considers seceding from the Union and urges public schools to enforce mandatory prayer sessions.\nMost importantly, he pronounces the word "pie" as "paaaaaaah."\nThese generalizations are wrong and should be shed like an exoskeleton of prejudice.\nIt is entirely possible that Jeb, the country music fan, spends his weekend playing chess and discussing abstract theories of quantum physics. Not everyone who listens to country music has a crush on a cousin, and I doubt that every incestuous couple likes country. \nThere is no hillbilly-shaped mold for country music. \nCountry aficionados are said to like whiny music. A song lamenting the search for a parking spot seems petty, but let's not forget that many of us listen to music where Lil' Jon yells out his own name.\nCountry has its bright spots such as "Prop Me up beside the Jukebox" by Joe Diffie. \nThe song describes one man's desire to have his dead corpse situated next to a jukebox rather than buried or cremated.\nI must admit the song is genius with such lyrics as "you can pay your last respects one quarter at a time." \nImagine slinging spare change at your dead buddy in between line dances. \nThe words are simple but poignant. This kind of language is often mistaken for ignorance, causing any profound message to be overlooked. \nCountry isn't all just gratuitous whining or an anthem for the common man. It can be clever and intuitive. Don't let the twang fool you. \nIf I can find genius in country music, there is hope yet. Stereotypes are tricky because they are usually regarded as fact by those who harbor them. \nEven if we consider ourselves to be open-minded, we may not be aware of our social typecasting. Be on the lookout. Perhaps you think that all circus performers listen to Fleetwood Mac, or maybe you harbor the misconception that everyone who wears socks with sandals likes to eat at Taco Bell.\nStereotypes are an ugly component of human nature, and it is impossible to eliminate them. But if we acknowledge that we all have unfounded biases, we come one step closer to kicking off the hypothetical cowboy boots of blanket generalizations and roping the steer of social harmony.