Donald Trump didn't create the idea of us versus them in politics, but he embraced it with whole heart.
The former president positioned himself as a political avenger protecting his fans (not the citizens as a group) against what he saw as the enemy. Those enemies might be people trying to cross the border or companies espousing values that Trump considered contrary to his world view.
His style been embraced by right-wing media and a new generation of political candidates including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
DON'T MISS: Anheuser-Busch CEO Pushes Back Over Bud Light Boycott
DeSantis has built his campaign around his so-called war on woke, a broad campaign to stand up to any company that supports diversity and LGBTQ+ causes. Those efforts have focused on Walt Disney (DIS) -), a company that DeSantis has accused (without providing any evidence) of sexualizing children.
In this Trump-created political world, right-wing politicians are eager to show they're willing to stand up against anything their supporters might see as woke.
That's made Anheuser-Busch (BUD) -) (and anyone who defends the company) a prime target after the Bud Light controversy caused by its decision to hire the transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney for a small social-media campaign.
The goal with Mulvaney was to expand the reach of Bud Light into the LGBTQ+ community, and the effort met with strong hatred expressed by a number of right-wing music stars.
The backlash was kicked off by the singer-songwriter Kid Rock deciding to shoot up cases of Bud Light after the Mulvaney promotion. Other country music stars, including John Rich, of the famed duo Big & Rich, and Travis Tritt were quick to make clear that they wouldn't be drinking Budweiser products or serving them in their bars and venues.
Garth Brooks, perhaps the biggest country music star of all time, took a very different approach.
That set the table for Gov. Abbott to put his foot in his mouth in a spectacular way.
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Abbott Takes On Brooks (Oops)
Brooks showed his support for the LGBTQ+ community -- and really all people -- when said he would be serving Bud Light in his upcoming Nashville bar.
“I know this sounds corny, I want it to be the Chick-fil-A of honky-tonks,” Brooks shared. “I want it to be a place you feel safe in. I want it to be a place where you feel like there are manners and people like one another.”
The singer plans to serve Bud Light in that bar and to be welcoming to anyone who wants to have a good time there.
“I think diversity is the answer to the problems that are here and the answer to the problems that are coming. So I love diversity. All-inclusive, so all are welcome. I understand that might not be other people’s opinions, but that’s OK, man,” he added.
Those statements led to some criticism of the country performer, and Abbott was eager to show that Brooks had made a mistake with his tolerant stand. The Texas governor gleefully responded to what appeared to be a news story about Brooks getting booed off the stage at a country music festival.
"Garth Brooks Booed Off Stage at 123rd Annual Texas Country Jamboree. Go woke. Go broke Garth called his conservative fans. ‘a**holes’ Good job Texas,” he Tweeted.
The problem is that there's no such thing as the "Texas Country Jamboree," and the story Abbott responded to was from a parody site, The Dunning-Kruger-Times.
Brooks did use the term "asshole" in his comments on serving Bud Light in his Nashville bar.
“Our thing is this: If you come into this house, love one another. If you’re an asshole, there are plenty of other places on Lower Broadway to go,” he added.
That's not, as Abbott suggested, calling all conservatives "assholes." It's the singer calling out people who can't sit in the same bar as people who might have opposing views or different lifestyles.
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