Soap Box

Amen, Amen & Amen Charlie, this is the America that we grew up in and love so much. Congratulations to Pence for walking out of the Colts game yesterday. I am supporting the Dallas Cowboys, the only team that is bowing or kneeling. nuff said God Bless Plowboy
Posted by Plowboy

When the right always has the answers, let me know. Right now, they have stumbled through the worst first year f I have ever seen. People worry about nuclear war. Each year is hotter than the last and the right thinks it is all some sort of socialist hoax. Each mass murder is worse than the last. The right control the presidency, the Congress, and the Supreme Court and they cannot get anything done. Instead, they attack each other. If you are a patriot, talk about the WHOLE country, not just some single small part that you happen to like. We rise or fall together. If we see someone walking off a cliff, we are going to tell them so even if they feel offended. Good thing we have the First Amendment. Hope it means something to you guys.
Posted by dana

I look around and see America divided into tribes. One is closed minded entirely. ... The other consists half of people who grew up in it and half of people who grew into it (after growing tired of making fools of themselves while in that other tribe.)
Posted by Allan

I was one of the lucky ones that was able to meet you and shake your hand. You are exactly how I envisioned you, gracious and sincere. Even though I was one of the lucky few I can speak for all who attended the concert; we were all lucky! God Bless you Mr. Charlie Daniels! Bret daCosta aka Meezzly
Posted by Bret

Thank you, Mr. Daniels. It was a great event for a great purpose and our community brought together in a glorious way. God bless you!
Posted by Darla

I was honored to sing the national anthem at your concert in Payson. Thank you so much for that. Thanks for all you do for our country and our vets. You are a true legend!
Posted by Melissa

Mr. Daniels, you Sir described our town to a T. Payson is the best.
Posted by Candice

Mr Daniels it was an honor to have you come to Payson. This Patriotic event will go down in Payson history as the biggest concert ever. You gave it your all for the Veterans and they know that. May God bless you and your wonderful team for all you do for the Veterans. Again, thanks for coming and God bless America!
Posted by Eric

Thank you Mr Charlie Daniels for coming to our small little town. I feel very blessed I was able to attend this concert. It was a great tribute to our veterans and a very uplifting evening. One of the best concerts I have ever seen. It is awesome that someone in the public eye still believes in our country and is proud to be an American and most of all not afraid to show it!! Yes definitely one of the best concerts I have ever attended!! Eunice Murphy
Posted by Eunice

Thank you for coming to our small town and resurrecting the meaning of America. We are not divided, we are stronger than ever. God bless you Mr. Daniels, Payson AZ loves you!
Posted by Heather

Proud to live in Payson, AZ - USA - where honoring our own with a hand over our heart means thankfulness for many past sacrifices. Thank you - Leslie Combest
Posted by Leslie

It was a genuine pleasure and an honor to meet you before the concert and to listen to you perform. You are an inspiration on many levels. Your faith in God and love for our country and veterans is routinely demonstrated. You have more energy and passion than many people half your age. I thank you for coming to our little ol� town of Payson, AZ and sharing these admirable qualities with our community. Come back anytime - we would love to have you!
Posted by Chris

What an amazing evening. You Sir exemplify what is great about America. We were honored to have you help honor our veterans. All of Rim Country is still talking about it. Thank you.
Posted by Randy

I have waited my whole life to see you live and you did not disappoint. I am so proud of our troops and I truly appreciate the support you and your band showed our local armed forces and veterans. I just hope that I am half as sort as you are in 20 years. You never cease to amaze me. Thank you from all my heart for your heart felt words given to the vets, you said it best. And "Thank you" to all those that call say we are "rednecks", I will that badge with honor and pride as long as it means I am a true patriot. God bless you Charlie Daniels and God Bless your band, they are truly amazing.
Posted by Michelle

Mr. Daniels, As a former Marine, I was honored to be recognized by all the fine folks in the area in which I live. It was an honor that doesn't happen too often although it should. There are graves all over this planet containing the remains of my fellow service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice for all this nation stands for and the values it has reflected since it's birth. Those are the people I want remembered the most. Those of us that were privileged to have you come to our small town to pay your respects, are blessed be associated with those that gave their all. Thank you for your kind words and thank you for speaking on our behalf. It takes someone of your stature to even have those at the highest echelons of our nation, even acknowledge that we are even out here. Thank you for ALL you do to shine a light on we "Forgotten Americans". May God bless you always and may you enjoy your upcoming birthday in His grace.
Posted by Ronald

I am proud to be in your crowds when you play for us all. Your patriotism and down to earth personality are a true blessing for us here in the White Mountains of AZ. It is a real pleasure to have someone whose fame hasn't made them untouchable to us regular folk. You give amazing shows and I hope you are able to come back to the White Mountains of AZ again sometime in the near future and I will be sitting in the crowd once again. God Bless Mr. Daniels and thank you for all that you do for our veterans!!!!
Posted by Tammy

Thank you Mr Daniels for your kind words for the people I call family and the place I call home!! It was a night to remember for sure!
Posted by Kyrie

I had to miss this great concert in my adopted home town of Payson because of being out of town in my ancestral home town of Honolulu where despite the presence of the military in the very blue state of Hawaii many folks despise our President and dismiss our precious Bill of Rights. Thank you for your support of our veterans and for your acknowledgement of the wonderful folks of Payson and its surrounding Rim Country area. God bless you sir and much aloha from Payson which is a place that TRULY exemplifies the aloha spirit!
Posted by Tina

Thank you Mr. Daniels for coming to Payson and for keeping the tickets so affordable. Thank you for expressing so elliquently our shared beliefs. May Jesus be with you and yours on your journies and
Posted by Juanita

This was the best concert We have ever been to, we are proud to be an American and proud of our little town. Thank you
Posted by Tom and Kath

What a great article of not only patriotism, but of hope that America is still alive and well. I'm so sick of the media and their bias viewpoints. I try not even to watch the news because of all the negativity. God bless you, Mr. Daniels!
Posted by Donna

I attended this concert and am sooooo happy that I did. My mom Vicki lives in Payson and I have had family there since before I was born. I love Payson and I am glad you did too. I had the BEST time I have had in a long time. I have always admired you and grew up on your music. I still know almost every word to every song! Thank you for honoring the brave men & women who have fought and died for our freedom. I salute you sir...
Posted by Heather

I used to live in Payson, my Dad opened the first law practice there in the early 70s. I live in Bisbee, Arizona now, and truly love what you wrote. You put everything in perspective and I think you should run for President! Yes...God Bless America, And God Bless you!
Posted by Lynn

I was there it was one of the best shows that I have seen I live in payson as thank for the best concert
Posted by Mike

What a joy to have a class act like Mr. Daniels and his great band visit us. What a great time we all had. Thanks for coming Charlie, God bless us all and God save the republic
Posted by David

Thank you for the great concert! And comming to Payson to honor our vets ! We must be brothers we think the same.also like what you said about gun ccontrol.....happy birthdayI hope you liked the wallet .when I saw the flag on it I though of you! A true AMERICAN. Take care my brother.
Posted by Joe

I had the privilege and honor of attending and sponsoring this event. This article nails the spirit of Payson and America on the head.
Posted by Garth

Mr. Daniels, It was an honor to be able to take my son and grandson to your concert here in Payson. A truly memorable event for us all.
Posted by Tom

As a loyal fan of yours since the first time that I heard your music so long ago, I want to thank you for the great memories, and the even better personal opinion pieces. After all, if Charlie Daniels does not feel a need to expound on whatever, it probably does not need to be discussed at this time, or maybe ever. That said, as usual, with the National Anthem as well as with so many other subjects, you have picked a very timely subject, and you have once again put the respect and love of country, and those who risk or give their lives to protect it, ahead of those self-serving, self-loving fanboys who are known as "sports stars." In that respect, I must ask why do these wealthy party animals-and many outright criminals-who have been afforded every luxury, given more expensive gifts than a king, allowed to bed hundreds of adoring female fans for those so inclined, and who used to earn the respect of millions of men and women, and the adoration of millions of young boys and girls, feel that their political protests, delivered from their respective fields of play, deserve any respect whatsoever? Because, essentially, they are giving the middle finger to each and every fan of their sport, who by faithfully supporting them and their team, through ups and downs, arrests and prosecutions, animal cruelty and wife or girlfriend beatings, has allowed them to become these wealthy, and often unworthy, icons. Without their fans and often-rabid supporters and TV game watchers and corporate sponsors and indulgent franchise owners and coaching staffs, these guys and gals would be athletically-inclined nobodies, working at a McDonalds or a Target store, or maybe, if they are very lucky, working and living as a member of our great military tradition. Moreover, what gives them the idea that anyone in this great nation would rather mark their politicized protests than to celebrate their athletic abilities and accomplishments? For without their various athletic abilities and achievements, no one would even know of them or their opinions on a local or national level. Where did they get the asinine idea that their political views were more important than their flag, their National Anthem, their U.S. military members, and all LEOs and first responders, past and present-of whom so many have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms-and their jobs for which they are extremely, ridiculously, and handsomely paid? In other words, why should anyone care about anything they have to say on the field that does not involve their respective sports and sports duties, for which the teams, and by extension, every one of us current, and in my and many other cases, former, fans have paid so incredibly dearly? Sadly, it is the radicalization of every sector of society, now filled with often ridiculous or incredibly inappropriate protests about every Politically Correct subject under the sun, that is radicalizing normally peaceful, respectful citizens, and causing them rapidly to approach the pushback point, where every day, regular Americans are going to feel that it is their duty to rescue-and so to take back-the very narrative about our country that has spun into ridiculous PC-encumbered territory. They will feel, and rightly so, that they can do no less. And being loyal Americans will do their duty without question, as will I. But who will such a politically-motivated, and PC-driven war benefit? Almost no one, that's who. Which is why the NFL and other protests are so divisive, unwanted by most, and absolutely worthless and unnecessary. Do these "heroes" in name only, truly think that their protests will do ANYTHING to change existing laws or policies? Because if they do believe that, then they are far more self-deluded than is obvious at first blush. And when their little sports fiefdoms crumble under their impolitic nonsense, how then will they spread their poisonous gospel to the world? Sad as I am to say it, let alone to admit it, I almost relish the day that the NFL goes bankrupt, putting all of these self-aggrandizing players out on the street. But, hey, at least then they will have all the time in the world to take their millions of dollars in filthy lucre, and to spend it all on their favorite causes. After all, I was always taught, as well as were a good number of other people in this country, that if one has such a hard-set belief in something, then one should put their money where their big, fat mouth is. But something tells me that if it came right down to it, that most of these self-loving, self-aggrandizing sports personalities will put absolutely NONE of their own money on the line. After all, how then would they afford the luxurious, fantastical, grandiose lives that they now enjoy, and that I truly believe that they feel they deserve-which is the ultimate self-delusion. No, they most definitely do not "deserve" such riches. It is simply that human beings are by nature highly competitive and, as such, worship their "warriors," both on and off of the field of play, and in many cases, those in the combat zones who truly are fighting for us while also risking their very lives. Now, THEY deserve riches, but sadly most of them will not ever be rich; which in my mind is the ultimate irony. If ANYONE deserves to be rich, it is not an athlete, but rather all that money should go to the men and women who daily risk their lives while protecting ours, as well as our hearths, homes and ways of life. Because that is what true heroes do: they suit up, show up, and then risk their lives in the military, in law enforcement, in the fire-prevention and firefighting services, as well as does every kind of first responder. I would pay dearly, if asked, to help to support or to protect those people. They HAVE-and do-earn my respect...daily. Thanks again, Mr. Daniels, for giving your time for such a thoughtful, inspiring editorial. I would bet that as a loyal American, like me, you feel that you could do no less, too. God Bless you and yours
Posted by Shawn

Got to see you in concert in Germany in 1990 coulda been 89. Huge fan always. Thank you for supporting all of us then and now. My ticket was purchased for me because I served and it was an amazing nostalgic night. Thank you so much and also for the amazing post too. Leslie Fletcher Ayres United States Army CPR, OD
Posted by Leslie

Payson is a wonderful town, filled with wonderful people! Thank you for supporting our troops past and present. You are an amazing man, Thank you for honoring our Amazing Country!
Posted by Deb

Mr. Daniels, My wife and I want to thank you for the show you put on here in our town of Payson, it was awesome. We had our son up from the valley and he said that your performance and stories brought chills to him, that's a great feeling. We were one of the lucky ones to be the successful bidder in the silent auction on the wood grain colored Fiddle you signed. We are so proud to be a part of the worthy cause the donation will go to. We have been listening to your music for many years. We always hear in your music how much of an advocate you are for our men and woman that have served and are serving in our military. Thank you for bringing to light the good of this great nation we all are so lucky to live in. Thanks you again, you are a true Patriot. Dan and Beth davis
Posted by Dan

God bless Small Town America & All our Veterans. Shake a Veterans hand, or claw hand. If You can, talk with them for a while. They "WILL" appreciate it. God bless you, CDB. GOD BLESS OUR LEADERS. GOD BLESS AMERICA
Posted by Lee Jay