Merle Haggard, tell us how you really feel about your local ranchers!

Famous country and western singer Merle Haggard is no friend of his local cattle ranchers-

“The thing that bothers me the most is the recklessness and greed of the local ranchers, who run too many cattle back here, choking with waste the creek that runs through my property.ย  There’s certain times of day that the cowboys like to send them turds down the river.ย  Them fuckers piss me off.ย  if you gotta mess up the ecology of the world in order to raise a bunch of cows, well eat somethin else.ย  I’m not a fan of the cowboys.”ย ย  –ย  Merle Haggard,ย  Rolling Stone, 10/1/09


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Comments

  1. Virginia Avatar
    Virginia

    I used to think I couldn’t stand Merle Haggard, but he has redeemed himself!

  2. Brian Ertz Avatar

    sounds about right.

  3. Rick Hammel Avatar
    Rick Hammel

    Well stated, Merle. We need more people of your stature to speak out against livestock ranching.

    Rick

  4. Ken Cole Avatar

    I laughed myself silly when I got this email this morning.

  5. Cliff Avatar

    Adds a whole new meaning to “I’ll never swim Kern River again.” You tell em Merle. Seems like it’s always greed that messes up the ecology.

  6. ProWolf in WY Avatar
    ProWolf in WY

    Nice to see a celebrity arguing about a good cause.

  7. 2S6CUTT Avatar
    2S6CUTT

    Love that Merle Haggard. Heading to buy one of his CD’s.

  8. Karen V. Stefanini Avatar
    Karen V. Stefanini

    Thanks for sharing Merle! Your opinion is highly appreciated. Please become an environmental activist! People will listen when you speak.

  9. Salle Avatar
    Salle

    Reminds me of an old song about him:

    “Oh I’ll change your flat tire Merle.
    Don’t you get sweet country pickin’ fingers all covered with dirt. You’re a honky I know, but Merle you got soul
    So I’ll change your flat tire Merle.”

    Can’t recall the artist who wrote/recorded that song.

  10. tim Avatar
    tim

    the degraded, unnatural condition of our western public lands from cattle ranching is a silent, little known tragedy.
    go, merle!

  11. Devin Avatar
    Devin

    Salle, the song was recorded by the Pure Prairie League from their album “Two Lane Highway.”

  12. janet Avatar
    janet

    I’m a WY country girl who agrees with Merle whole heartedly. Always like his music but now I like “him” too!

  13. ProWolf in WY Avatar
    ProWolf in WY

    Can Merle go on a speaking tour?

  14. mikepost Avatar
    mikepost

    If you ever get to the ranch country just east of Bakersfield’s airport, in Merle’s home town, you will find moon scapes: treeless hills terraced into brown lifeless wastelands. Now 3 years of nasty drought have put the bite on any rancher trying to do the right thing but this is pretty bad.

  15. Pard Avatar
    Pard

    I BEVELIVE IT’S TIME TO BOYCOTT BEEF
    Our Public Lands have made welfare cowboys into Rolex Ranchers. Hell even Ted Turner gets help from tax payers.
    YUP…BOYCOTT BEEF …It’s time !

  16. ProWolf in WY Avatar
    ProWolf in WY

    Pard, better boycott wool and lamb also.

  17. gline Avatar
    gline

    and leather? there is a lot to give up to truly boycott

  18. Angel Avatar
    Angel

    I love you Merle Haggard.
    Tell it like it is.
    God loves Merle Haggard too.
    Look out what you say about ole’ Hag.
    Jesus is a friend of his.

  19. Linda Avatar
    Linda

    I went to Rolling Stone Oct 1 2009 edition and I can’t see any where Merle said what you printed. Were there two different articles and I just missed it??

  20. Petticoat Rebellion Avatar
    Petticoat Rebellion

    Hopefully Merle will not suffer the same nasty treatment from the Country music industry & fans for speaking out against cattle ranchers as the Dixie Chicks suffered when they spoke their mind about our former prez, G-Dubya …

  21. Killer Avatar
    Killer

    Watch put Merle , down in Texas it’s a punishable crime to speak out against the beef industry, ask Oprah.

  22. kip goozee Avatar

    I am a writer, a guitar player, I’m 64 and play his songs,his life and leasons are semilar to mine, I live way up North on an Island,its common sense what he is always saying and singing, The Rich get richer, and common folks clean up their mess, hang in there Merle, I got your back! KIP

  23. Bruce Jensen Avatar
    Bruce Jensen

    Loved Merle for a long spell, and this is just one more reason to do so.

    Bruce Jensen, Beef-free for 20 years.

Author

Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan’s Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of “Hiking Idaho.” He also wrote “Beyond the Tetons” and “Backpacking Wyoming’s Teton and Washakie Wilderness.” He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.

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