# Bob Marley would have been Trump's fiercest opponent if he was alive today **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 7, 2020, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577 "2020-02-07T03:21:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577/21 "2020-02-08T00:38:53Z")
> [@Yankees\_1996\_Champs](#): > > The reggae legend would have fought Trump tooth and nail today, especially on racial issues, probably. Marley would certainly have been against him as a representative of “Babylon,” but I doubt very much he would have fought him directly. I can’t recall Marley ever doing anything to fight Nixon, George Wallace, or Reagan (who I was surprised to find he shared a birthday with). Marley was interested in fighting for the rights of black people, but on a global scale. I think he was much more interested in African than US politics. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577/22 "2020-02-08T11:32:46Z")
> [@Hatchie](#): > > Bob Marley slowed reggae music down and made it dull. Nah, Marley popularized reggae which brought more attention to dancehall, hip-hop, reggaeton, dub, raggamuffin, Jamaican rap, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577/23 "2020-02-08T16:34:45Z")
Ironically (given the OP’s username), the N.Y. Yankees throughout most of their history would probably have been Trump’s fiercest _defenders_. If we’re debating which dead people would have been hardest on Trump if alive today, let’s not forget Jacob Riis, Upton Sinclair and Robert La Follette. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577/24 "2020-02-08T16:57:05Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Fair enough and I can’t argue with it. Just a counter example, but not really a fair one. And to be fair in turn, Trump isn’t like most Presidents. He indulges himself in petty attacks against people that normal Presidents would just ignore. Plus he’s an idiot. So I can see Trump ordering some minion to have Bob Marley deported from the United Kingdom. ---
**Author:** ![Yankees\_1996\_Champs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Yankees\_1996\_Champs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yankees_1996_Champs)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577/25 "2020-02-08T20:37:23Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Marley would certainly have been against him as a representative of “Babylon,” but I doubt very much he would have fought him directly. I can’t recall Marley ever doing anything to fight Nixon, George Wallace, or Reagan (who I was surprised to find he shared a birthday with). Marley was interested in fighting for the rights of black people, but on a global scale. I think he was much more interested in African than US politics. Yes, Marley was interested in fighting for the rights of black people worldwide, including America and Britain. He would have been proud of Obama and he would have despised Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577/26 "2020-02-09T00:31:27Z")
> [@Yankees\_1996\_Champs](#): > > He would have been proud of Obama and he would have despised Trump. Pretty bold statement, there. Not sure if I’d quite go out on a limb like that. Totes Redd Foxx would also have been a majorly fierce Trump critic too, I’d bet. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577/27 "2020-02-09T03:30:17Z")
But none of them would compare to Nina Simone. End of discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577/28 "2020-02-09T04:28:10Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > But none of them would compare to Nina Simone. End of discussion. What about Richard Pryor, if he was still alive? ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577/29 "2020-02-09T05:30:03Z")
I guess this ridiculous thread is as good a time as any to tell a ridiculous story about a reggae song. In this case, [Wolves and Leopards](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMLl9wRCBow) by Dennis Brown. Many years ago my friend and I were sitting, highly stoned, listening to music, and this song came on. After pondering the lyrics of it, my friend started theorizing about the political meaning behind them. “You see”, he said, “the sheep and the shepherd are the Rastafarians in Jamaica.” I nodded. “And the wolves and leopards are the forces of colonialism and capitalism.” Yup, makes sense to me. “And the lion represents the British Empire.” Wait. Wait a minute, man. There is no lion. “Yeah there is, he definitely said something about a lion.” No, no he didn’t, the song is about wolves and leopards, he definitely DOESN’T say ANYTHING about a lion. “Man, I swear he definitely said something about a lion.” NO! THERE IS NO LION! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577/30 "2020-02-09T06:48:47Z")
> [@Chingon](#): > > Ok Ok, _Mon!_ ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577/31 "2020-02-09T07:45:11Z")
I’m not so sure. Rita Marley claimed that he once forced himself on her because “she was his wife”, and that once he got famous, he started chasing every skirt around him. So he may have sympathized with the “grab’em by the pussy” President more than others. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577/32 "2020-02-09T13:14:48Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > I guess this ridiculous thread is as good a time as any to tell a ridiculous story about a reggae song. In this case, [Wolves and Leopards](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMLl9wRCBow) by Dennis Brown. > > Many years ago my friend and I were sitting, highly stoned, listening to music, and this song came on. After pondering the lyrics of it, my friend started theorizing about the political meaning behind them. “You see”, he said, “the sheep and the shepherd are the Rastafarians in Jamaica.” I nodded. “And the wolves and leopards are the forces of colonialism and capitalism.” Yup, makes sense to me. “And the lion represents the British Empire.” Wait. Wait a minute, man. There is no lion. “Yeah there is, he definitely said something about a lion.” No, no he didn’t, the song is about wolves and leopards, he definitely DOESN’T say ANYTHING about a lion. “Man, I swear he definitely said something about a lion.” NO! THERE IS NO LION! Jah, mon, there most certainly is a lion, listen again. The lion is _you_, listening to the song and preparing to rise up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-marley-would-have-been-trumps-fiercest-opponent-if-he-was-alive-today/847577.md?page=1)