Dolly Parton's acceptance unites America
A columnist says Dolly Parton's humor, generosity, and apolitical kindness united Americans, offering lessons in unity.
Dolly Parton's death brought immediate and shared grief to Americans of all political beliefs. In a deeply divided community, columnist Margaret Sullivan observed universal devastation at the news, highlighting the singer's unique cross-cultural appeal.
Sullivan, writing for The Guardian, described being in a strongly pro-Trump district in New York when the news broke. The area, where she spends summers, is known for its conservative views. Yet, stylists and customers in a hair salon were uniformly heartbroken by the loss of the star.
The formula for unity
How did a rags-to-riches country singer achieve this? Sullivan points to a potent mix of traits. Parton had a gift for self-deprecating humor. She famously joked about being a "dumb blonde," clarifying she was neither dumb nor a natural blonde. After false reports of her death last year, she took to social media to declare, "I ain't dead yet."
Her remarkable generosity was another key. Her Imagination Library organization gave away more than 330 million books to children globally. She founded it partly because her own father couldn't read or write. She also funded a hospital in Tennessee and gave $500 awards to local high school graduates.
Navigating political divides
Even her promotion of the Covid-19 vaccine, which she helped fund, did not alienate her conservative fans. Sullivan notes that humor was her tool again. Parton changed the lyrics of "Jolene" to "vaccine, vaccine" in promotional videos. She never made the issue political. Jad Abumrad, in a New York Times essay, called this approach "a unique brand of radical acceptance." He wrote, "No one would ever be thrown out of the Big Dolly Tent."
Behind the kindness was a sharp business mind. Parton scored 25 number-one country singles. As Abumrad learned while creating the podcast Dolly Parton’s America, she always controlled her own narrative. If a male host joked about her figure, she would top it with a better joke. She was always two steps ahead, never part of a story she didn't author.
Can this be replicated? Sullivan suggests probably not, as there is only one Dolly Parton. But there are lessons. A self-deprecating joke can ease tensions. Financial success need not breed arrogance. Most of all, genuine generosity from the heart can transcend politics. Her legacy is in songs like "Coat of Many Colors" and "9 to 5." She might also want to be remembered for her authentic kindness and disarming wit.
