They Loved Dolly. Her Values? Less So.

When Dolly Parton died, conservatives joined the mourning. Donald Trump even assured us that she “really liked” him. Naturally, he found a way to make her passing about himself.

But loving Dolly’s music and embracing her values are different things.

Parton supported LGBTQ people. Her Imagination Library put free books into children’s hands. She dropped “Dixie” from her Stampede attraction’s name after criticism of its Confederate associations. She understood that honoring your roots need not mean preserving every prejudice attached to them.

She also donated $1 million to coronavirus research that helped develop Moderna’s vaccine, then publicly encouraged vaccination. Her response to suffering was to help, with her money, her platform and her example.

None of that required a campaign endorsement. Decency does not need a party registration.

Conservatives can sincerely love her songs. But politicians who celebrate her generosity while practicing exclusion should face an obvious question: What, exactly, are you honoring?

The rhinestones? The accent? A comforting vision of America stripped of the compassion that made her remarkable?

Dolly’s kindness was central to her legacy.

You cannot claim her moral authority while rejecting its substance.

They loved everything about Dolly—except what she stood for.