When Kanye West jumped the stage at the MTV Music Awards, fans and artists united against the guy; jumping to Taylor Swift’s defense.  After all, that was just uncalled for…didn’t matter who it was.  However, when Taylor hits a bum note or falls a little flat, suddenly everyone has the right to say absolutely mean and hateful things.   It doesn’t matter if lots of artists have the unfortunate reality of ‘live show = sound bad’ syndrome.  Darius Rucker has been known to sound not-so-great on tv but sounds AMAZING live, Lady Antebellum is often having ‘monitor’ issues and can’t seem to find the harmony, even die-hard Rascal Flatts fans admit to their inability to pull-off an award show performance seamlessly. No one dawgs on any of them consistently, probably because record sales and their success vindicates them. However, for some reason when the singer is Taylor Swift….let the flood gates open and tear her a new one….  There is a great article on MTV.com that pretty much hits the nail on the head as to why people feel free to hate on T-Swizzle.

Still, I’m sort of amazed at the acrimony with which Swift is being assaulted. Yes, I’m aware that the Internet has much to do with it … after all, it provides not only the stage but the secure blanket of anonymity. The allure of the “comment” box is that it allows you to say the nastiest things imaginable — things you would never dream of saying directly to someone — without fear of direct retribution. And yes, I’m aware of the fact that negativity and pettiness are the cultural currency of the day, that they drive page views and sell magazines, and that we are all competing to see who can get to the bottom the fastest.

And, like I said, all of this seems a bit, well, harsh. After all, what, exactly, is Taylor Swift’s biggest sin? Faux earnestness? Bum notes on national TV? The fact that she’s sold a whole lot of records and now gets to reap the awards? I suppose it’s all of those things, though none of them seem to be all that important.

As the awards began to pile up, she went from the underdog to the over-dog. She became just another celebrity,” Entertainment Weekly music critic Leah Greenblatt told me on Tuesday (February 2). “And the cycle of celebrity, it will always come back to a takedown. Some people are mad because she seems too perfect. Some people are mad at her for dumping Jacob from ‘New Moon.’ And a lot of people are mad because she wiffed so hard with Stevie Nicks at the Grammys.

So yes, while Swift’s performance didn’t go that well, it still doesn’t mean that she deserves the sheer amount of hatred she’s getting. So what if she had an off performance? So what if she won a boatload of awards? Her Fearless album (not to mention her self-titled debut) has been among the very few bright spots in the music industry over the past few years, and these awards are given out by that same industry. Swift deserves the accolades. She’s earned them.

But, like I said, all of this was probably inevitable. We live to knock people down, and it’s just Swift’s turn to take her lumps. It’s already happened to the likes of Madonna, Britney and Beyoncé, not to mention her fellow country acts like Shania Twain and Faith Hill. It’s been going on for decades, if not centuries, now. It’s just part of the game.

Still, it doesn’t make it fair. I’ll be the first to take someone down if the situation warrants it, and while Swift may have tiptoed that line, she hasn’t fallen over. People are hating on her because she is popular, because she wins awards, and, yes, because she had an off performance on “music’s biggest night.” But keep in mind that she is still just 20 years old. I get the feeling there’s genuine greatness in her future — she’s just got to get through this part, and let it all come out.

I am apparently one of the few who ‘get Taylor.’ I mean…gasp…I’m a Keith Urban fan…gasp…I think Carrie Underwood is a freaking amazing singer…GASP!!! WHAT? I’m a fan of other people but still a Taylor Swift Fan?!?!?!? How can I be a fan of someone who’s ripping awards away from the people I like…Um…maybe because she’s not. Taylor isn’t signing her name on the dotted line for Entertainer of the Year Winner before anyone else….People voted…People who probably know far more than you and me. For instance…I don’t like Kenny Chesney….I don’t think he’s a great…hmm…well…anything….But he’s doing something right and making lots of money. It may or may not have something to do with the amount of beer people consume while listening to him, but oh well. Just because he’s taking a year off doesn’t mean that suddenly Keith Urban is gonna get his retribution. There is more to the game than that.

Whether you’re a fan or not…whether you think Taylor can sing or not…You can’t deny that she’s got ’something’ that the other’s don’t have. Maybe it’s her ability to entertain a mass of 15,000 people ranging in age from 3-60…maybe it’s her ability to capture the feelings of an adolescent girl going through tough times and deliver it with feeling and emotion….Feelings and talent don’t always have to come with the sweetest sound. The girl writes every freakin song on her album…Many of the best singers are just starting to dabble in their songwriting like Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood. Some of the worlds most well known singers and artists weren’t fantastic vocalists…Neil Young and Bob Dylan…but talent is talent. Should Taylor be winning vocalist awards…probably not, but everything else is she’s earned. Now, do I think Taylor is a terrible singer…No. I’ve seen her show…seen her all stripped down at the Opry…The voice is there. Maybe not technically perfect like Carrie’s or Martina’s…but it’s there. It’s raw, and it shows the emotions that her songs bring out.

You can read the full article at MTV.com. It’s long but it’s worth it, and it makes some valid points. Although, if you’re one of the haters; it’s not going to matter anyway. You’ll still find a good enough reason to fly off at the mouth and spout things you’d never say in front of your momma in fear of getting a bar of soap shoved in there. Thank got for avatars and handles to protect your identity.

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com