how talented these women are. Three years ago, they were the most popular female group in history. All that changed when lead singer Natalie Maines (center in photo) made a comment at a London concert that she was ashamed that President Bush was from her home state of Texas.
The backlash was fierce. Conservative pundits had a field day, country stations pulled their music and there were plenty of ugly phone calls to radio stations that did play their songs. I can speak to this personally as a disc jockey at a country station -- I got a lot of hell for playing any of their former hits.
Our station decided to pull their song "Travelling Solider" because they thought lyrics might be too painful now that our country was at war. Sample: "Our love will never end/Waitin' for the soldier to come back again/Never more to be alone/When the letter says a soldier's comin home." I thought that was the wrong decision to make. I remember one phone call from a woman who's fiancee was over seas in Afghanistan. She desperately wanted to hear that song and have me dedicate it to him. It killed me to say no to her.
Last night CBS's 60 minutes did a great show asking the Dixie Chicks about their infamous statement, the war and their new album.
Reporter Steven Kroft asked Natalie Maines if she was sorry about her London comment, for which she had originally apologized for making. I was so thankful for her answer, this time, with hindsight in mind and more confidence, she was able to stand up and say, "Sorry about what? Sorry about not wanting to go to war? And not wanting people to die?"
It can't hurt that the vast majority of Americans now share her opinion that the war in Iraq was a horrible mistake for our country, one built on a foundation of lies and deception. Now tens of thousands are injured, disabled, dead. But Natalie Maines is the bad guy?
It is so lame & infuriating that people think they're being "patriotic" by continuing to boycott their music. If you're so angry and want to support your country why don't you sign up for the guard and get over and really help the troops, huh? If you think war is the best answer and anyone who questions war is a terrorist, then get your ass over there and help fight this war that you support so much
My opposing the war has everything to do with supporting the troops. I have friends, classmates and uncle and a cousin in Iraq. I don't deny the good that is being done over there. I hear about our troops going through Iraq, handing out school supplies, food and medicine to families. But that is work of peace, not of war. We cannot hope to win over people and help them understand freedom and democracy when we are occupying their country, bombing it, walking with weapons among their people who fear suicide bombing and violence of every kind.
But that's a post for a different day. The point is, people in this country who call themselves patriots when all they do it boycott a female country music act... they need a major wake-up call. Owning a Toby Keith CD doesn't mean you're helping the troops. At least the Dixie Chicks stood up against the bullies and said, "No we don't support war and death. We don't care if it Mr. President's idea, it's still a bad idea. We're ashamed of this war and the people who lied to create it." I couldn't agree more.
Buy the Dixie Chicks CD. It's a great album and it comes out May 23.
Speak out! Speak up! Ignore the a-holes!
4 comments:
I've never really felt strongly one way or another about the Dixie Chicks and was kind of annoyed at how long the feud between them and Toby Keith went on for. I don't blame either party more than the other for it going on as long as it did, it just bothered me after a while. I understand your statement about supporting the troops but not the war. My friend Adam is there now and will be home for good from this deployment by July 4th - unfortunately he decided to re-enlist for three more years. I knew it was something he had to do and while I don't want him to go, I am still going to support him in it.
I thought the backlash against the Chicks was insane, but I also understand why people did it - it is kind of the mentality that you have to "keep it in the family" - they went to a different country and said these things. But I get it, either way, and I still enjoy their music so basically I am babbling now, which I've become quite good at recently.
I ate some really good chicken fried rice yesterday though, just so you know.
I saw a really great bumper sticker a few years ago, it said, "Boycott the Dixie Chicks... it's LITERALLY the least you could do"
I agree. Annoying feud between TK and the DC. But it made me crazy that people were sending detailed death threats to these women! One guy saw a picture of the Dixie Chicks on a radio station van and he pointed a shotgun at it!! NUTS! Like, get over it-- it was a comment they didn't bomb the white house!! You don't need to try and assassinate them!
PS: Fried rice rules. I am hungry now. damn
I know, everyone went nuts and it was a bummer because I like both parties involved, though admittedly I am more a fan of Toby's music ('Whiskey Girl' was written for me I do believe.) Either way, I agree that death threats were far too far over the line.
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