Dixie Chicks Explain Anti-Bush Comment

[deep in HELL]

Dixie Chicks Explain Anti-Bush Comment

3/13/03, 5 p.m. ET) -- The Dixie Chicks are stirring up controversy with a recent negative comment about President Bush while overseas promoting their current album, Home.



The trio performed a live show in London on Monday (March 10th) night, and Natalie Maines (news) told the crowd, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."


That statement prompted all kinds of reactions from the American public, causing the group to further explain their stance on their official website. "We've been overseas for several weeks and have been reading and following the news accounts of our government's position," the group explains. "The anti-American sentiment that has unfolded here is astounding. While we support our troops, there is nothing more frightening than the notion of going to war with Iraq (news - web sites) and the prospect of all the innocent lives that will be lost."


Maines also says, "I feel the President is ignoring the opinions of many in the U.S. and alienating the rest of the world. My comments were made in frustration and one of the privileges of being an American is you are free to voice your own point of view."


The Dixie Chicks will perform another live show in Munich, Germany on March 19th.


-- Margy Holland, Nashville


i am not a fan of their music, but give them props, considering their fan base

 

[Screaming Flower]

the lead chick's voice makes my ears bleed.

 

[verte76]

That is very gutsy. My hat's off to them for their honesty.

 

[nbcrusader]

Maybe they should change their name to The French Chicks

 

[diamond]

yeah man theyre neat...give em props..
like cool..

 

[bonoman]

i love how see didnt fold when put to task about what she said!!!

I might not agree with her but like yous said she has some guts.`

 

[deep in HELL]

they have ovaries of steel

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

The Dixie Chicks rock
Both musically and politically...

 

[diamond]

yeah theyre like soo cool and bristling w original thought.
I decided,as soon as they torch a flag im gonna run out and buy their new album man..

cool.


DB9

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Not a fan of their music...but I like that comment. .

Angela

 

[diamond]

yeah
cool

 

[verte76]

Maybe they should change their name to The French Chicks

I hope that's a joke.

 

[nbcrusader]

I hope that's a joke.

Yes it is - everyone and everything that does not support GWB will be renamed as French and anything French that we like will be renamed as Freedom.

 

[daisybean]

Yes it is - everyone and everything that does not support GWB will be renamed as French and anything French that we like will be renamed as Freedom.

So does that mean I'll have to Frenchbean or daisyfrench....

Anyway I agree with the Fizz

don't worry deep in HELL, I didn't take offense because I'm just a redneck, hick girl who listens to their music, and don't know nothing about politics. Now that I have new-used tires on the chevy finally, I'm gonna mosey on down to the county fair and drink Pabst Blue Ribbon til my eyes float. (I'm joking, just trying to dispel the myth that only "certain" people like country music. )

 

[hiphop]

nbcrusader has a talent in making me lately.

 

[Clark W. Griswold Jr]

and bristling w original thought.

Yeah, I guess they thought "Landslide" wasn't covered by enough bands already so they took a shot at it.

 

[daisybean]

Now this is a little too extreme

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...id=638&u=/nm/20030314/en_nm/leisure_chicks_dc


DALLAS (Reuters) - There are a lot worse things in country music than your wife leaving you or your dog dying. There's stations not playing your music because you done gone and said some things against the president.

Music superstars the Dixie Chicks (news - web sites) are finding out that criticizing President Bush (news - web sites)'s plans for war in Iraq (news - web sites) can cost you air play, big time.

Country stations across the United States have pulled the Chicks from playlists following reports that lead singer Natalie Maines said in a concert in London earlier this week that she was "ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas."

Station managers said their decisions were prompted by calls from irate listeners who thought criticism of the president was unpatriotic.

The group, which got its start in Texas, was one of the darlings of this year's Grammy Awards. The three-woman band that blends blue grass and pop hooks has spawned legions of fans who embrace the ideals of strong women celebrated in some of the trio's songs.

One station in Kansas City, Missouri held a Dixie "chicken toss" party Friday morning, where Chick critics were encouraged to dump the group's tapes, CDs and concert tickets into trash cans.


OFF THE AIR


Houston country station KILT pulled the band's records from its playlist -- at least temporarily -- after 77 percent of people polled on its Web site said they supported the move.

"We've got them off the air for right now," said Jeff Garrison, program director at KILT, which is owned by Viacom's Infinity Broadcasting Corp.

"People are shocked. They cannot believe Texas' own have attacked the state and the president," Garrison said.

Lead singer Maines said in a statement she felt the president was ignoring the opinions of many in the United States and alienating the rest of the world by pushing for war with Iraq.

"We've been overseas for several weeks and have been reading and following the news accounts of our government's position. The anti-American sentiment that has unfolded here is astounding," Maines said.

One of the country stations in Dallas that helped champion the Chicks when they were scraping by in that city playing gigs on street corners for tips, "99.5 The Wolf," said they are listening to the listener's views but do not think it is right to immediately jump on the bandwagon and stop playing the Chicks, said program director Paul Williams.

Williams said it is too early to tell how strong a backlash may develop against the Chicks. He said the comments touched a deep nerve in Texas because they came from one of the biggest country groups to come out of the state and were directed at a president who calls Texas home.

"The listener outlash is probably bigger here than anywhere else," William said.

The Chicks have the number one country album in the United States on the Billboard charts called "Home" and the No. 1 single with "Travelin' Soldier," which is about a U.S. soldier who fought in Vietnam. (With additional reporting by Carey Gillam in Kansas City and Matt Dailey in Houston)

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

Seriously, this has shades of McCarthyism about it...

 

[nbcrusader]

I am going to listen to the Freedom Chicks instead!

 

[elfyx]

Now this is a little too extreme

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...id=638&u=/nm/20030314/en_nm/leisure_chicks_dc


Music superstars the Dixie Chicks (news - web sites) are finding out that criticizing President Bush (news - web sites)'s plans for war in Iraq (news - web sites) can cost you air play, big time.

You'd better learn! This is a lesson to you all! Stop thinking for yourselves else there will be consequences!!!

Station managers said their decisions were prompted by calls from irate listeners who thought criticism of the president was unpatriotic.

Yes, yes, any form of dissent or thinking that doesn't agree with the administration is intolerable. The ignorance of the masses shall not be [mis]underestimated. Yes, we shall use this to our advantage... excellent!

"People are shocked. They cannot believe Texas' own have attacked the state and the president," Garrison said.

Is this like the stereotype that ALL Texans wear cowboy hats, are Republican, and drive Pick-'em-up Trucks?

The Chicks have the number one country album in the United States on the Billboard charts called "Home" and the No. 1 single with "Travelin' Soldier," which is about a U.S. soldier who fought in Vietnam. (With additional reporting by Carey Gillam in Kansas City and Matt Dailey in Houston)

But not if we blacklist them!!!

 

[verte76]

Damn this is stupid. They're getting penalized for exercising their freedom of speech rights. What's the use in screaming rhetoric about going to fight for freedom when you turn right around and deny someone a basic human right? This is so inconsistent and lame.

 

[follower]

Seriously, this has shades of McCarthyism about it...

This remember me of Sean Penn. I read somewhere that he lost a role in a movie because of his visit to Iraq and his disaproval of Bush administration policy.

I hope that the US doesn?t turn into a dictatorship. Seriously.

 

[Beefeater]

-As if Bad Looks and Bad Remakes weren't enough of a reason to dislike them.

-USA isn't going to become a dictatorship, please shelf your melodrama.

-Why would you be surprised over Dixie Chick's loss of airplay if the public doesn't want to hear it.. It's the same with smoking, many restaurants are becoming nonsmoking because the public doesn't want to deal with the secondhand smoke.. Regardless of the reasoning behind it, public opinion, and the money it generates, runs the business.

Beefeater

 

[elfyx]

This also reminds me of when this happened to U2. A bunch of radio stations hissed and dissed them after they started with the whole bullet the blue sky / charlton heston bit during the elevation tour.

 

[elfyx]

-USA isn't going to become a dictatorship, please shelf your melodrama.

I'll disagree. Bush has continually oversteps his constitutional authority with the executive branch and his goons have turned congress into a new political gulag. His treasonous actions continue to put our Republic in harms way with shit like the Patriot Act.

"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier...just as long as I'm the dictator..."
--Washington, DC, Dec 18, 2000, during his first trip to Washington as President-Elect

-Why would you be surprised over Dixie Chick's loss of airplay if the public doesn't want to hear it.. It's the same with smoking, many restaurants are becoming nonsmoking because the public doesn't want to deal with the secondhand smoke.. Regardless of the reasoning behind it, public opinion, and the money it generates, runs the business.

Freedom of Speech and blacklisting are not the same as public smoking.

 

[deep in HELL]

i am not a fan of their music, but give them props, considering their fan base

i knew this would happen

 

[Beefeater]

Nice quote, please provide the context, and humor surrounding it et al next time.. However, do you disagree with the quote?


Feel free to disagree about the Prospect of USA becoming a dictatorship, it will never happen in America, and you should feel foolish to allow your hatred of W. to allow you to think it.

As far as is relevant, the Patriot act was signed by every legislator on Capitol Hill... Democrats included. And to label W. guilty of Treason?.. Again, you should feel foolish for allowing your hatred of W. to allow you to type such a thing.

No, Freedom of speech and Non-Smoking are not inherently the same thing, but the principle of what I referenced is the same, and Yes, blacklisting and Prohibition of smoking are the same thing.

And what ever happened to personal responsibility, or dealing with the consequences of one's actions or words? God forbid if Trent Lott were still Senate Majority leader.

Beefeater

 

[verte76]

I'll disagree. Bush has continually oversteps his constitutional authority with the executive branch and his goons have turned congress into a new political gulag. His treasonous actions continue to put our Republic in harms way with shit like the Patriot Act.

"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier...just as long as I'm the dictator..."
--Washington, DC, Dec 18, 2000, during his first trip to Washington as President-Elect




Freedom of Speech and blacklisting are not the same as public smoking.

Very true. This stuff is frightening.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Damn this is stupid. They're getting penalized for exercising their freedom of speech rights. What's the use in screaming rhetoric about going to fight for freedom when you turn right around and deny someone a basic human right? This is so inconsistent and lame.

Really!

That's what I get such a kick out of-the people who sit there and say that we're fighting for our country, we're defending our freedom...and then those same people turn around and censor someone just because of what they say about our president.

So I guess when our troops are defending our freedom, they're not defending the freedom of speech?

O-kay.

elfyx, that is scary, that whole thing about the dictatorship.

Bush as a dictator of the country-there is a frightening thought...seriously.

Originally posted by Beefeater
Feel free to disagree about the Prospect of USA becoming a dictatorship, it will never happen in America, and you should feel foolish to allow your hatred of W. to allow you to think it.

Why?

Bush sure seems like he would enjoy having a dictatorship-he himself said that having one would be easier.

Originally posted by Beefeater
And what ever happened to personal responsibility, or dealing with the consequences of one's actions or words? God forbid if Trent Lott were still Senate Majority leader.

Consequences?

What "consequences" would come from the Dixie Chicks saying that they did not like Bush and expressing how they felt about him?

The worst that would happen (well, it'd be bad for you Bush supporters out there, but good for those of us who don't like Bush) is that more people would start to dislike Bush.

You make it seem like the country would fall apart if someone said they didn't like Bush. Talk about melodrama.

And why are you comparing their comments to the ones Trent Lott made? They are two totally different things.

As stated already, censoring the Dixie Chicks definitely has a hint of McCarthyism...god knows we don't need that happening all over again.

Their songs shouldn't be pulled from radio stations simply because they don't like the president. They have a right to their opinion, too.

Those people called in and said that the Dixie Chicks' comments were unpatriotic-no, expressing your opinion about the president is not unpatriotic.

The censoring of the Dixie Chicks for their views, that is what's unpatriotic. The listeners who want them censored are the unpatriotic ones here.

Angela

 

[diamond]

oh boo-hoo.
at least they have something tangible to blame for their eventual demise for

Lemonite Rocks

DB9