Dixie Chicks... Everybody Feels The Same Way NOW, So What Was The Big Deal?
@FaerieAne2003 (679)
United States
March 20, 2008 9:25am CST
Okay, right after Sept. 11, 2001, President Bush waited a little too long to start his war. The Dixie Chicks were on tour in the UK, and Natalie Maines said some "traitorous" things about President Bush and his ridiculousness. Um, I thought that was just free speech? Anyway, things rocked on and because of what she said, the Dixie Chicks were boycotted by everyone; average joes, radio stations, country music television stations, political people. Well, now EVERYONE is saying EXACTLY the same things Ms. Maines said 5 years ago, and worse, but the Dixie Chicks still haven't been re-embraced by society. Why is that? I'm not the Dixie Chicks' biggest fan, in fact I only know one of their songs (Goodbye Earl, if you haven't heard it, it's hilarious!). However, I do think it's pretty crappy of the entire world to ostracize those women for having their own views, and then adopt said views for society's own. The boycotting would not have happened to a man, or a group of men. Look at Toby Keith, or even Tim McGraw. They both sing about soldiers and justice, and their versions of "justice" have changed dramatically since the start of the war, but nothing ever happened to the men. Baby Bushwhacker just got his wittle feewings hurt by the Dixie Chicks, and that's all. Everyone makes fun of him now, and everyone thinks his little war is just stupid competition with his father now, so... What was the big deal with the Dixie Chicks again? I mean, seriously. Even the new candidates for the Presidency are turning on his stupid @$$. So why haven't the Dixie Chicks been applauded for their insight and intelligence, instead of being torn down for having and speaking their own minds? Has society really decided that women can no longer have opinions, have the freedom of speech, or even the freedom of thought? How much longer until we're no longer allowed to vote? I can tell you right now, if it's going to be like that, then men need to figure out a way to give birth on their own, too, because I don't know a single woman that will have her rights stripped and still be willing to do anything for a man. GET WITH THE PROGRAM, PEOPLE! LET'S NOT LET THE WORLD WE'VE WORKED SO HARD FOR BE SNATCHED OUT FROM UNDER US WITHOUT EVEN FIGHTING FOR IT! NO MATTER WHAT YOUR COUNTRY OR NATIONALITY, WAKE THE HELL UP!
2 people like this
6 responses
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
20 Mar 08
Well what you just wrote is not a true statement.
I don't make fun of him.
Regardless of what anyone else here on this forum says, there are a lot of others that don't either.
2 people like this
@FaerieAne2003 (679)
• United States
21 Mar 08
I have found that in the main body of a discussion the words "everyone" and "you" are very generalized terms, whereas in the response section they both tend to be more specific. Case in point:
From your screenname, I can guess that you are a Marine, and proudly so. I just want to say that I may not agree with everything our government does, and I may not agree with our Commander-in-Chief. But I believe I can show my support to the men and women at arms without supporting every action taken by the President. So on that note, I am grateful to you and your comrades for everything you all have done and continue to do for the safety and protection of our country, and not just for "the country" in and of itself. My kids sleep safely at night because of you and all soldiers. Many people's children sleep safely at night because of you all, and not only in the US. So I thank you and say prayers each day giving thanks and asking protection for the troops all over the world. Wherever you are in the world, Ldyjarhead, I hope that you are safe.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
21 Mar 08
Thank you.
I served for more than 21 years and now retired, and my son just returned from his third tour in Iraq as a squad leader with the Marine infantry. His father served 26 yrs and saw action in VietNam and the Persian Gulf.
I can't say for certain that my feelings for the Bush administration would be any different if I could separate who I am (you know, once a Marine') from what I believe. I know he's not infallible, I don't know anyone that is. I do believe he's the best we have(had) to choose from at the time.
God help us all in November. I don't like any of our current choices.
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
20 Mar 08
I have read your discussion several times now and you know what - I agree with you. The US overreacted massively to people like the Dixie Chick, who simply stated, what to me then and now, was the obvious. The West lashed out and we are paying the price for that now. Actually it's not us sitting comfortablt at home, it's good men and women in our militaries that are getting killed every day and tens of thousands of Iraqis are too. I'm as patriotic as the next man, but something stinks now. We have been fed half truths and lies and we, and they, deserve better.
1 person likes this
@FaerieAne2003 (679)
• United States
20 Mar 08
Wow. Your response is as perfect as SomethingGood's. I'm beginning to understand why you have difficulty with the "Best Response", and I can't even follow my own advice because I know you both equally.
_
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
20 Mar 08
I think that the US does have to finish it. But we are all now in so deep that we can't just pull out, take our ball home and play some place else. neither can the US afford for other countries to lose their support and to start dropping out, and that is happening now. It is a total shambles and as usual a few politicians will go into other things, you've already got Butcher Blair, (that pay fabulous sums) whilst the countries that they messed about with spend decades recovering. Except they never do because there is always some other joey waiting in the corner to screw up up all over again.
1 person likes this
@FaerieAne2003 (679)
• United States
21 Mar 08
I like your analogy to children playing ball. It fits so well. I can't wait for the next president. My mom says "better the evil you know than the evil you don't", but the next one can't do much worse than this one. Now watch me have said that, and they come up with something far worse. Sheesh.
@lucy02 (5015)
• United States
20 Mar 08
I didn't agree with the Dixie Chicks but I fully support their right to say it. I think people went way too far in their reaction to it. It was almost like a lynch mob with their personal attacks. I wonder if some of the men in the music business jumped on the attacks to further their own career. It kind of seemed that way to me.
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
27 Mar 08
As someone already pointed out not everyone is making fun of Bush or his choices and some actually do support him still. However back to the Dixie Chicks what hurt them wasn't their opinion but how and when they did it. They expressed it over on Foreign soil and stated "They were ashamed to be from Texas". They were saying they were ashamed to be Americans. That is what hurt them more then anything.
You also have to realize this was not the only thing against them. Just a few months before Natalie had been asked to leave the Music awards for wearing the shirt that had the letters "F.U.T.K." across it. Everyone took it to mean FU Toby Keith, the two had been having rivalry problems for some time and this seemed to be another antic towards it. This combined with what she said at the London concert was enough to cause the fans to turn their backs on them.
Personally I think if she'd expressed her opinion on Bush in a way to show she disapproved his his actioned and had done it in an interview and not in the middle of a concert it wouldn't have hurt them as it did. How she did it is what caused the fans to be outraged. That she expressed being ashamed of her state and thus her country to thousands of British fans made it sound like she did not want to be a part of the country that had given her so much.
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
28 Mar 08
First of all there is no reason to attack me. Yes I support the war because I remember spending two years watching Hostages being held in Iran, I remember seeing planes hijacked by terrorists and a navel diver killed and thrown out onto an airstrip, I remember hearing about the Olympics being shot at, and I remember 9/11. I have seen problems rise from the middle east all my life and every time we stop them and pull back they end up coming back and attacking us again. So yes I would like to see us squash them and make sure that they cannot attack us again ever!
You devoted most of the discussion about the Dixie Chicks and what they stated. I was pointing out that what happened was a culmination of events. It had nothing to do with them being female. It had to do with Natalie engaging her mouth before her brain. That the incident at the London Concert was the final straw and fans didn't want to hear it anymore. Yes she had a right to say whatever she wanted to and her fans have the same right not to buy her records anymore if they so choose.
@FaerieAne2003 (679)
• United States
27 Mar 08
Please read between the lines. This discussion is not totally about the Chicks. As I said before, I really don't care about them as the Dixie Chicks. The only reason I care is because they are women, they were too quickly judged, and had they been men, the whole thing would have blown right over. And as far as their saying that they were ashamed to be from Texas, NO MATTER WHERE THEY SAID IT, NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAID, IT IS STILL THEIR RIGHT TO SAY IT. That is the point of American freedom, right? Even though they are women and it made such a stink for them to do so, when it wouldn't have been a problem for a man, IT IS STILL THEIR RIGHT TO SAY IT. It was not slanderous, did not infringe on anyone else's rights, and I don't think it made her sound like she didn't want to be part of this country, so it wasn't even traitorous. All she said was she was ashamed to be from the same place as our lousy president. As is her right as an American. So what if she was a b!tch? So am I. I'll bet you have your moments, too. Everyone does. And if you do still support him, I just have to laugh and ask "Why?" I'll bet you have tons of money to keep up with his failing economy, and enough money that his stupidity doesn't even faze your bank account or your mind.
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
20 Mar 08
Actually, the Dixie Chicks created their own problem by pissing off the people who listened to them the most.
Since they were a Country Music group, that meant that their fans were predominately conservative and rural.
These are people who are highly patriotic and who respect the president... and who were highly irritated at the 9-11 attacks and wanted some payback... as did the majority of Americans at that time. It should also be noted that at that time Bush's approval rating was pretty high.
When they made their statements about being ashamed of the president, they deeply offended this group and the backlash resulted in the boycott by the very people were supporting them.
That is something that you just don't do.
The same thing happened to another Country singer a while before that when she started speaking out against eating beef. Since most of her fans made their living from beef, it is no surprise that she didn't last long after that.
It wasn't about them being women... it was a matter of pissing off the very people that was keeping them in business.
1 person likes this
@cortjo73 (6498)
• United States
20 Mar 08
I am not a country music fan, for the most part...I life a few country songs though. Anyway, I had no problem with what Natalie said. I gained respect for this woman I virtually knew nothing about.
And, when they came out with "Not Ready to Make Nice", I listened and loved it. It is ridiculous that you can't have an opinion, voice it, and just move on.
I was not one of the people in this country who turned my back on them. If anything, it made me consider them when they came out with "Not Ready to Make Nice". So, to me, they did more good than harm for their career if only in my very own eyes.
1 person likes this
@FaerieAne2003 (679)
• United States
20 Mar 08
I feel the same. Hence, this discussion. Thanks for posting!
