I like the Dixie Chicks' music. Since I do not get my political ideas, agendas or leanings from musicians, I don't care what Natalie Maines has to say about anything other than her music. I'm glad my beliefs are strong enough to not be influenced by just any ol' personality!
I do care that she (and the rest of us) have the freedom to express her views.
I'm sad to see the narrow-mindedness that shows up here whenever a public figure disagrees with the Republican party. For example, if a new film is coming out, I can count on someone here giving a review, and then someone else will dig up the director's political donations, or the key grip's posting on some website that says he hates war, and then a whole bunch of folks will declare they won't see the movie, they won't support "those people who don't agree with/ think like us".
I've never cared for group-think. I think everyone should be able to have their opinion, even if it differs from mine. I think "thinking for yourself" is smart!And just to prove how contrarian I can be, I actually watched the video for this new song. I liked it. I like the song, even tho she is slamming those who tell her to "shut up and sing" (I agree, she should just shut up and sing, cos she sings pretty well! Her politics are the opposite of mine, but then I'm a horrible singer!)
One of the things in the video is her writing on the blackboard over and over "to talk without thinking is to shoot without aiming".
Wow! so many "I"s in this! Sorry bout that, I think I better switch back, from Splenda to sugar!
Sounds like you need to buy some new knee pads. We have freedom of speech also and will exercise that. The Vichy Chicks can rot in hell - and so can all those who agree with them.
If I walk into a coffee shop and order a cup of coffee, I don't want the cashier to start telling me how much she hates Bush and how evil Republicans are. That's not what I'm there for. I'm there for a freaking cup of coffee so my reaction is pretty much, "I didn't get my ass out of bed at 5 and trudge down here to listen to your half-baked, parroted political blarney so why don't you STFU and get me my God damn cup of coffee?"
Hell. I'm an IT Director. I could set the Active Directory domain at my company so that everyone's home page in Internet Explorer would be Free Republic. Why not? It would only piss off half my users but, who cares? I'm the one in charge of it so it's OK, isn't it?
If your business isn't politics, you should keep your politics out of your business. It's just basic civility. And if you're going to try to parlay your fame for having a pretty voice, or being able to memorize a script and make believe that you're someone you're not, into political prowess, you better be prepared for the negative reaction of people who are paying you money to help them escape from their day-to-day drudgeries - which include politics.
I agree with you. Lots of group think here and its pretty pathetic. I dont think Natalie is ugly. I think she has a good voice and they all three make great sounding music.
I also think people here are being stupid in calling her fat or stupid just because she is as hard headed as most everyone here is.
As far as Natalie goes, it would go a long way if she simply said "Im sorry I let my politics interfere with my love of my fans" and end it there. But she refuses. Her problem as we all know.
I just wish people here would quit the childish namecalling and rediculous insults.
I dont like her personally because of her diarhea of the mouth but I wont act like my opinions are anymore valid than hers just because she sings and im a web developer. I spout off at my place of work just like she did.
Flame suit on...
I used to love to hear Streisand sing too. I knew she held different political views from my own. I bought her music and watched her movies UNTIL she made her political views her priority and used her celebrity to bash those who hold views different from her own. Paying to see her, or to listen to her, then became a matter of helping to support her political views. I refused to do that. After a short period of time I became so disgusted with her that her music and her movies disgusted me, so I never listen to the ones I had purchased.
The Chicks deliberately used their celebrity to bash the POTUS on foreign soil in a time of war. They are attempting to use their "popularity" as a wedge to cause disunity, and opposition to this President, and to his Party. They have made their political views the issue. It's no longer about their music. It was never about denying them free speech and, if the subtleties need to be explained to them, they'll just have to suffer the consequences until they can figure it out.
In the meantime, they'll have to depend on those who support their views to write their paychecks, along with the occasional "lover of the music", like yourself, who can ignore the fact that the money spent buying that music is used to help destroy the defenders of their own political views.
Natalie said they were swept up in the anti-American sentiment that they were experiencing while traveling in Europe and that’s why she made the comment.
These are HER words:
"the anti-American sentiment that has unfolded here is astounding."
"it was a joke and it wasn't planned. And it was really funny at the time. It got lots of cheers, and that's what it was meant for."
She later went on to explain that she didn’t even think it would get back to the United States.
" We were going into this hotel...and he [the Dixie Chicks' manager] got a call ... he's pacing back and forth. "Oh, no!" You know, we're automatically going "What? What happened?" And then he says, you know, he gets off the phone and I was like, "What? What happened?" "Well, the AP picked up what was said the other night... But don't worry, it's going to blow over in three days." And I looked at him and I go, "No, it's not." He goes "Yes, it is, yes. Don't worry about it." You know, giving the old manager spiel. And I said, "Oh, I don't think so."
She wanted to win favor with them , so they would in turn financially support her and lavish her with adoration. She pandered to them and took aim at the President.
I believe had she felt the crowd that night was anti-tooth fairy, like she claims they were anti-American, she would have announced her shame of teeth and fairies.
Everything that happened in the wake of her comments was just spin, including the scab picking she is now doing 3 years later.
She is the Varuca Salt of our time and if you do not agree with her, or financially support her, she throws tantrums. At least we can be thankful she kept her clothes on this go around.
As for the effects it had on their career:
They have yet to sell a million of anything since the comments. 'Home' which was the album on the charts when it happened, was certified at 6 million a week following the incident. It has yet to be certified for another million and it’s a double cd so each sale gets counted as two. Top Of The World was a live greatest hits package they released in 11/03. It has yet to sell a million copies. In comparison Garth Brooks Live greatest hits concert album has sold 20 million. Concerts that were organized after the incident, they could not sell out. Not even Vote for Change which had only 3000 seat venues.
As for Boycotting:
I don’t understand why so many people think boycotting the chicks is wrong, when the chicks themselves are in favor of targeting and boycotting companies for exercising their rights. On 10/18/04 the chicks posted a message on their website asking anyone who would listen to BOYCOTT Sinclair media for running a documentary against Kerry. (I can post the text if you do not believe me) The chicks obviously live by a double standard. They have every right to speak out. But to bemoan about people no longer wanting to financially support them as they use the stage afforded to them by their fans to preach to their fans, is hypocritical to me.
They hold others to standard that they themselves refuse to live by. While in concert, Natalie encouraged people that couldn’t get a refund on their tickets to Boo her. They did. She yelled back at them, {"Yeah well I still got you $65". I am willing to bet it will be the last time she gets their $65.
As for the death threats:
The chicks have yet to report the death threats to the proper authorities. When asked about it, the Sheriff (San Antonio) said NO death threats were ever reported. He did however say one of the girls had their front gate toilet papered. He did not speculate as to whether or not the toilet paper was "life threatening". LOL! Its just more spin by the chicks to paint themselves as martyrs.
As for the First Amendment:
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Free Speech does not guarantee the right to be heard nor is it a guarantee of airplay nor does it mean one is free from consequence. Their rights were NEVER in jeopardy.
In The end:
The chicks were used as pawns by the fringe left of society who they now want to remind that they are somehow obligated to financially support them. So they have decided to pick their scabs over 3 years later and try to perpetrate as martyrs when in fact all they ever were to begin with were pawns.