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Dixie Chicks at a Crossroads (more detail on the F.U.T.K. t-shirt)
Washington Dispatch ^ | May 28, 2003 | CK Rairden

Posted on 05/28/2003 8:25:09 AM PDT by fightinJAG

Dixie Chicks at a Crossroads

Exclusive commentary by CK Rairden

May 28, 2003

The Dixie Chicks were doing so well. Lead singer Natalie Maines had finally shut up, and the country artists had been cheered on their American concert tour for their music. Then came the prestigious American Country Music Awards in Las Vegas. The very mention of their name drew a chorus of boos from the crowd.

“Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas, lead singer Natalie Maines told a London audience in March. The Chicks took heat for that remark for weeks, so much so that they went on a ‘victim tour’ to attempt to garner sympathy from their fans. They cried on the ABC magazine show “Prime Time.” They sat for an interview that ran in the magazine Entertainment Weekly, and posed for an apparently heavily airbrushed nude cover shot with slogans transcribed all over their bods.

They claimed they were being harassed and threatened and released information that they would hire off duty police officers to protect them. The victim card was played then the Chicks then held their breath and opened their tour in Greenville, South Carolina.

It went well as those who paid to see the Chicks greeted the band with cheers and not jeers.

It continued that way for all of their tour dates. Folks who paid to see them generally cheered, the Chicks kept their mouths shut except to sing and their fans supported them.

Then came the prestigious Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas. It started out poorly for the Chicks as hostess Reba McEntire joked about them in her open monologue twice to a howling response from their peers.

This crowd in Las Vegas seemed less forgiving as none of them paid to see the Chicks perform. At the mention of the Chicks name, boos scattered down from the crowd.

But it still wasn’t all that bad.

The big problem for the country music trio came when they were asked at the last moment to perform via satellite from Austin, Texas. Silence greeted the band in the Vegas auditorium as they were introduced. They played a tune that was broadcast on screen and as the camera zoomed in on lead singer and political commentator Natalie Maines you could see the letters F.U.T.K on her homemade t-shirt.

Most believe the T.K stands for Toby Keith, a country music superstar in his own right and singer of the very patriotic song “Courtesy of the Red White and Blue” (The Angry American.) It doesn’t take much to figure out what the F.U. stood for.

The patriotic country music fans in Vegas didn’t like the vulgar statement.

Toby Keith wrote that song after 9/11 in honor of his late father and it became an anthem for music fans that believed America had to defend itself after the attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center towers.

It was also a song that former POW Pfc. Patrick Miller sang to his captors while being held in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Toby Keith even met Miller at his homecoming parade in Valley Center, Kansas and struck up a duet of the tune with the private. He then gave Miller his guitar from that day. It was a nice gesture by Keith, and fans appreciated it across America.

So once again, with her petty message to Keith, Natalie Maines gave the appearance of being ungrateful and unpatriotic.

The Vegas crowd would soon let her know about it.

Their name was then mentioned for entertainer of the year and the boos were thunderous. Presenter Vince Gill tried to quiet the crowd, but to no avail. This entire ceremony was a celebration of music and patriotism, and the Chicks were still perceived to be the exact opposite of that.

The show saluted the armed forces several times, including a standing ovation for three freed POWs of the Iraq war who were invited on stage. Pfc. Miller was there along with Chief Warrant Officer Ronald Young Jr. from Fort Hood, Texas and Spc. Shoshana Johnson, from Fort Bliss, Texas.

Johnson was shown misty-eyed as Darryl Worley sang his patriotic anthem for the soldiers “Have You Forgotten?”

The crowd had no patience for the Dixie Chicks and their anti-war stance.

The Dixie Chicks lost the entertainer of the year award to none other than Toby Keith, which pleased the Vegas fans. In fact they failed to win any awards.

Launch YAHOO! caught up with host Reba McEntire and asked her if she thought the Chicks' helped themselves to win back any support of the fans or fellow performers who were not happy with Maines' unpatriotic comment. McEntire made her opinion clear, “(It) didn't sound like it. I announced it, and it was a pretty big negative response. It was very, very bad. I don't think it's over.”

Reba is right.

The Chicks have lost respect from many country fans, many country artists, and many people who had never heard of them. Maines’ vulgar t-shirt showed clearly that she learned very little from her statements, or doesn’t mind the loss of respect.

It will be amazing if Maines doesn’t once again slip up, make another foolish statement and cause her band grief from country music fans and her peers. These three women are very talented musicians, but they are losing quite a few would be fans with perceived anti-American antics. The Chicks are at a crossroads. They can make a stand and attempt to become a political and social force with their music, words and t-shirts to a select anti-American crowd. Or they can continue to be country superstars. If they choose the latter--time can heal this, if that’s what the Chicks want.

All they have to do is shut up and sing.


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To: fightinJAG; tame; Flurry; valleygal
good night, John Boy.
361 posted on 05/28/2003 7:37:18 PM PDT by fightinJAG
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To: hattend; fightinJAG

362 posted on 05/28/2003 7:41:24 PM PDT by tame (Here's one Lefty that makes my knees weak! Mommy, mommy!)
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To: valleygal
Have you ever noticed how much like a heartbeat these booms sound ? My sister, the psychologist, thinks that it's a substitution for a mother's heartbeat, felt from the womb. Now every time we hear it, we both look at each other and say, "aaww, maternal deprivation" and laugh.
363 posted on 05/28/2003 8:23:08 PM PDT by Red Boots
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To: Richard Kimball; hattend
Thanks guys!
364 posted on 05/28/2003 8:27:34 PM PDT by Clemenza (East side, West side, all around the town. Tripping the light fantastic on the sidewalks of New York)
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To: fightinJAG
Good night grandpa boy.
365 posted on 05/29/2003 4:50:19 AM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (When you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.)
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To: CyberCowboy777
I meant that the tuner, amplifier and pre-amplifier are made by Carver. I've got the info and will email you per your instructions later today. Speakers are by Magnaplaner.
366 posted on 05/29/2003 5:32:27 AM PDT by sarasota
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To: tame
I bet that didn't get yer' hormones ragin' as much as the Batgirl (Evonne Craig) and the Catwoman (Julie Newmar) got my hormones ragin' when I was only 4 years old! LOL!

I was a fan of Julie Newmar when she was on The Bob Cummings Show (can't remember the year - 1960? I would have been 6). At the time of 'Batman', I was watching 'Lost in Space'. Marta Kristin (sp) and Angela Cartwright were the ones who made me tingle...LOL.

367 posted on 05/29/2003 9:22:48 AM PDT by hattend
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To: fightinJAG
can do that....all they have to do is shut up and sing

for me, at least --- they can't shut up and sing that much.

I'm not coming back to their side. Ever.

368 posted on 05/29/2003 9:28:56 AM PDT by HatSteel
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To: Flurry
I'm a gurl and I'm not "grand"! :-)
369 posted on 05/29/2003 2:35:44 PM PDT by fightinJAG
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