John Kerry could have borrowed Dixie Chicks' non-apology as seen on Oprah

Oprah.com (Transcript) ^ | October, 2006 | Oprah Winfrey Interview

[sully777]

In 2003, the Dixie Chicks, (pictured left to right) Emily Robison, Martie Maguire and Natalie Maines, were the most popular female group in country music history, with a number one single, millions in sales, multiple Grammy awards, legions of fans and sold-out concerts across the world.

Then, during a concert in London on March 10, 2003, just days before the U.S. military would invade Iraq, Natalie felt she had to say something about what was happening in the world. To those English fans—whose own government joined America's Iraqi invasion—she said, "We do not want this war, this violence. And we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas."

The controversy that followed—documented in the film Shut Up & Sing—came swiftly and harshly. Radio stations refused to play their once-popular songs, conservative political commentators offered outraged judgments, they were labeled un-American and traitors, their concerts and CDs were boycotted, and they received death threats.

Natalie says the infamous comment in London wasn't really planned. They had been in London for a couple of weeks and, like the rest of the world, were following the news of the run-up to the Iraqi invasion very closely.

"We talked about it nonstop, all the time, and were very into politics and things at the time. We just talked about how silly it felt and how trite it felt to have to put on a show when such serious things were going on in the world," she says. "But we've always known that our job is to perform and that people spend their money to see the music and to see a show. I think a part of me knew I had to say something about it just so people don't think that we're shallow and we don't care what's going on. But I also didn't want to get too heavy because we are performers and are on stage."

Immediately after Natalie said it, Emily knew she'd hear all about it. But thought it would be from a far smaller audience—her mom! "I didn't think it would go around the world," she says.

Martie says the group's manager, an Englishman, didn't initially see the big deal either. "I mean, in England I think they're used to criticizing politicians all the time, and he said, 'Three days tops. Three days tops it will blow over,'" she says. "So we believed it and then it just kept going."

The Dixie Chicks say that losing some album sales was a fine way for fans to express their freedom of speech…which is exactly what Natalie did in making her comment in London. What they didn't expect was violence and anger over the response.

"We know people have the right to not buy your CDs—that's never bothered us. A true referendum on whether you agree with us or not and want to buy our music, that's all fine. What was happening was people trying to destroy our career because we spoke out," Emily says. "I think that was the biggest disappointment, was that it was so organized and it was so vicious. It wasn't just someone saying, 'I don't like what she said. I don't think I'm going buy their next album.'"

In fact, it was much more than that. In Shut Up & Sing, the filmmakers highlight a death threat incident against Natalie in Dallas. Even though police considered the threat to be legitimate, the Dixie Chicks still performed that night.

Four days after the incident in London, Natalie issued a statement that read: "As a concerned American citizen, I apologize to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect."

Does she continue to feel that way? Would she make the same apology today? "At the time, a lot of things hadn't happened—a lot of people hadn't died and Hurricane Katrina hadn't happened. I did feel that the office of the President should be shown respect, but I have to say you just sometimes…you have to earn people's respect," Natalie says. "I was not about to say, 'Oh, sorry. Didn't mean it, I was drunk. Let's go to rehab.'"

Instead, Natalie says she does have a major regret about the incident. "I would have said something super-brilliant if I had known anybody was listening," she says. "But it probably would have gotten me in way more trouble."

Emily and Martie say they never wavered in support of Natalie. "I've disagreed with her over much lesser things," Martie says.

"There's a sisterhood here that I don't think everyone understands. It got so crazy, when something like that happens, you circle the wagons," Emily says. "It's self-preservation."

More than three years after the comment in London turned their world around, the Dixie Chicks treat that moment as a rebirth. "Maybe we were resting on our laurels a little," Emily says. "We were having a lot of success and there wasn't that want and that need and desire to reach those pinnacles again. Now I feel like we're earning fans back one at a time and that feels really good."

"And you know that they're there for the right reasons," Natalie adds.

The Dixie Chicks reveal that they have a secret pact in their group. "If any of us are ever unhappy, we are free to move on with our lives and be happy and at peace," Martie says. "We don't owe it to each other to keep this going."

"So it would just be two chicks or one chick," Oprah says. "Or you'll be chick-less."

"We have seven chicks amongst the three of us, so we'll be moms," Natalie says.

[sully777]

[Snip from interview] ...The controversy that followed—documented in the film Shut Up & Sing—came swiftly and harshly. Radio stations refused to play their once-popular songs, conservative political commentators offered outraged judgments, they were labeled un-American and traitors...


"...We just talked about how silly it felt and how trite it felt to have to put on a show when such serious things were going on in the world," she says. "But we've always known that our job is to perform and that people spend their money to see the music and to see a show. I think a part of me knew I had to say something about it just so people don't think that we're shallow and we don't care what's going on. But I also didn't want to get too heavy because we are performers and are on stage."

---

Translation: Aiding and giving comfort to our enemy was misinterpreted by the public. We're not sorry for what we said. We are sorry for the misinterpretation of what we said. The conservatives are evil, blah blah blah blah...By the way, come see our movie where we will give aid and comfort to the enemy by doing a new Fahrenheit 9-11-type film that centers around our comments that gave aid and comfort to the enemy.

[sully777]

"...We just talked about how silly it felt and how trite it felt to have to put on a show when such serious things were going on in the world...," Natalie Maines

---

Question for Natalie Maines: Did you perform after 9-11? Did you speak harshly about our enemies policies during interviews after 9-11?

[Silence] Thought so.

[Question Liberal Authority]

All I know is that John Kerry's cd sales are so far in the toilet that he may have to cancel his concert tour.

[edcoil]

Maybe he and senator hatch can tour together.

[Bob J]

"We know people have the right to not buy your CDs—that's never bothered us. A true referendum on whether you agree with us or not and want to buy our music, that's all fine. What was happening was people trying to destroy our career because we spoke out," Emily says."

Not buying your albums and CD's IS destroying your career dumb-shiite.

[pissant]

The Chicksie Dicks are mental giants compared to Traitor John

[RexBeach]

Hey, don't worry girls. There's no need to be patriotic.

Nooooooo problem.

[Niteranger68]

They used their 1st amendment rights on foreign soil.

Brilliant!

[sully777]

The Oprah interview was a pimping plug for the Ditzy Chit's upcoming F/9-11 type documentary entiled Shut Up and Sing. According to the Chits, we are all wrong in our interpretation. Wonder how our enemies interpreted their comments? Did it give them reason to fight on?

---

Kinda like the John Kerry speech and press conference was supposed to be an opportunity to test the waters in '08. But did Ho Chi Minh Kerry once again strengthen the resolve of our enemies throughout the world?

[onevoter]

"What was happening was people trying to destroy our career because we spoke out," Emily says.

Evidently, they can impugn the President and do everything to ruin his standing, but heaven forbid anyone should consider them responsible for THEIR actions. This comment, alone, shows that they are every bit as dim-witted and shallow as they are perceived to be.

[sully777]

If you love the Ditzy Chit's non-apology (and who doesn't /sarc) you'll love their latest video on Youtube.

Chits: Not Ready to make Nice

But hey, they're real popular on We, Lifetime, Oh! and all the other left-wing satellite channels.

[sully777]

Precisely what John Kerry was saying...or not saying, I get confused.

[CottShop]

'The people' weren't trying to destroy their careers, THEY were trying to destroy their careers- Don't ya just love whiners that blame everyone else for their own stupidity? - The prollem is that they're so thick headed that they couldn't take a blatantly obvious hint that what they said was wrong and affecting their careers. Someone needs to take a clue-bat and hit them upside their air-heads.

Christian news and commentary at: sacredscoop.com ...

[sully777]

Hatch-Kerry/ Lennon-McCartney



...Mao Tse was a good friend of mine
Never understood a single word he said
But I helped sing his Chicom lies
Singing joy to the world
All you boys and girls
Joy to the Vichy in that's in you and me
Joy to my buddy Ho Chi!

[beansox]

Natalie Maines — the Dixie Chick who made those controversial comments about George W. Bush - has kind words for another Bush basher.
"Some people call me brave, but I don't think what I did was brave at all.
Brave is Kanye West, after Hurricane Katrina, saying George Bush doesn't care about black people,"
Maines tells the December issue of Playboy magazine; the interview goes on-line on Friday.
"That was one of the greatest television moments of all time. I would never have said that.
I'm a coward compared with him. It was so honest and sincere, and he knew what he was going to say.
I would have chickened out. That was just so brave. And true."

[Exeter]

"I had to say something about it just so people don't think that we're shallow..."

And now because of your mouth people KNOW you're shallow.

[beansox]

silly... youy mean like the interview you gave on howard stern?


"Natalie is fully shaved and doesn't wear underwear.
Martie has had a 3-some with 2 guys!
Martie tried to go without underwear but found she was "too wet".
Natalie doesn't have this problem because "she's a dried up old hag" according to Marty and Emily
Natalie hosted a sex toy party, they all bought lots of stuff."

silly like that?

[beansox]

"Martie says the group's manager, an Englishman, didn't initially see the big deal either."



"Wouldn’t it be great if we had, like, [fans] burning CDs?” their manager wonders, naively, cravenly."
http://www.nypress.com/19/44/film/ArmondWhite2.cfm

[beansox]

“We’re on the good side with y’all. We don’t want this war, this violence. And we’re ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas.” Maines giggles at her own impudence and hunger for approval. Later, she admits, “It wasn’t a political statement, it was a joke made to get applause.”


you mean she was trying to be "silly" on the eve of war when such serious things were going on?