Is Dixie Chicks protest a conspiracy? (They blame Freerepublic)

The Cincinnati Enquirer ^ | March 18, 2003 | John Kiesewetter

[jhouston]

Are the Dixie Chicks victims of a right-wing conspiracy?

That's what their manager, Simon Renshaw, has told country music stations being pressured to drop the Chicks' music after lead singer Natalie Maines criticized President Bush last week.

In an e-mail to stations distributed by Sony Music, their label, Renshaw says the protest has been orchestrated by the Free Republic (www.freerepublic.com) , a Web site "for independent, grassroots conservative, " according to founder Jim Robinson of Fresno, Calif. The Web site also alleges that recent anti-war protests are "communist-organized demonstrations."

"Your company is being targeted by a radical right-wing online forum," Renshaw says in the e-mail. "You are being `Freeped,' which is the code word for an organized e-mail/telephone effort attempting to solicit a desired response."

On March 10, Maines told a London audience: "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas."

Four days later, the Lubbock native apologized by saying, "I apologize to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect."

Country music stations in Dallas-Fort Worth and Kansas City have been deluged with e-mails and calls demanding that the Dixie Chicks be dropped from the airwaves.

Complaints didn't arrive at WUBE-FM (105.1) until Monday. Only one person called Thursday when the B105 morning show read the story, says Tim Closson, operations manager.

"We broke the story on Thursday, and got very little reaction to it. We mentioned it again on Friday, and only got a few calls," he says.

The Chicks remain on B105. Closson says he "seriously considered indefinitely pulling all Dixie Chicks music... (but) our decision came down to one thing: We believe in the constitution. We believe in the freedom of speech."

At Middletown's WPFB-FM (105.9),the Dixie Chicks were dropped Monday for the week by Mark Evar, operations director.

"They're telling us that the minute the Dixie Chicks come on, they're going to change the station - and we don't want to lose any listeners," Evar says.

The Chicks' manager, in his e-mail, says the group's Web site "was totally overrun (Sunday) and had to be closed down, and our publicist's servers and telephone system failed under the weight of the calls.

"This is an extremely active and well-organized group. As always the `squeaky wheel gets the grease' and these weasels know how to squeak," Renshaw says.

Renshaw apparently used the word "weasel" because the Free Republic Web site uses that term.

Says the Free Republic home page: "As war with Iraq becomes imminent, more and more of the `useful idiot' leftist weasels are crawling out of the woodwork. So-called `anti-war' protests are popping up in cities all across the nation.

"We will not allow these communist organized demonstrations (to) go unanswered. Patriotic Americans are countering these terrorist supporting leftists wherever and whenever they pop up."

TV today: Dutch journalist Peter Tetteroo gives viewers a rare look at North Korea in Welcome to North Korea (7:30 p.m., Cinemax).

American Idol finalists sing movie tunes - giving Fox an excuse to hype the new film with last summer's Idol stars, Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini (8-10 p.m., Channels 19, 45).

Original host Monty Hall appears on NBC's Let's Make a Deal revival (8 p.m., Channels 5, 22).

Talk shows: Today's guests from TV Data:

Regis and Kelly (9 a.m., Channel 9): Tom Sizemore, Lisa Rinna.

Wayne Brady (10 a.m., Channel 9): Eugene Levy, Billy Campbell, Steve Schirripa.

The View (11 a.m., Channel 9): Patricia Heaton, John Ritter, Michael Chiklis.

Caroline Rhea (3 p.m., Channel 19): Lisa Rinna, Vanessa Olivarez (American Idol).

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com

[abner]

We may have dominated the early results, but the Chicks' (ex)fans are responsible for the lion's share of the outcry. A flack like Renshaw can believe what he wants, but the Chicks did themselves in; not us. (OK... so we might have yanked a few feathers out, but that's it. ; )

This all comes down to the denial of the left. Renshaw can't fathom that most Americans are ticked about this. So, it must be the VRWC. It doesn't fit the lefts view that most people agree with them.

That said, not bad for a bunch of kooks! FR Rocks!

[Joe Bonforte]

I noted the part where the station manager said:

Some folks have even called for boycotting Dixie Chicks music, burning Dixie Chicks CDs and numerous other extreme measures to “punish” her for the comments. Do these folks really believe that censorship will help?

This guy is supposed to be in a communications business, so I'm surprised that he does not know the meaning of the word "censorship". If a person or group prevents others by force (usually force of law) from reading, seeing, or hearing something, that's censorship. A boycott or other action to choose not to read, see, or hear something, and to try to persuade others to do the same is most certainly not censorship.

[leslie_is_cooking]

I also was a Chix fan, and I might have been able to to excuse her comments because she was just another airhead entertainer, except for the fact that she made the comments while on foreign soil. She didn't even have the guts to say it in the United States.

I don't care what your differences with U.S. policy is--you, as a United States citizen whose way of life is being made possible and defended by our brothers and sisters in the military, do not stand up in front of an audience in another country and bad mouth this nation.

ABSOLUTELY UNFORGIVABLE.

The same goes for a former U.S. president who goes to Norway and slams the U.S. in his own uniquely grating and dishonourable, sanctimonious manner.

[MarMema]

I hardly think FR cna be held responsible for the 70,000 Houston rodeo attenders who booed the DC and gave a standing ovation to Alabama when they said they were proud to be from Texas.

Wishful thinking on the part of these chicks and their hired help. They will soon find out otherwise.

[longtermmemmory]

He knows the american communists are behind ANSWER. He is just using the fact its a front group for deniability.

Somebody find the pictures of the manager at the antiwar rally.

[sport]

My sentiments exactly.

The door swings both ways.

[deadhead]

Great correspondence with Dale

Vichy Chix

LOL

[longtermmemmory]

I prefer:

NEVER FORGET

[fnord]

nice exchange ... he is almost grasping the difference brtween blacklists and censorship.

We all practice 'blacklists'. We all, each, don't allow certain types of behavior, entertainment, merchandise, etc. in our areas. That is more properly called taste and discrimination.

In a business a lot of weight must be given to the capitalistic bottom line. This is not censorship certainly, not even blacklisting. It is a business decision - suffer some loss of business from playing the Vichy Chicks, or suffer some loss of business from taking a pro-America stand.

The station director seems to be grasping the key points ... the decision he makes will matter little in the large scheme of things, but often that's the nexus that means the most.

[NonValueAdded]

It's very important that you read IncPen's post mentioned above in #119.

Meanwhile, FReep, FReep, FReep

[gg188]

Closson says he seriously considered indefinitely pulling all Dixie Chicks music... (but) our decision came down to one thing: We believe in the constitution. We believe in the freedom of speech.

Oh, ok. I'm gonna send Closson a tape of mine and if he doesn't play it, well, he is depriving me of my freedom of speech.

[Texas_Jarhead]

that reminds me. I need to renew my membership in the VRWC.

[mvpel]

Also be sure to ignore the collapsing after-market in Dixie Chicks tickets on eBay, where second-row floor tickets in Florida are presently going for $150 apiece and many more tickets are going unsold with no bids or an unmet reserve, while on March 10, second-row floor seats in Anaheim, California went for $550 each after a fierce bidding war.

After all, it has to be Free Republic's fault.

[sarasmom]

You would lose that bet.

The comment overseas was just the absolute last straw for their "former fans".

Once information is actually widely and factually disseminated,the spinmeisters lose all controll over their target audience.

I have few entertainment dollars, but the Ditsey Chits lost the price of two tickets I planned to buy,for their upcoming concert in Tampa.If they keep mouthing off, they might have the pleasure of my presence, outside the "Forum", with a sign full of their previous quotes.If they are not cancelled.

Almost all CW music fans admire Texas, almost as much as true Texans.I hope someone is filming their arrival "home". I also hope they land in Dallas.With so many boots available, one will surely find its way to the appropriate posterior.LOL!

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Whatever happened to left-wing call of, "The people, united, will never be defeated!"? Just as long as it's the left-wingers united, God (or Marx) forbid that the right should.

The People, United, Will Never be DeFReeped!

I wish I listened to the Dixie Chicks, in the first place, so I could stop doing it now.

[Mr_Magoo]

My LTE:

Are the Dixie Chicks victims of a right-wing conspiracy? In a word, NO. What the Dixie Chicks were victims of was a Dyed Blonde Moment. Chick Maines does have a right to say whatever she wishes. Just as I have a right to. The only difference is that Chick Maines had access to millions of fans whenever she opens her mouth. Those fans did not like what they heard. What former fans heard was a snot nosed little brat bad-mouth her President, her Country, and her Texas Heritage. Not a smart business move for a Country Music Artist.

However my complaint has less to do with Chick Maines, and more to do with the hit piece John Kiesewetter wrote. The Dixie Chick woes are not due to the limited efforts of FreeRepublic.com, any more than Saddam Hussein's woes are due to the efforts of Hans Blix. Why is it that liberals can rant in the press endlessly and conservatives can't? What is so wrong with standing up for what was written in the Constitution? As it was written? Why is it so wrong to support our Government, and our President? You in the media go to great lengths to try and discredit conservative views and conservative candidates, while giving liberals a free pass. Why the double standard?

FreeRepublic.com is simply a group of Americans who desire the truth to be told. We feel that all Americans should be held to the same standards, and that each individual should be accountable for thier own actions. Just because someone is a "star" in the entertainment industry is no reason to not hold them accountable for what they say and do. What Chick Maines or Martin Sheen says should hold no more weight than what I might say.


You in the media have a responsibility to tell the truth, without bias. Why is Tom Daschle not held to the same standards that Trent Lott was held to? How about a little fairness in your reporting, and less hit pieces. It just might be a refreshing change of pace.


Mr_Magoo

[Becki]

Ah! The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy strikes again!!

Those devils.

Becki

[KQQL]

In an e-mail to stations distributed by Sony Music, their label, Renshaw says the protest has been orchestrated by the Free Republic (www.freerepublic.com) , a Web site "for independent, grassroots conservative, " according to founder Jim Robinson of Fresno, Calif. The Web site also alleges that recent anti-war protests are "communist-organized demonstrations."

"Your company is being targeted by a radical right-wing online forum," Renshaw says in the e-mail. "You are being `Freeped,' which is the code word for an organized e-mail/telephone effort attempting to solicit a desired response."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>LOL>>>>>>>>>>>>>Looks like DIXIE CHICKS
have MORON for a MGR ...............

She has a right to speak, however, people have right not to buy their records......

[Rocko]

You would lose that bet.

I don't think so. FR is just an easily-identifiable target for the Vichy Chicks because it was specifically mentioned on the VC Yahoo board.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Y'know, a few years ago, when k.d. lang went off on her animal rights kick, a lot of stations pulled her music. But one station continued playing her music, but gave away a free dinner for two at a local steakhouse, each time she was played.

I don't know if such a reverse could by pulled with the Dixie Chicks, but if so, it might be a solution that would satisfy Dale Carter. Maybe give away a free Travis Tritt CD, each time the Dixie Chicks are played?