The FREEPER strategy on responding to Dixie Chicks manager's comments

Cincinatti Enquirer ^ | 3/19/2003 | jagrmiester

[wizzler]

We'd need to bring in those oil well fire experts to put out the fat one.

Honestly, this is the sort of post that causes some people to discount Free Republic. It's not an argument; it offers nothing even resembling a substantive position. It's a gratuitous attack that's irrelevant to the issue at hand.

I'm not a big fan of the Dixie Chicks, and I think what Natalie Maines said was goofy. But what are you really so mad about, "Doctor Raoul"?

[billsux]

"The opinions on this forum are often racist, violent, and homophobic."

Sure thing. Racist and homophobic comments are deleted almost as soon as they're posted. A few stick around, but those posts (and the posters) are in the extreme minority. As opposed to an obvious majority of haters at sites like DU. "Violent" comments are generally in jest and only a humourless lefty wouldn't grasp that.

"Besides you, they are boycotting Canada, France, Germany, Russia, Mexico, Belgium, and 3/4 of hollywood."

We are? France, Germany and Hollywood sound right. Must've missed my VRWC Newsletter for this month on the others. I'll get right on that.

[Doctor Raoul]

FREEP THE DIXIE CHICKS IN PERSON!

5/1/2003 Greenville S.C Bi Lo Center

5/3/2003 Orlando Fla. TD Waterhouse Centre

5/4/2003 Fort Lauderdale Fla. Office Depot Center

5/5/2003 Tampa Fla. St. Pete Times Forum

5/7/2003 Knoxville Tenn. Thompson-Bowling Arena

5/9/2003 Indianapolis Ind. Conseco Fieldhouse

5/10/2003 Kansas City Mo. Kemper Arena

5/11/2003 St. Louis Mo. Savvis Center

5/13/2003 Ames Iowa Hilton Coliseum

5/14/2003 Moline Ill. Mark of the Quad Cities

5/16/2003 Birmingham Ala. BJCC Arena

5/17/2003 Greensboro N.C. Greensboro Coliseum

5/18/2003 Louisville Ky. Freedom Hall

5/20/2003 Oklahoma City Okla. Ford Center

5/21/2003 Austin Texas Frank Erwin Center

5/29/2003 Chicago Ill. United Center

5/30/2003 Chicago Ill. United Center

6/1/2003 Cleveland Ohio Gund Arena

6/2/2003 Detroit Mich. The Palace at Auburn Hills

6/5/2003 Milwaukee Wis. Bradley Center

6/6/2003 St. Paul Minn. Xcel Energy Center

6/7/2003 St. Paul Minn. Xcel Energy Center

6/9/2003 Cincinnati Ohio US Bank Arena

6/10/2003 Columbus Ohio Nationwide Arena

6/12/2003 Toronto Ontario Air Canada Centre

6/13/2003 Buffalo N.Y. HSBC Arena

6/14/2003 Pittsburgh Pa. Mellon Arena

6/17/2003 Philadelphia Pa. First Union Center

6/19/2003 Boston Mass. Fleet Center

6/20/2003 New York N.Y. Madison Square Garden

6/23/2003 Nassau N.Y. Nassau Veterans Center

6/25/2003 Washington D.C. MCI Center

6/27/2003 Atlantic City N.J. Boardwalk Arena

7/6/2003 Dallas Texas American Airlines Center

7/8/2003 Denver Colo. Pepsi Center

7/9/2003 Salt Lake City Utah Delta Arena

7/11/2003 Vancouver British Columbia GM Place

7/12/2003 Seattle Wash. Key Arena

7/13/2003 Portland Ore. Rose Garden Arena

7/15/2003 Oakland Calif. Oakland Arena

7/16/2003 San Jose Calif. HP Pavilion

7/17/2003 Sacramento Calif. Arco Arena

7/19/2003 Los Angeles Calif. Staples Center

7/20/2003 Anaheim Calif. Arrowhead Pond

7/23/2003 San Diego Calif. Cox Arena

7/25/2003 Phoenix Ariz. America West Arena

7/27/2003 Las Vegas Nev. MGM/Mandalay Bay

7/29/2003 San Antonio Texas SBC Center

7/30/2003 Houston Texas Compaq Center

8/1/2003 Little Rock Ark. Alltel Center

8/2/2003 Memphis Tenn. The Pyramid Arena

8/3/2003 Atlanta Ga. Phillips Arena

8/4/2003 Nashville Tenn. Gaylord Entertainment Center

[stands2reason]

We refuse to go for Renshaw's bait.

And then you go on to say we are individuals, yet you presume to speak for all Freepers. Get over yourself. We are not some lapdog liberals that need a "leader" to tell us what to do.

[strela]

Line 7, change "represenatation" to "representation."

[stands2reason]

Who elected you Freeper President anyway?

[wizzler]

Again, I don't disagree with the idea of boycotting the Dixie Chicks. In a free market -- which we ostensibly still have in America -- there are few better ways to make a point than to vote with one's feet.

I think the level of invective here is what caught my concern. At some point, it's possible to cross a threshold where a cause becomes bombastic or even counterproductive. In my judgment, that threshold has now been crossed. It's like... OK! Enough already!

Of course, by contributing these thoughts, I'm helping prolong the issue. So, yes, I realize the paradox presented by my posts.

[Doctor Raoul]

Honestly, this is the sort of post that causes some people to discount Free Republic....

We'll have to thank her agent for letting every Country station know about FR and it's Rally For America effort.

Mad? Want to see mad? Go to any "Peace Rally" and the left wing nuts are just so full of hate. Hate for America.

20,000 anti-war protesters in DC last Saturday and I saw just one US flag flown properly and not defaced.

[wizzler]

That's a helpful explanation. Thank you.

I would still contend that continuing to berate a disposable pop group, a week after the fact, is kind of useless.

[Joy Angela]

Walter Cronkite admitted that the Media
has a liberal bias? WOW!

Here is something I didn't know...

Socialism is the name of the ideology
created by Karl Marx.

Communism is the form of Government
that develops from this ideology.

The PLAN

The workers' revolt in the name of
"socialism" to gain control
and destroy "capitalism" --
(the system of people owning capital and wealth)
to spread wealth throughout
*society*...hence SOCIALism.

The new communist governement, would then
wrestle control from the workers (because they
couldn't handle controling all the new
wealth and property they took from the
Capitalists) and instead put ALL property
in the hands of the government leaders,
who will dole out a pitance to those in
the new commune-style society!

From individuals with power
To a government with power.

Looks like the Workers get IT
coming and going!

[Tempest]

I agree with execising my free right to boycott any group which I find to be offensive or in bad taste. Such as gangster rap or the Dixie Chicks. Although I place the Dixie Chicks far lower than gangster rap :^D

After all. IT IS MY FREE RIGHT IN A FREE MARKET TO DO SO.

[wizzler]

Um, that's good. Why are you pointing it out?
Nobody's questioned your right to boycott.

[jagrmeister]

Re-read the initial post. This thread is to be used for collaborating as activists. There are countless other discussions on Free Republic where you can debate to your heart's content the usefulness of boycotts, the merits of holding public figures to their word, etc. This is not one of them. I respect your point of view and suggest to you that find another thread to express your utter disapproval of the Dixie Chicks boycott. Thanks.

[Joy Angela]

I guess I am a little off topic :)

hey, but after reading the letter posted
above about the Freeping Weasles...

I say that America is GREAT because individuals
can speak out and be effective in causing change!

We don't need Revolutionary Leaders - like
the wanna-be power mongers heading the Democrat
Leadership these days.

If more people FREEPED, Hillary Rodham Clinton
would be a thing of the past!!

God Bless America
And the RIGHT to FREEP!!!!

[Tempest]

Good grief in a free country you can have a peacful protest remember?!

[Tempest]

Your confused. Read your original statement. Then get back to me.

[an amused spectator]

GOOD GRIEF all of you...why don't you just burn them at the stake for God's sake?! This is a free country, remember?

Hey, why should I pay attention to what you post - according to Renshaw in post 35, you're just a racist, violent homophobic radical. :-)

[Robert A Cook PE]

I would still contend that continuing to berate a disposable pop group, a week after the fact, is kind of useless.


Disposable, right.... So let's dispose of them.

And yes, I do believe that the Dixie Chicks have the right to say whatever they want and support whatever they want. But when they do, when anybody does, they have to accept the consequences. When the Dixie Chicks said that, they meant to elicit more support for them from anti-war people. They got that... they also lost support from proBush community. Unfortunately (maybe), someone didn't do the logic and figure out that most of their fan base were a) conservative and/or b) patriotic. Now they have deal with the people they turned off. I have a right to free speech too. I choose to exercise it but NOT supporting them.

[Doctor Raoul]

And yes, I do believe that the Dixie Chicks have the right to say whatever they want and support whatever they want. But when they do, when anybody does, they have to accept the consequences.

Liberals say that there is no objective truth, there's no real right versus wrong and that all things/opinions/cultures are equally good.

But notice they haven't totally fooled themselves. When it comes to times they wish to note right versus wrong, they will invoke with emphasis the notion of "Karma". If that's not right versus wrong, good versus evil, an objective truth what is?

Sheryl Crow can bitch all she wants, but this country's Karma and George Bush's Karma will be just fine. Anywhere out there, wherever it's in danger, our military will be protecting it.

[an amused spectator]

Simon Renshaw, manager for the Dixie Chicks, recently described country music fans who complained to their local radio station about the band's controversial remarks as "radical" "weasels" acting as part of a "conspiracy".

You might want to include a reference to the article in The New York Times (February 18, 2003), where our good pal Simon Renshaw again foams about a "conspiracy":

"All of my clients had their attorneys advise the labels that if they did use my clients' music on Pressplay or MusicNet, they would be in breach of contract," said Simon Renshaw, who manages the Dixie Chicks, Mary J. Blige and others. "Some artists they took off, but some they didn't. It's becoming very obvious to me and my peers that we're becoming victims of what is a huge conspiracy."

Record Labels' Answer to Napster Still Has Artists Feeling Bypassed
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/18/technology/18SONG.html