Since my musical tastes are almost exclusively in the classical mode, I have never listened to the music of the Dixie Chicks. However, I personally would like to give a standing ovation to them, and particularly to their lead singer, Natalie Maines, for her courage in telling a London audience, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas." At the time of her remark, Ms. Maines apparently believed that she was exercising the much-vaunted freedom of speech that is presumably her birthright as an American citizen.
Now, however, a nationwide radio station boycott of the Dixie Chicks has prompted Ms. Maines to offer an apology for expressing a sentiment no doubt echoed by other Texans and certainly taken up by the millions of people across the United States and around the world who disagree with George W. Bush's unmitigating stance on military action against Iraq.
Is it, perhaps, that those "in charge" at the radio stations promoting this boycott are all pro-war activists, and is this, perhaps, their way of flouting that freedom of speech ideology because it came to the founding fathers of this country so succinctly from the pen of one from that now unspeakable country where high calorie fried potatoes and batter-dipped toast came from?
Voltaire said, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." In the parlance of the old West (think John Wayne movies here) one might be heard to respond, "Them's fightin' words." In a democracy there have always been "fightin' words," but I'm beginning to wonder whether the fighting is for or against them.
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO
personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who
make comments. Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. Don't threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Anyone violating these rules will be issued a
warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be
revoked.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.