What's your thought about the Dixie Chicks comments?

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Originally posted by antryg: Att, I'm sure you noted that I explicitly stated that private citizens were taking these actions and not the government. My point is that I feel it is an abuse of our freedoms when we stifle any dissent.

Then that should also include attempting to stifle the dissent against the Dixie Chicks. I realize Thoran already mentioned this, but I felt it bore repeating. Natalie Maines has NOT had her First Amendment rights violated because NOBODY (not even her critics) has said she should not be allowed to continue expressing her opinion. What they HAVE said is that they don't like what she said..and it IS their right to have a "dissenting" point of view.

However, I agree with you that the "death threats" are an ignorant and neanderthalic response and should not be tolerated.

Originally posted by antryg: It is against the law to boycott someone because of their religion, race, or sex but disagree (or in some cases) agree with the government and that is just "exercizing my rights." If you disagree with this political view then don't buy the cd's. It is the extra effort of organizing oppostition that I find offensive.

To the best of my knowledge, it is NOT illegal to boycott ANYTHING for any reason. It IS illegal to discriminate based on religion, race, or sex - but that generally applies to businesses and organizations rather than individuals.

Since it is the "extra effort of organizing opposition that you find offensive" - I would like to know your thoughts on Mike Farrel's (B.J. from M.A.S.H.) "organized opposition" to the war. He came up with the idea of having several hundred people flood the White House with emails and faxes opposing the war. The intended purpose of this protest (as stated by Farrell himself) was to flood the White House with emails and faxes on one day, so that their lines would be literally "clogged up" with messages opposing the war.

He wanted to deliberately disrupt normal White House operations for one day to show how strongly many Americans opposed the war. That sounds like a LOT of "extra effort to organize opposition" to me. Do you find this equally offensive as the scattered boycotts of the Dixie Chicks?

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Originally posted by Melusine: As for the Dixie Chicks, I have to confess I know nothing about them so I can't really say. Sounds to me like they were trying to please everybody with their opinions. As for Elton John calling Prince Charles a wussy, LOL! Most Brits do that. [img]tongue.gif[/img] He wouldn't get boycotted for it at all.

The Dixie Chicks are one of the most popular country music acts in America. They are easily the "hottest" female group (in terms of popularity) right now (or they were before March). This will only represent a minor setback in their career and has actually increased their popularity with a new segment of fans.

But as Attalus pointed out,it was their core fans (the ones that have been buying their CD's and making them popular) that were upset by her remark.

As for Elton John insulting Prince Charles, I had a feeling most Brits wouldn't object to that. [img]graemlins/biglaugh.gif[/img]

Perhaps a better analogy would be if he told an American audience he was proud to be from the same area of England as Margaret Thatcher. I believe American views do NOT coincide with the British on her administrative policies.

[khazadman]

My heart really breaks for these bimbos.

[Chewbacca]

I do wonder if it were 1998 and one of the Dixie Chicks said they were ashamed of the president if they would have been blacklisted and ridiculed.

Alot of the people critisizing the D.C. now were probably on the Clinton bashing wagon back then. I smell a double standard... [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img]

[Attalus]

In 1998, we weren't at war with the audience overwhelmingly against us. Double standard? The Left invented it.

[Chewbacca]

Originally posted by Attalus: In 1998, we weren't at war with the audience overwhelmingly against us. Double standard? The Left invented it.

I'm sorry but I find phrases like "The left invented it" a bit too vauge and subjective. If you are saying its ok to have a double standard because both or all sides have them, thats fine ,I respect your opinion, but I will idealisticly aspire to have less hypocrisy and double standard.

Why does being at war prohibit citizens from questioning or discrediting goverment people and their policies? I must have missed that line in the bill of rights.

Besides it was around 98 we took action in Kosovo, and took a pot shot at Bin Ladin, as well as conducted military strikes on Iraq to punish them for U.N. Non-compliance. Our troops were fighting for the nations policies back then and it was open season to attack the president, particularly from the conservative right.

The same poltical group today, that generaly speaking, blindly supports the president without question and attacks anyone who disagrees or critisizies with him and his policies is the same group that vehemently attacked the president for all 8 years of his presidency, during times of conflict and peace. They dont have grounds to judge anybody for making political critisms.

[Attalus]

I am totally unaware of any artist criticising Clinton in 1998. Perhaps you have a link? The whole point of the boycott is that we feel that in a time of war the DC's (or Natalie Maines, anyway) went out of her way to pander to a European audience when they thought it was safe to do so. So, we who support the boycott will not buy any DC albums or CD's and will encourage others to do likewise. Of course support for the boycott is strong in the people who supported the President and the War. But, Clinton didn't have anything similar happen to him.

[Attalus]

Originally posted by Chewbacca: [Why does being at war prohibit citizens from questioning or discrediting goverment people and their policies? I must have missed that line in the bill of rights.

I must have misssed the part in the First Amendment that said, "No matter what you say, everyone must like it." They have the right to say anything. We have the right not to buy their "product," and to encourage others to do the same.

Originally posted by khazadman: My heart really breaks for these bimbos.

Heh, Why are you calling them insulting names?
Ain’t that what little kids do?
Maybe it’s cos they dared voice an opinion you don’t like?
I can understand you critciseing their music, maybe you have issues with the technical side, maybe you don't like the lyrics subjects or supposed eloquence but why do you resort to simply namecalling eh?

Heh, Just more evidence of the culture of conformism and destroying dissent which seems to prevail ATM. (

HTH.
HAND.

[NiceWorg]

They look nice. In this matter I support freedom of speech.