The Dixie Chicks Get Their Due: Recognition And A Sweet Form Of Revenge
Defiant Dixie Chicks Are Big Winners at the Grammys
This headline says a lot. Despite being Americans with an inherent right to speak out against the policies and practices of our government, guaranteed by the First Amendment, the Dixie Chicks were ostracized and treated in a manner consistent with those wrongly accused by Joe McCarthy and the entire "Red Scare Machine" of the 1950s. Numerous country music stations across the country banned Dixie Chicks' from their play lists because some of the audience found their statements of opposition to President Bush, the War in Iraq, the conjured war against terrorism, and the fascist manner in which the Bush administration has behaved since 9-11 to be offensive.
Even the local country station in my neck of the woods, Indiana 105, refused to play them despite an informal poll that demonstrated that less than 50% of their listeners found the Dixie Chicks' commentary offensive. Despite my pleading with the top morning DJ on that station to listen to that portion of the audience that supported the right to dissent, Indiana 105 chose to do the wrong thing and ban the Chicks.
Now that the majority of Americans have concluded that Mr. Bush and company have deceived us, mismanaged the efforts on the ground, cost numerous lives unnecessarily, spied on us illegally, and violated their oaths of office and the US Constitution, the Dixie Chicks are getting played again... and are on the top of the heap with several Grammy awards, including one for the song that spoke volumes to many of us already displeased with the Bush administration, "Not Ready To Make Nice."
But the manner in which the Dixie Chicks were treated by the country music industry, the country music radio stations, and those country music fans that reacted in a very un-American manner towards the Chicks, is disgraceful... and in many cases, actionable. I am surprised that the Chicks did not seek legal action based on losing tons of money because of the overtly improper banning of their music because of perfectly legitimate comments and political views.
But the Dixie Chicks took the high ground, morally, ethically and politically. They refused to give ground to the fascism of the Bush administration, as well as the fascism of many Americans, including a majority of those holding the reins in the music industry. Their way of dealing with the shunning by the country music industry exposed the dishonorable actions of others, the fascism of the big business interests of the music industry, and taught us all a lesson regarding the integrity of artists and the rights we are supposed to hold scared in accordance with our Constitution and our belief in democracy, civil liberty and the freedom of our thoughts.
Even though the Chicks did not actively seek revenge in a typical hostile manner, such as many people seek when someone cuts them off on a major highway, they got revenge served to them without actively seeking it. How sweet it must be to be served a dish that was not ordered, not deliberately sought out, but justly deserved all the while.
Thomas Jefferson told us that dissent is the truest form of patriotism. Unfortunately, most Americans have failed to take to heart the very principles our forefathers provided us.
This headline says a lot. Despite being Americans with an inherent right to speak out against the policies and practices of our government, guaranteed by the First Amendment, the Dixie Chicks were ostracized and treated in a manner consistent with those wrongly accused by Joe McCarthy and the entire "Red Scare Machine" of the 1950s. Numerous country music stations across the country banned Dixie Chicks' from their play lists because some of the audience found their statements of opposition to President Bush, the War in Iraq, the conjured war against terrorism, and the fascist manner in which the Bush administration has behaved since 9-11 to be offensive.
Even the local country station in my neck of the woods, Indiana 105, refused to play them despite an informal poll that demonstrated that less than 50% of their listeners found the Dixie Chicks' commentary offensive. Despite my pleading with the top morning DJ on that station to listen to that portion of the audience that supported the right to dissent, Indiana 105 chose to do the wrong thing and ban the Chicks.
Now that the majority of Americans have concluded that Mr. Bush and company have deceived us, mismanaged the efforts on the ground, cost numerous lives unnecessarily, spied on us illegally, and violated their oaths of office and the US Constitution, the Dixie Chicks are getting played again... and are on the top of the heap with several Grammy awards, including one for the song that spoke volumes to many of us already displeased with the Bush administration, "Not Ready To Make Nice."
But the manner in which the Dixie Chicks were treated by the country music industry, the country music radio stations, and those country music fans that reacted in a very un-American manner towards the Chicks, is disgraceful... and in many cases, actionable. I am surprised that the Chicks did not seek legal action based on losing tons of money because of the overtly improper banning of their music because of perfectly legitimate comments and political views.
But the Dixie Chicks took the high ground, morally, ethically and politically. They refused to give ground to the fascism of the Bush administration, as well as the fascism of many Americans, including a majority of those holding the reins in the music industry. Their way of dealing with the shunning by the country music industry exposed the dishonorable actions of others, the fascism of the big business interests of the music industry, and taught us all a lesson regarding the integrity of artists and the rights we are supposed to hold scared in accordance with our Constitution and our belief in democracy, civil liberty and the freedom of our thoughts.
Even though the Chicks did not actively seek revenge in a typical hostile manner, such as many people seek when someone cuts them off on a major highway, they got revenge served to them without actively seeking it. How sweet it must be to be served a dish that was not ordered, not deliberately sought out, but justly deserved all the while.
Thomas Jefferson told us that dissent is the truest form of patriotism. Unfortunately, most Americans have failed to take to heart the very principles our forefathers provided us.
posted by Jim Downey at 10:02 AM
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