If you boycotted the Dixie Chicks...

[magicmato]

For those who forgot:

Toby Keith Lashes Out At The Dixie Chicks

03/25/2003 4:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Nancy Brooks

(3/25/03, 4 p.m. ET) -- Toby Keith ripped into the Dixie Chicks during his show in Huntsville, Alabama on Sunday night (March 23). After expressing his displeasure with the anti-war protesters who were just blocks away from the venue, Keith told the crowd, "I'm also angry about a singer in a band called the Dixie Chicks."

"She felt a need to tell the L.A. Times my song was ignorant and you were ignorant if you listened to it," he said, referring to the Chicks' Natalie Maines, and her comments about his song, "Courtesy Of The Red, White & Blue (The Angry American)."

"She was also recently on a European tour where there was an anti-war flavor and said some things about President Bush and the war," said Keith. "So, what do I think about her?"

About that time, a doctored photo of Maines and Saddam Hussein together popped up on a giant video screen, and the crowd cheered as Keith launched into his self-penned song his wrote for his father, "Courtesy Of The Red, White & Blue (The Angry American)."

-- Nancy Brooks, Nashville

So while you say that the FKUTK was immature, can you honestly say what Toby Keith did was any better?

 

[sotoalf]

People often forget that exercising your freedom of speech doesn't exonerate you from criticism, or entitle you to victimhood. The Chicks should have shut the hell up last night.

However, the whole point of artistic progress is "to leave fans behind." Artists evolve, and it's their fans' choice – and their fault – if they don't evolve as well. This new album is their best, and it's country music's fault for being so conservative.

 

[magicmato]

- When throwing things at Anne Coulter, try not to hit her Adam's Apple. The rebound could be dangerous to those around you.

WAY TO GO CHICKS!!!!

LMBO! Yea, that adams apple can be considered a dangerous weapon.

 

[magicmato]

People often forget that exercising your freedom of speech doesn't exonerate you from criticism, or entitle you to victimhood. The Chicks should have shut the hell up last night.

However, the whole point of artistic progress is "to leave fans behind." Artists evolve, and it's their fans' choice – and their fault – if they don't evolve as well. This new album is their best, and it's country music's fault for being so conservative.

I agree about the victimhood thing, however I found it funny when she said that right now a lot of tv's are changing channels. And gee, isn't that the truth, from what people here are saying, lol. I am glad they have a sense of humor.

 

[auntpolly]

People often forget that exercising your freedom of speech doesn't exonerate you from criticism, or entitle you to victimhood. The Chicks should have shut the hell up last night.

.

So you love freedom of speech but want them to shut the hell up?

I'm really trying to understand these 500 threads on those madcap chicks - how in the world does it impact you all to this degree.

I'd like GWB to shut the hell up but I know that's not going to happen so it's not worth me losing too much sleep over - even though that, as opposed to the great Dixie Chicks incident, is something that actually affects my life.

 

[cardaway]

For those who forgot:



So while you say that the FKUTK was immature, can you honestly say what Toby Keith did was any better?

Exactly. Saying this is any different is some pretty strange logic IMO.

 

[sotoalf]

So you love freedom of speech but want them to shut the hell up?

That's not at all what I wrote. I said the Dixies should prepare for reasonable (and unreasonable) criticism. Accept the consequences of your actions. They uttered an opinion to the most conservative faction in popular music and were shocked by the reaction.

 

[BoyLovesBuzz]

I'm just glad Natalie called Jenny.

 

[Fitswimmer]

Namecalling is ignorant and childish-NO MATTER WHO IS DOING IT.

If the Chicks called their fans ignorant, that's not cool. If they called other artists ignorant, that's not cool. If other musicians or fans called the Chicks unAmerican, that's not cool either.

Play your music, speak your mind, do whatever you want. But, whoever you are, if you're going to speak your mind, you run the risk that someone hearing what you have to say may not agree. Eventually it seems that politically motiviated musicians find their audience, although I think some of John Mellencamp's older fans might find this latest CD too left wing for them.
I'm from Jersey, so I remember the "Born in the USA" thing back when Reagan used the song. If they had ever actually listened to the lyrics they would have never used it! It was about someone who was DENIED the american dream, not someone who had gotten it!!

 

[auntpolly]

I was just reading about Walt Disney - he was apparently very conservative and I don't think we would have seen eye to eye politically. In fact, I guess he actually testified for the house antiamerican activities committee and he named names -- I don't exactly admire that.

I think it's possible to separate the man from the art, and to appreciate a person's work without being judgemental about their lives.

I'd love to understand what it is that has some of you so worked up!

 

[sammi]

DH and I think they are really great!

 

[magicmato]

I'm just glad Natalie called Jenny.

Yeah! How dare a pregnant woman be chubby! She should be ashamed!

 

[Independent]

9 pages of controversy so far.

Yup, them Chicks are laughing all the way to the bank

I for one loved their music before and love their music now. I think we could all collectively come up with hundreds of artists that had rude, immature, or just plain acceptance speeches Can't understand why that would make them any different from the rest of the divas on stage.

For those country folks (of which I have been for over 30 years), you couldn't possibly have already forgotten Saint Faith's little immature reaction to Carrie Underwoods win at the CMA's, now could you?

 

[Live4FW]

They're free to say what they want and I am free to not listen to them which is what I do every chance I get!

 

[profdsny]

Good Lord in Heaven, you really haven't followed the story, have you?

Not only did they say it, they then apologized publicly for it, then they took the apology back. I'm not going to bother searching for it, but if you want to, it is out there. They didn't want country music fans buying their albums, because they didn't want to be in the car CD players with Reba and Toby Keith. Later, they made an announcement about how they were disassociating themselves with country music because it had become "too redneck" for them. The DIXIE CHICKS!

Just because you didn't hear it doesn't make it false.

Well, I can't find any link to it. Tried last night and then again today. So my orignal stands, where did they say it and when? Otherwise, I don't beleive it. So there.

 

[Nancy]

9 pages of controversy so far.

Yup, them Chicks are laughing all the way to the bank

I for one loved their music before and love their music now. I think we could all collectively come up with hundreds of artists that had rude, immature, or just plain acceptance speeches Can't understand why that would make them any different from the rest of the divas on stage.

For those country folks (of which I have been for over 30 years), you couldn't possibly have already forgotten Saint Faith's little immature reaction to Carrie Underwoods win at the CMA's, now could you?

Oh come on Faith can do no wrong! SHE said it was all a joke cause she knew the cameras were on her. (way to backtrack BTW)...insert sarcasm smilie here...

I like DC's music now and then, I still will listen to faith...

what I don't like is how they (DC's) complain and complain about it and use the whole thing for more publicity. They should just let it go now and let their music speak for itself. CMT still plays their videos so obviously main stream country hasn't totally abandoned them. I do think those radio stations that organized all the junk they pulled did it to furthur their own publicity...great way to get your stations name out there..take a topic that is hot and promote the heck out of it. For those few that sent death threats...way over the top! BUT I'm sure the DC's are not the first or last entertainers to receive them.

 

[TheDoctor]

A few thoughts...

- I- When throwing things at Anne Coulter, try not to hit her Adam's Apple. The rebound could be dangerous to those around you.

WAY TO GO CHICKS!!!!

Great post

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Have you even listened to the album/songs they were nominated for? They are great music, passionate and timely. They deserved to win what they won. Some of you can take sour grapes to a pretty high level. If performance and art are not a perfect platform for expression-what is? Maybe an election? Well, the last national election pretty much echoes what the Dixie Chicks said publicly. They won FIVE Grammys. Not an accident, methinks, because their music is top shelf. Whine about their politics and how they expressed themselves all you want. Say you never liked them or don't like them anymore; they won FIVE Grammys. Boo Rah Dixie Chicks! You deserve to celebrate it and although some people would have you behave like punished children-you are not. It is those people who are childish and YOU are the victors, the grownups and oh so right.

Have you even read all my posts on this thread?? I wasn't referring to the DC's right to use their voice or music as a platform; I was referring to The Grammys as a body making a statement and in my opinion, Natalie sort of said the same thing in her last acceptance. Big deal. I can disagree with The Grammys slighting other artists who I feel were more deserving because I think that they got caught up in using it as a means to make a political statement. My opinion counts too and I'm just as free to express it with no whining necessary.

 

[va32h]

Yep. Toby Keith, IIRC, came out against the Dixie Chicks at a concert, basicly calling them unamerican... but that seems to be an *ok* use of free speech, even though it was at a concert and a harsh criticism of another person, lol.

He did more than call them unAmerican. He flashed a giant, photoshopped picture of Natalie Maines embracing Saddam Hussein on the jumbotrons at all his concerts that year.

Because after all, if you don't love Bush 100%, no questions asked, you are sleeping with Saddam, right?

If Maines' FUTK shirt was childish, it was a childish response to a childish taunt.

I used to like Toby Keith, but when he abandoned his quality songwriting to make songs about "America is the greatest and we're gonna kick everyone else's ***" I got tired of him. His "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue" song implies that we started the Iraq war in response to 9-11 and of course that's just factually wrong. We started this war to find WMDs, I mean capture Hussein, I mean bring Democracy to the Middle East. Or something like that.

Oh hell, we're big bad America. We don't need a reason.

 

[cardaway]

My opinion counts too and I'm just as free to express it with no whining necessary.

If you're not whining, then who is and why do you consider it whining?