On March 9th, 2003 (ten days before the U.S. invaded Iraq in the mission named “Iraqi Freedom”) lead singer Natalie Maines of the country group The Dixie Chicks said the following during a London concert, “Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.” Oh, what a bru-ha-ha this caused. Country fans called radio stations complaining the Chicks had been unpatriotic and un-American, especially as the comment was made on foreign soil. This was soon followed by boycotts, record burnings and even death threats.
Not surprisingly, the Chicks were shocked by the vehemence of the reaction, especially the death threats made against them and their families. The Dixie Chicks took some time off and concentrated on the business of living and raising their young children. They returned to the music scene with the song, I’m Not Ready To Make Nice from their album, Taking the Long Way and even followed up their subsequent tour with a documentary film, Shut Up And Sing. I have always liked this song and its message very much.
Here is the song:
I’m not sure if times have changed or if there is a double standard, but I can’t help but compare the tempest in a teapot that the Chicks were landed in for expressing their dismay over the US invasion of Iraq, and let’s be honest, it dismayed a great many people, with the rhetoric that is tossed around in today’s political climate.
Take, for example, the pottie mouth on Ted Nugent in this clip from 2007:
You kiss your mother with that mouth, Ted? Now, granted, Mr. Nugent wasn’t on foreign soil and he wasn’t speaking about a sitting president, but he was speaking about two presidential candidates (both of whom were US Senators), as well as three other serving senators. I’m all for expressing one’s opinions, but surely there are better language choices to be made.
Now granted, it’s Ted Nugent we’re talking about, even as the heavy metal fan that I am, I would have to grant him more balls than brains. So, how about comments made about Obama since he became president? In August of 2011 Colorado House of Representatives member Doug Lamborn referred to Obama’s economic policies as a “tar baby”. In May and June of 2010 Glenn Beck repeatedly attacked the President’s family including his wife, mother and grandparents. Beck even went so far as to do a bit insulting the intelligence of the then eleven-year-old Melia. Okay, that’s not a fair example, as everyone knows Beck is insane.
Then there’s perennial misogynist, racist, and all around white trash radio show host Rush Limbaugh, who said on June 26th, 2009, “Americans look at Obama and they say, “Oh, the first black president,” and they go, “Oh, we’re shedding some of our guilt here. Look how enlightened we are, what a great country we are,” when, in fact, we’ve elected somebody who’s more African in his roots than he is American, loves his father, who was a Marxist, and is behaving like an African colonial despot.” Wait, Mr. Limbaugh is insane, too.
How about the whole Tea Party movement? These are probably some of the exact same people who sent the Dixie Chicks death threats when they said they were ashamed the President of the United States was from Texas, yet somehow they can justify holding rallies with signs like this:
How is that patriotic? How is that American? Don’t we have respect, at least, for the office itself?
I guess one could make a good case for group insanity with the Tea Party bunch, too.
Still, lunacy aside, what is happening? It’s not simply what’s directed at our President. The comments in the news, you’ve all heard them, calling perfectly respectable women “sluts”, the angry speeches regarding other religions and even wanting to send our children to college is called elitist. Nine years ago, expressing an opinion of shame about the then Commander-in-Chief was grounds for death threats, now many of populace seems unfazed by the language used. Why is that? Are we numb? Was it because the Chicks are women? Because the President at the time was Republican? When did people become so disrespectful? So unkind?
I don’t have any answers. I was sort of hoping one of you might.
7 comments
Comments feed for this article
March 26, 2012 at 9:26 am
wendyspinale
Boo! I left a lengthy reply and it got deleted when I went to sign in.
In general, I agree with you. I don’t understand why the Dixie Chicks received such heat for saying “we don’t agree with the war” but the lady who told Santorum to pretend his shooting target is Obama got a crowd full of snickers. Kuddos to Santorum (and this is the only time you’ll hear me give him kuddos) for condemning the comment.
I think Tootsie Pop’s slogan is the only answer I have for you as to why the double standard is acceptable.
“The world may never know.”
April 7, 2012 at 4:06 am
Sacco
I think ite2€™s all hoockum. You might have a point if the Dixie Chicks’ plcitioal commentary was a gimmick that they only discovered after the 2003 incident. But that ain’t the case.Dixie Chicks music had been anti-war and pro-free-speech, even prior to the 2003 incident. The grammy-nominated album (HOME) that was high on the charts at the time of their 2003 tour included the anti-war Travelin’ Soldier, and also Truth No. 2 which starts out, You don’t like the sound of the truth coming from my mouth So what do you think of Toby Keith, who made a lot of money by trashing the Dixie Chicks and belting out kick-ass pro-war songs like Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue? The Iraq war was a boon to his career. Is that also hookum? Their audience however has made its feelings clear: e2€œWhen you talk like that, you do not represent us.e2€9d Their audience has made its feelings clear, by voting with their wallets. The latest album topped Billboard charts for weeks, and set a weekly sales record. So them and their audience seem to be doing just fine, thank you kindly. I’m a Texas Ex (grad of Univ. Texas at Austin, a school that the snooty Bush family with their ivy league educations wouldn’t consider, even though the grad program in my field is higher rated than Yale’s). I’am also a longtime fan of the Dixie Chicks. I thought their 2003 comment was spot on, as I was also embarassed that President Bush was from Texas. I also travel abroad, and try to explain to locals that not all Americans support our government’s actions, even though we are supposed to be a democracy. I don’t expect people to be interested in the Dixie Chicks because of the controversy or politics. Their music is enough.
March 26, 2012 at 9:29 am
wendyspinale
E, I tried to leave lengthy comments twice and they’ve been deleted after I signed on. I’m not going to retype what I wrote again because I need to get writing, but I wanted you to know that I stopped by to read and agree with you whole-heartedly. Great blog.
March 26, 2012 at 11:49 am
Elizabeth Meza
Wow, Erika. First time I read your blog. Loved it! Agreed with it. Will continue to read it. -Elizabeth (Peewee)
March 26, 2012 at 4:19 pm
Kit Brown-Hoekstra
You go, girl! I agree that it’s time to bring some civility back into the public discourse. The only way that will happen is if people stand up and speak up when they hear that kind of ugliness, regardless of who’s saying it. And, when someone has the courage to speak up, the rest of us need to give a round of applause and a pat on the back.
Being kind is always appropriate even if you vehemently disagree with the other person.
April 7, 2012 at 11:38 am
Susan
To the great good fortune of all, I can’t find the rrncediog I made of this song back when the DCs first made their London remarks. Here, though, are the lyrics:Dixie Chicksby John GovernaleIe2€™m ashamed that the Dixie Chicks are from DixieThough I did not feel this way too long ago.But I had a change of heartEver since they decided to startTalking e2€™bout the president in their show.To stand on a stage off in a foreign countryWith an audience knowing youe2€™re from the USAAnd say youe2€™re ashamed of the president,That is something I resentAnd thate2€™s the reason that I have to say:(Chorus)Ie2€™m ashamed that the Dixie Chicks are from Dixie.It makes me sad, but I want to make it clear:Though theree2€™s a lot of great music groups from Dixie,The Dixie Chicks I do not want to hear.If instead of London they had been in Houston,They wouldne2€™t have dared to say something quite so numb.Yeah, they can play country music hot,But it seems to me that the Chicks forgotJust what country they are from.Here in the States wee2€™ve got the First AmendmentTo protect the speech of all, both low and high.It protects those Dixie Chicks,But it also protects everyone who picksWhat music that they will or will not buy.(Chorus)When they found out that country fans were angry,To save their rrncediog career they apologized.Yes, after Dixie tookBig dollars out of their pocket bookThey changed their tune. Ie2€™m not surprised.When folks go mixing politics with show bizThe way those big shot Hollywooders do,It makes me want to walk out the door.Ie2€™ll never see a movie by Michael Moore,And Dixie Chicks, Ie2€™m finished with you, too.(Chorus)
March 26, 2012 at 7:44 pm
Michelle Lollock
Well said, Kit. In addition to making public discourse more civil, I really wish that more people could think critically about sermons from bully pulpits during presidential elections. If wishes were horses… As for why these recent years have been so nasty? I have no idea. My best guess is that these very rude people are very afraid of something that they probably shouldn’t fear at all.