Monday, March 11, 2013

Ten years ago today these women unfairly paid for the sins of a nation still years away from recognizing the truth of their words.

Courtesy of The Nation: 

It was ten years ago tonight that the Dixie Chicks, extremely popular then and far from controversial, caused a massive stir when singer Natalie Maines declared on stage in London: “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.” It was a little more than a week before their fellow Texan launched a war based on lies. 

Of course, hatred was quickly spewed in the Chicks’ direction by media types, political figures and country music yahoos—who never then or now get so excited when right-wing entertainers and media celebs make threats against a Democratic president. 

Boycotts were immediately announced. Maines clarified two days later, “I feel the president is ignoring the opinions of many in the US and alienating the rest of the world.” But record sales and advance sales of concert tickets plunged. 

Maines then issued an apology, of sorts: “As a concerned American citizen, I apologize to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect. We are currently in Europe and witnessing a huge anti-American sentiment as a result of the perceived rush to war. While war may remain a viable option, as a mother, I just want to see every possible alternative exhausted before children and American soldiers’ lives are lost. I love my country. I am a proud American.” 

But President Bush argued: “The Dixie Chicks are free to speak their mind. They can say what they want to say.… they shouldn’t have their feelings hurt just because some people don’t want to buy their records when they speak out.… Freedom is a two-way street ….” 

The Chicks then poted semi-nude on the cover of Entertainment Weekly with words they had been called slightly covering them, e.g., “Dixie Sluts.” But their career would never be the same. Meanwhile, more than 4,000 American troops and more than a 125,000 Iraqis would die in a war based on lies. See my new book, So Wrong for So Long, for much more on the war and media malpractice.

I have a deep an abiding dislike for Country music, most probably because my father forced me to listen to it non-stop when I lived with him, but after hearing the Dixie Chicks speak up and watching the attacks leveled against them I ran right out and bought their album just to show my support fro their courage.

I was still a year away from launching this blog but of course I shared the same feelings expressed by Dixie Chicks and was VERY impressed that they had the, if you will pardon the expression, balls to say it out loud when so many celebrities were terrified of being ostracized for speaking out against the war or the President who was lying us into it. 

And the fact that they represented country music, the most "Red, White, and fuck you if you don't like America" entertainment industry in the country, just make them all the more impressive.

I dislike President Bush for so many things that it would take me hours to rattle them off here, but definitely on that list was his passive aggressive response to the ugly and uncalled for attacks on these brave women.

And the important thing to remember, is that THEY were right. And if the media had been doing its job, they would not have had to stand out there alone taking all of the heat for so many others too cowardly to stand beside them.

39 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:05 PM

    you said you dislike President Obama for so many reasons...uhhh did you mean bush??

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous1:06 PM

    Gryphen, I think you mean BUSH?

    I dislike **President Obama** for so many things that it would take me hours to rattle them off here, but definitely on that list was his passive aggressive response to the ugly and uncalled for attacks on these brave women.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous1:08 PM

    Ack! Second paragraph from the end...change Obama to Bush!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous1:09 PM

    Black and White Armed Protesters Swarm the Capitol — Can You Spot the Difference?

    On March 9, 2013 armed protesters “Swarm The State Capitol” in Olympia, Washington to protest the 30 plus firearms related bills on the docket, some of which seek to expand gun rights. They were expecting 2,000 people according to the organizers, but only an estimated 200 showed up.

    Watch here:

    http://www.politicususa.com/armed-protesters-swarm-capitol-spot-difference.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous1:12 PM

    WOW, I thought you liked President Obama, Gryphen? I'm confused...when was he passive aggressive with the Dixie Chicks, are you sure you don't mean GW?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Gryphen, typo in the next to last paragraph.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous1:14 PM

    I think you meant to say you dislike President Bush?

    ReplyDelete
  8. hedgewytch1:16 PM

    Typo on 2nd to last paragraph Gryph: "I dislike President Obama...." don't you mean Bush as he was the one in office during this time?


    BTW, I don't much care for C&W either, used to have to listen to it a lot at the barn I worked at, but the Dixie Chicks were are one of my favorites. Especially "Goodbye Earl".

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  9. Anonymous1:16 PM

    President Obama's passive-aggressive response...? I think u meant BUSH'S passive-aggressive... In fact, I KNOW you meant to say President Bush. It's just hard to put those two words together because it seems like an oxymoron since VP Cheney was the real boss.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. abbafan4:39 PM

      Anon @ 1:16 P.M. - BINGO!!! You hit the nail right on the head! As the old saying goes - "True power rests behind the throne"!!

      Delete
  10. Anonymous1:17 PM

    "I dislike President Obama" ?????

    ReplyDelete
  11. I think you meant Pres Bush in this paragraph:

    You said, " I dislike President Obama for so many things that it would take me hours to rattle them off here, but definitely on that list was his passive aggressive response to the ugly and uncalled for attacks on these brave women."

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous1:19 PM

    "Ashamed of the President."

    Look how far we've come from what now looks like such benign words.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, whatever happened to "respecting the office" anyway? Oh, right. That's only when there is a white Republican that's president. Never mind.

      Seriously,I actually hadn't heard of the Dixie Chicks before the uproar. I went out and bought all their CDs and really like their music. I LOVE "I'm Not Ready To Make Nice" and love that they won something like 5 Grammy awards for that album. :-) They were right and Bush was wrong. Anyone that ever read Molly Ivins knew that!

      Delete
    2. Look how far we've come, indeed!

      10 years ago, the Chicks said: "...we're ashamed that the President of the United States (George W. Bush) is from Texas..."

      http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Music/03/14/dixie.chicks.reut/

      Look what happened to them.

      Rusted Limpballs said on-air February 21, 2013: "Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time in my life, I am ashamed of my country..."

      http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2013/02/21/for_the_first_time_in_my_life_i_am_ashamed_of_my_country

      and..... CRICKETS. Nothing happens. The RWNJ's lick it alllllll up!!

      What ever happened to "IF YOU'RE NOT WITH US, THEN YOU'RE AGAINST US?" Or does that only apply to white, GOP presidents?

      Can you say "hypocrisy", boys and girls? I knew you could.

      - KAO

      Delete
  13. Okay well THAT was an embarrassing typo.

    Of course I meant Bush and Not Obama as the President "I dislike for so many reason."

    I actually NEVER use the label "President" in front of Bush's name, as I consider his presidency to be illegitimate, which must be why I reflexively put Obama's name in there instead.

    But I will assume you all had little difficulty figuring out who it was that I was talking about.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous5:20 PM

      You're all GOOD, Gryph. We knew who you were talking about. Watch some dumb@ss quote you on another blog, but only because they've got nothing else to defend in their stupid rhetoric ideology that took this country DOWN.

      Delete
  14. I like all kinds of music (even some rap) and I have always loved the Dixie Chicks. When Natalie said her peace ten years ago, I totally agreed with her. I have several albums from b4 and after "the incident" and I still listen to these brave girls.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous1:38 PM

    What Natalie aaid is so fucking mild compared to the treasonous stuff that cones out of so many repugs mouths every minute of every day. The repugs are too stooopid to see that.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous1:44 PM

    Woman Goes On Hannity, Says Men Should Not Rape Women, Gets Gang Rape Threats

    Zerlina Maxwell appeared on Fox News’ “Hannity” to advocate for men to not rape women. In return, Maxwell has become the target of a social media campaign threatening to gang rape and kill her.

    http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/2-woman-goes-on-hannity-says-men-should-not-rape-women-get-gang-rape-threats/politics/2013/03/11/62336

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous1:50 PM

    It was 10 years ago when the GOP and their evangelical supporters first showed their true "dog whistling" colors. What the Dixie Chicks said about Bush 10 years ago is so tame compared to what is spewed on almost a daily basis against Obama and the First Lady since 2008.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous5:41 PM

      cam we get an amen to this? Amen! so right on, what you say

      Delete
    2. Anonymous6:35 PM

      I saw a nasty, vicious comment just yesterday on some political site that claimed President Obama was a Muslim, a socialist and born in Kenya. And it wasn't a joke.

      Still??? Really???

      Delete
  18. Anonymous1:50 PM

    Dallas Woman Attacked In Brutal Hate Crime – In Front Of Her Four-Year-Old Son

    A 10-year-old began pushing their son around so Scarber told the boy to stop. That’s when the boy’s younger sister went to the car to get their father. Causey said she expected the father to tell his son not to pick on a 4-year-old but as he got closer, she could see his anger. At first, he thought Scarber was a man.

    When he realized she was woman, he said, “Oh, it’s a bitch. It’s a bitch,” according to Causey. “You’re a woman, but you think you’re a man.”


    He called her a dyke and a faggot, holding her up by her necklace and repeatedly hitting her in the face until he knocked her out.

    “I’m going to beat you like a man,” he said.

    As Scarber’s son stood watching, the suspect kicked Scarber in the head and stomped her face while she was lying on the ground – causing a very serious injury to her jaw. A woman accompanying the suspect tried to stop him, to no avail.

    The suspect yelled gay epithets while he beat Sondra Scarber after she tried to defend her 4-year-old son from bullying at the hands of the suspect’s children. After knocking Scarber to the ground, the suspect kicked her in the mouth and stomped her face. She would later need surgery on her jaw, which had been knocked an inch-and-a-half out of alignment.

    Scarber’s distressed child pleaded “Please don’t kill her.”

    http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/03/11/dallas-woman-attacked-in-brutal-hate-crime-in-front-of-her-four-year-old-son/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope the asshole was arrested and thrown in jail for a hate crime. Oh, Texas...never mind.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous6:37 PM

      Thank goodness he didn't have a gun.

      Delete
  19. SHARON1:59 PM

    Damn people...give Gryph a break for a typo, hahahha.
    Of course we know what you meant...these strong women, along with Michael Moore at the Oscars were right and voicing their opinions was more patriotic than the stupid media. It is hilarious to watch Jeb Bush defend his brother as a wonderful president, oh yeah we need another Bush in the WH. When you see these class A liars on TV (like Cheney, Bush, Ryan) it always makes me wonder how their families deal with it...do they surround themselves around like minded criminals too?

    On another note...sad news indeed, I watched the View this morning just to see if they addressed Elisabeth leaving and, she is not. Too bad even her parents were stupid enough to spell her name wrong.


    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous2:07 PM

    Hmmmmm, if that woman had been packing, her son wouldn't have had to be traumatized by watching his mother get the crap beat out of her.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous2:34 PM

      I hope that's satire, because as long as we're pondering "if only', how about "if only that murderous asshole had acted like a civilized adult, nobody would have been hurt.

      If it's not snark, then I'd have to ask how you could even think the 10 yo and 4 yo wouldn't have been traumatized just a bit more by a bloody shooting?

      Delete
    2. AJ Billings4:19 PM

      If the victim had been carrying a firearm yes, she could possibly have stopped a violent crime.

      Just having a weapon is about 1/3 of the equation.

      Getting the training, range practice, and learning how to use the weapon responsibly in panic situations is another 1/3. Getting the safety off, chambering a round, and aiming takes practice to do it quickly and in a confrontation.

      The final 1/3 is knowing if and when to draw down on a target, what your legal rights are, and how to defuse a situation, which is often the best case.

      All of the above must often happen in a matter of two or three seconds, and even trained cops and military folks get it wrong on occasion.

      Worst case would be she would have the weapon taken from her and used to kill her family, or being shot in a struggle.

      Just because you have a gun in your bag doesn't man a whole lot without the training, reaction time, and legal knowledge of what to do.

      Delete
    3. Because it's out of the realm of your reality to consider that MAYBE the man shouldn't have acted like a vicious animal?

      Why do women always have to adjust THEIR behaviors?

      Maybe his children shouldn't have acted like feral animals in the first place when bullying the 4 year old (although, its not hard to see where their behavior came from...)?

      In his blood-lust and fury, he probably would've used it ON HER.

      Then two sons would have lost parents that day. Brilliant.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous6:41 PM

      Who would ever expect the father of a ten year old to beat the crap out of a mother defending her four year old???

      IF she had a gun, I'm sure it would never occur to her that she might need it in that situation.

      Unless maybe you think both of them should have shot it out like the OK Corral.

      Delete
  21. Anonymous2:22 PM

    Anonymous at 2:07, you're being facecious, right? I would rather have my ass beat in front of my son, than shoot a man in front of his child, and in front of my son. Granny told me, two wrongs don't make a right.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Caroll Thompson2:51 PM

    Speaking the truth cost the Dixie Chicks dearly and I admire them for their courage. 'Wide open spaces' is my favorite Chicks song.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Just how many times have we seen men hide behind a woman's skirt? I remember well the jerks both Dem and Repub that let Cheney and Bush roll on over them...freakin cowards. I do believe Hillary said somewhere's that "Bush knew" re 9/11. I don't know if a day of reckoning will ever come.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous4:49 PM

    The Dirty Fucking Hippies Were Right... too.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKEZoY-TMG4

    "I hate to say we told you so... but the dirty fucking hippies were right."

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous5:16 PM

    The way they stormed back with 'Not Ready to Make Nice' said everything about them, it was wonderful.

    What's not wonderful is Greg Mitchell using this anniversary as an excuse to advertise his stinking book. He should just go away.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anita Winecooler7:34 PM

    They're three "evildoers" I fully support!

    He's still hiding out and took up painting dead pets, pretty good at it according to Jeb!


    Oh, BTW, Congratulations! Ten years is a long time for a "Now Defunct" Blog!

    ReplyDelete
  27. "Traveling Soldier" is a great song by The Dixie Chicks. Viet Nam War but it could be any war that the US has been involved in for the past twenty years. I also saw the documentary "Shut Up and Sing" about the reaction to Natalie's remark. I have since purchased many of their albums and have become a fan.

    I'm ashamed that Bush stole the 2000 election.

    ReplyDelete

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