BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks

Subject: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Amos
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 10:35 AM

I've heard the rednecks agreeing that the Dixie Chicks were done, they just didn't know it. We've seen the knee-jerk BS -- the market shutout and the hollerin' and hootin' and the steamrollering the piles of CDs.

The reactionaries had their day in the moonlight.

Here's a story for you that is a source of great satisfaction and even hope, about the response:

Dixie Chick's Response

http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Jul/07132003/commenta/74669.asp

Regards,

A

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Bobert
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 11:26 AM

Thanks, Amos, fir the uplifing article.

Yeah, maybe the Dixie Chicks will start an underground country music movement. It's long overdue and with the internet, it is not only possible but very achievable for the people to send as *clear message* to *ClearChannel* that there's more to life in America than hatred, censorship, Nashville, Budweiser and NASCAR.

And, not to get too far off the beaten path here, but its not to late for folks to let their reps in Washington know that we ain't into letting the Big Four have their way in gobbling up everything they see. No to FCC deregulation!

Sorry, but..... Right ON, Dixie Chicks!

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Amergin
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 02:34 PM

wow....that is wonderful...

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 02:41 PM

Still seems like a tempest in a teapot to me...

Congrats to the Chicks for selling out a concert... That's always good news...

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Ely
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 08:19 PM

Being from the same state as the Chicks just about makes up for the embarrassment of being from the same state as George W.

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Kim C
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 10:17 PM

I think one of the very best examples of the exercise of free speech would be Jerry Springer getting elected to Congress.

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Bobert
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 10:46 PM

Hey, Catfolkzies. I'z terribly disappointed in the entire batch of ya' all *folk singers*, ahh with the exception of a couple of ya'z. Man, like used to be that folk singers came from the *folks* class, the workin' class.... You know, where the folks who are diein' every day in Iraq so that Bush and cronies can have their oil... somehow.

And as *artists*, if you consider yourselves as artists, it's time to look around and report on what you are see. Yeah, there are only but so many "puff the Magic Dragon" songs left to be sung before folk musicans get in line to tell the story....

I'm real disappointed that in 24 hours that only an small handfull of Catfolk dared to enter a site that asks for the truth. Shame on all the rest of the Catfolk, who sit comfy in front of their TV's, or their rear view mirrors. Yeah, shame.... shame ... shame.

Yeah, you can say that I'm being righteous and maybe I *am*, for God's sake.... but, danged... get off yer butts and make a difference.

*They* are after, ahhhhhh, you, too....

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 11:40 PM

Well, hail, I ain't been in town! Iz goin there now.....I don't like the Chicks music much, but I admire their guts. The Rooster Crows, the Hen Lays the Egg. (Old Dixie Chicks t shirt.)OK! Just went there, and WOW!! YES!

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Amos
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 10:38 AM

I'm real disappointed that in 24 hours that only an small handfull of Catfolk dared to enter a site that asks for the truth.

Bobert --

Do you mean the link I put up about the Dixie Chicks? Or some other site that 'dares to ask for the truth'?

Regards,

A

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: X
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 11:28 AM

If the "Chicks" are sooo pro. free speech why did they jump all over Toby Keith's ass for his song? They are the ones the started THAT feud.

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Kim C
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 11:57 AM

Well, that's just it...... if we are going to espouse Free Speech, then that means there must be room for ALL opinions, and not just the ones we like.

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Amos
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 12:58 PM

Well, they're exercising their right of free speech to assert the freedom of speech. That much is cool with me. Dunnoi what the deal with Toby Keith's song -- maybe it was slanderous?

A

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: X
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 01:40 PM

Amos,

Here's a little snipet of what's going on.

http://205.180.85.40/w/pc.cgi?mid=19240&sid=4694

Hugh

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: GUEST,heric
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 01:46 PM

Freedom of commercial speech. I love it.

>> As the trio began the song, newsreel images appeared on the video screens above them. A civil rights march, a women's rights protest, a gay rights demonstration, old black and white images of suffragettes urging voting rights for women, anti-war protests and more. Interspersed as in a silent movie were panels with one or two words projected, among them: "Stop." "Look." "Listen." <<<

What a beautiful, commercial spin on the entire thing. I hate to dip into this teapot, but I do recall that the issue was making *non-substantive, rude* comments oversees at the wrong time while pandering to a crowd. It had nothing to do with the "sound of the truth" ot the "lack of proof."

I'm glad they can extend their careers on the incident, because this Clear Channel oligopoly really is a shame.

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: X
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 01:50 PM

Wrong place....Here it is.

Dixie Chicks frontwoman Natalie Maines' loose tongue seems to have gotten her and her bandmates into trouble yet again.

Buzzle Staff Editor, 6/5/2003 6:25:00 PM

Who said country music was lame? Dixie Chicks frontwoman Natalie Maines' loose tongue seems to have gotten her and her bandmates into trouble yet again. Hot on the heels of the controversy over Maines' opinionated comments about President Bush, the feud between Maines and country singer Toby Keith has heated up considerably. The battle of the country stars started back in August 2002 when Maines criticized Keith's single "Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue (The Angry American)." She said of the single, "I hate it. It's ignorant." In turn, Keith was quoted in December 2002 as saying, "I'll bury her. She has never written anything that's been a hit."

Well, the war is on! On May 21, Maines performed on television at the AMC Awards wearing a F.U.T.K. tee shirt – which viewers declared a definite telling off of T.K. (Toby Keith). According to a Dixie Chicks rep, "It's my understanding that according to chatter on their web site, Natalie's T-shirt stands for FREEDOM, UNDERSTANDING, TRUTH, AND KNOWLEDGE." Yeah, right! If you are going to have the guts to make a bold statement, you should be able to back it up! The following night, Keith appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, while his faithful supporters showed up sporting tee shirts that read F.U.D.C. Maybe their tees mean Freedom, Understanding, Democracy and Country. Or maybe it is just what the message seems!

Whatever happened to freedom of speech? There are plenty of people out there that would like to sport tees that read F.U.C.M. (Country Music) So what?! We aren't all programmed to like the same thing! So why the battle between Maines and Keith? It seems that The Dixie Chicks' latest album Home remains steadfast at number 4 in the country music charts and Keith's Unleashed remains at number 1! The conflict between the two just may be the reason they have remained at the top.

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: GUEST,heric
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 01:56 PM

>>performed on television at the AMC Awards wearing a F.U.T.K. tee shirt – <<

Ahh, yes. Let freedom ring from the trailer parks all across the land!!

Free press. Free advertising.

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Pseudolus
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 02:29 PM

Wouldn't freedom of speech include what you decide NOT to play on your radio station? I'm not interested in getting into the Maines/Keith debate or the pro/con dixie Chicks thing but why is it that a radio station that makes it's political views known by NOT playing the Dixie Chicks CD's censorship? It's not tell you that you can't go out and buy the CD's just that THEY are not gonna play em! I don't agree with their point of view to not play the CD's but I'm not going to call it censorship. You can't have it both ways, you either promote freedom of speech or you don't, it can't just be when you happen to agree. And then there's the notion that because we haven't gone out to the site that asks for the truth, then shame on us? Well, I say shame on you for judging those who either don't agree with you, or don't feel strongly enough about the issue to go out to the web site you're talking about.

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Amos
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 03:44 PM

She was right. I don't see anything indicating she was trying to suppresss his freedom to communicate though.

Anyway it has become a tempest in a teapot. Natalie Maines is outspoken, and I am glad she has the guts to continue that.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Kim C
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 04:05 PM

I never have cared for Toby Keith anyhow. He reminds me too much of Eddie Munster.

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 04:00 PM

folk are not all in the working class, and they are not all in trailer parks, which sounded like sort of slam. It's fine if they are and fine if they aren't. It is music for anyone who likes it period. From any country, from any religion, from any walk of life. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: GUEST,heric
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 04:56 PM

sorry mg (and Amos) the trailer park comment was flippant and well maybe just a tad rude. The fight for the right to say the F word is tacky though.

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Amos
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 05:25 PM

Well, I understand. It has generally gotten into usage as a known term represenitng the seamier side of WASP life...


A

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Nerd
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 05:21 PM

pseudolus:

Theoretically, you argue that a huge corporation that owns every radio station should be able to decide what gets played on the radio with the protection of freedom of speech laws. This only works because we have a weird idea in this country that corporations have human rights; they don't or at least they shouldn't. Why should "clear channel" have freedom of speech? It is not a citizen protected by the constitution. Constitutionally, each employee of clear channel has freedom of speech. But Clear Channel censors that freedom of speech by mandating an opinion to all its DJs.

To give a corporation human rights and freedoms is to create a dictatorship where the CEO determines what the whole corporation will "say" about any issue. So if I'm a clear channel DJ and I want to play the Chicks, I can't, because a big corporation has decided to exercise its "freedom of speech" over mine. That's the opposite of freedom of speech, no?

Theoretically, the air waves are public property held in trust by the gov't and parceled out to corporations for the public good. Therefore, the public interest should be taken into account much more than it is by radio and TV outlets.

Just my 2 cents!

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Don Firth
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 05:53 PM

Also, if you know when your local Clear Channel station's license is up for renewal (if I remember correctly--used to be a radio announcer and newscaster--the station is required to notify the public in advance), you can protest the renewal. If enough people protest, the FCC has to hold a hearing, and on the basis of that, possibly decide not to grant the renewal and offer it to another license applicant.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: LadyJean
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 12:22 AM

Ann Coulter says liberals are less patriotic, because we criticise our government. This convinces me that she doesn't understand what our country is all about.
The Dixie Chicks come from the people whose husbands, brothers, fathers, sons, and friends, are dying in Iraq, because Bush didn't know what he was doing. They don't like the war. They have said so.
The first amendment gives them that right. It also gives them the right to say unkind things about people who don't agree with them. That is called debate. (The phrase F.U. suggests poor debating skills, but they are, after all, musicians.)
Stifle dissent, and we might as well hand this country over to Osama bin Laden.

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: GUEST,heric
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 01:01 PM

I would actually like to hire Osama bin Laden to address the problems with my next door neighbor's remodel. He could be perhaps useful if he had a little more focus.

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Kim C
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 01:07 PM

LadyJean, are you suggesting that musicians are not articulate enough to have an intelligent debate without resorting to profanities?

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Pseudolus
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 01:38 PM

Nerd:

By your definition if a DJ wanted to play heavy metal music on a Country station, then their rights to freedom of speech are being violated. I would disagree. I'm simply saying that the people who own the station, whether it be a small group or a large corporation have the right to determine what direction their radio station will take. Their are rules to be followed because of the Public Trust that you talked about but by NOT playing Dixie Chicks CD's, they are not violating any of those. The Dixie Chicks used the fact that they are popular enough to attract huge audiences to make a public political statement, the folks who manage the station used the fact that they have a huge listening audience to make theirs. You may argue that there is a difference that Maines statement was off the cuff and the radio station's was pre-meditated but either way, the statements were made.

I think my main point is that if the Dixie Chicks have the right to make statements like they did (and I certainly believe that they do), then the folks managing a radio station have the right to make that decision that Dixie Chicks songs will not be played on their station.
I don't think I disagree with you as much as I think I'm looking at this from a different angle.

I do appreciate your two cents.....   :)

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 02:29 PM

Frank--I believe that is called blacklisting, which is illegal. The stations have a right not to play the songs if they are NOT in their genre. Stations that play country music should not pull the artists songs simply because their point of view doesn't match that of the stations. IMHO

BTW Hey folks, check out the funding for your so called public radio stations. Some receive generous help from Clear Channel.

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Pseudolus
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 03:15 PM

Walking Eagle,
    You got a point there. Certainly if it's a law like you suggest, then I guess they have to follow that. I guess at that point I would have to say that I disagree with the law, since I still feel that they should have a right to determine what gets played and what doesn't....By the way, I agree with you that Radio Stations shouldn't pull songs of artists that they have a disagreement with, I just feel that they should have the right to do that if they choose to.

Take Care,
Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Amos
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 03:46 PM

Suppressing artistic media on political grounds was a mechanism used during the McCarthy era, and it was simple blacklisting as described. Artists, actors and writers were economically ruined through no fault in their art but because their "thinking" was flawed.

It is to spit.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Pseudolus
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 04:54 PM

Amos,
   I agree with you about the McCarthy era but was that an individual station making a statement or was that a list that essentially banned all of those performers? It seems a pretty loose comparison.

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Don Firth
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 10:10 PM

Good question, Frank. I think the answer lies in who issued the order: the individual station? Or Clear Channel to all it's stations. Makes a big difference.

Don Fitrh

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Pseudolus
Date: 18 Jul 03 - 09:24 AM

Ahhhhhh Don, you turned my question around on me and I must say it was a good turn, I hadn't thought about it terms of clear channel. My question was not really about them or the Dixie Chicks, it was about the performers blacklisted in the McCarthy Era. If it was Clear Channel that made this particular decision, then the comparison is right on.......

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Bright Hope from the Dixie Chicks
From: Amos
Date: 18 Jul 03 - 09:27 AM

There was no central list. Each company participated in its own way AIUI.

A