The Boss Speaks, You Fools Better Listen

maybe i'm different - but i'll gladly say anything to anyone's face

there's this person i hate at college, and last term i was telling a friend how he is a Dick-head... he overheard me and said "what was that?" - i said "you're a dickhead"

i think it was more that they were just in London at the time since they were on a tour/promo tour right (when all this was happening)?

if so - would have been pointless to fly to the US just to make that statement and if they had it on their chests what would be the point in waiting a few weeks till you return home before saying it

Hence my point.

Natalie Maines didn't say anything wrong.
The Dixie Chicks are a convenient scapegoat for the warmongers.
The point of freedom of speech is the ability to protest, complain, disagree with the government.

Think about this... country music as a whole is a very patriotic genre. They broke an unwritten rule of the country music community.
The radio stations who claim to be bombarded with people calling in asking for the banning of DIxie Chicks records... are they ClearChannel radio stations? Radio stations doing what their listeners call in and tell them to do... they're worried they'll lose listeners? Not really? That they'll lose advertisers? Not really. Do they think they can gain popularity as doing something current and milking a controversy and maybe gain some new listeners and attention? Sure.
Clear Channel organized several "pro troop" rallies around the US... and packaged "news" audio packages played on radio (we heard them in NY) - ridiculous.
Clear Channel is borderline monopoly and the FCC hasn't really gone after the fact that Clear Channel owns radio stations, owns concert venues, owns promoters.. and tried to buy agencies who book the artists into the venues, etc... It's a monopoly but the FCC hasn't nailed them. Whose in charge of the FCC? Colin Powell's son. Who's Bush's Secretary of State? Colin Powell? Somehow, it's all a bit sinister.

Mob mentality took over and those who don't think are those banning the Dixie Chicks... They were a bit clueless and didn't realize the ramifications of what they said, when they said it... but then again, they're just being used as the scapegoats. Speaking out against your government doesn't make you anti-American, it's that privilege that makes you an American.

at last! someone knows her name


I can speak out against mine, I dont call it a privilege though

Interesting thing about the radio stations.... Is who they r owned & run by.

Unless I'm mistaken - they aren't run independently. & were even used to promote Pro-War rallies....

Hell - half the US media is owned by Rupert 'Lets sell papers by unquestioningly supporting the war' Murdoch.

Praying on ppls 'patriotic' senses, & encouraging them to support them banning the Dixie Chicks is a form of bullying. By showing that anyone who opposes their view will suffer nasty consequences is a form of bullying.

It is not opening the field to free speech. & do u hear Bush making his speeches to ppl who won't agree with him??

Every time I see him on TV he is surrounded by cheering crazy patriotic ppl!! & that is a job he is paid to do!!

+ Mouse & Jovi2003 - do u think the radio should ban Jon 'George W Lunatic' Bon Jovi????

The other thing is that whilst sampling can sometimes be a reliable source of measuring the population.... it can also be misrepresented. Unless I am mistaken, u tend to get a certain type of person listening to radio.. & who can actually be bothered & find the time to complain about it. PPl who listen the radio therefore aren't representative of the larger population.

& specifically calling a ban on the artist, instead of simply not playing a tune due to lack of requests shows how this has been conducted.

Mike

Seems to me this is more about Clear Channel then the Dixie Chicks.

They were a bit clueless?? I doubt it.

If you want freedom of speech, go for it. But remember, people in turn have the freedom to react.

Not convinced how much it was the ppl reacting

If people call in and want to ban him, go for it.

I do think what Natalie said was in poor taste.

I do think it is a bunch of crap about her feeling the anti-American sentiment. (Aren't we all) That was just a poor excuse.

I do think she got carried away and people have the right to speak out against her.

On my end, I own their CD, and haven't burned it yet. :P

But I won't take that right away from anyone else.

You aren't worried about the safety consecuences of setting stuff on fire??

Considering that a great many people were on the news, voicing their displeasure, I think people did react.

Clear Channel, wouldn't shock me if they had a part in it, because they do suck.

But, I really do feel people were annoyed with it and reacted and Clear Channel doesn't hold all the blame.