The Dixie Chicks Witch Hunt
383 words.
I’ll admit I’m not a Dixie Chicks fan (though their latest album is pretty good). Most of the Chicks’ material is about girlie stuff — you know, how men are lyin’ cheatin’ bastards and so forth — that doesn’t particularly resonate with me. And — I hesitate to mention this because it might brand me a terrorist-sympathizer — I’m not fond of bluegrassy country music in general.
That being said, I’m appalled at the criticism the Chicks get all the time from wingnut conservatives (Dixie Chicks: No need for patriotism and Dixie Chicks Question Your Patriotism). It’s as if there’s some unspoken rule that country music stars have to be uber-patriotic all the time, Toby Keith-style, waving the flag in your face and screaming “America, f%&# yeah!” at the top of their lungs, or they aren’t doing their job. The Chicks apparently violated that rule once and forever with an offhand comedic remark about Bush three years ago. Not only did they have the nerve to voice an opinion counter to the Lemmings majority (though, in fact, her remark was cheered by the audience at the time), they did it at a country music concert!
When the Chicks’ new album came out recently, I kept reading and hearing about another Dixie Chicks controversy. I thought, I wonder what they said this time. But I found out they hadn’t said anything: The controversy was over the fact that they had the nerve to release a new album. People were still sulking about what they said three years ago as if they’d just said it. What de hell? Even with polls all over the place showing a majority of Americans against the war, feeling the war was a mistake, wanting troops to come home, disapproving of Bush, etc., the Chicks are somehow the ones still on trial. Even after apologizing (unnecessarily) for the remark, they’re still vilified. Just today, Hot Air called them “moonbats,” placing them in the same category with Cindy Sheehan. All for Natalie Maines saying — wait let me find the quote — “Just so you know, we’re ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas.” And three entire years later, people are still on the attack.
Is there a better example of a Salem witch hunt in modern history?
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