Before the Iraq War in 2003, it was hazardous to one's health to criticize the President of the United States. For starters, the smoldering reminder of 9/11 lingered on, causing most Americans to act like a bunch of self-righteous, uber-Patriots, and of course, how can we forget the White House's marketing strategy of, "You're either with us or against us."
The Dixie Chicks fell victim when singer Natalie Maines told a London crowd in 2003, that she was "ashamed that the President of the United States came from Texas."
Well for starters people should've been pissed off at her, because, well the President isn't from Texas, he's from Connecticut. And, she should've said that he's nothing more than a faux Texan with a bad accent that makes him sound like a mentally challenged, middle-aged Alabama man, but that's besides the point.
The country trio suffered the most unnecessary backlash in the weeks and months following that comment.
Country music stations which coughed up crap to begin with, stopped playing their records and many fans and newly formed enemies began crushing their records.
It appeared that the trio's career was over, just over a comment that expresses everything that is truly American. Free Speech.
And yet after all that grief, they've been vindicated by the fact that 60 percent of Americans are against this war and President Bush's ratings continue to be as dismal as ever.
The hypocrisy of Red State America and Conservativism was evident during the controversy surrounding the Dixie Chicks.
For starters, the women are American as apple pie and between them have 7 children. Their music is the soundtrack for every "soccer mom" out there in America. Of course, how can't Red America and every Conservative pundit out there not love these women? They represent everything that is Red America.
Well...
When Natalie Maines spoke her mind, that's when Red America became angry. No woman in Red America is allowed to speak her mind, yet alone, criticize the President of the United States.
So, they needed to make an example out of someone who would dare criticize the "Fake Texan-in-Chief" and who would be a better choice than three mothers who to my knowledge, had never, ever been politically active or vocal up to that point.
"You're either with us or against us."
The backlash was mean-spirited, pointless and un-American.
But it was a sad reminder that even after the 9/11 attacks, we as a country, collectively didn't learn from that particular. We allowed ourselves to take our cues from leaders in Washington that relished a day like 9/11 so they could flex their imperlialistic muscles onto the Middle East.
The Dixie Chicks are like lepers in the Country music community, but it's their loss not the Dixie Chicks'. From a musical standpoint, country music today, is nothing but a slick production that overrides passion. From another standpoint if the country music community can't stand Dixie Chicks' right to free speech, well I like to steal a phrase from Red America, "Love it or leave it."
The country music trio's "Accidents and Accusations" tour rolled into Chicago on Wednesday night to a packed house at the United Center. From reports, the concert went very well, although the tour itself has been somewhat of a disappointment due to the poor sales in traditionally Conservative cities like Memphis, Houston, and Oklahoma City.
The country is starting to catch up to President Bush's folly in the Middle East. Thus, clearly the name of The Dixie Chicks who committed a crime that's truly American than apple pie, free speech.