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Dixie Chicks Honored by ACLUPosted on Feb 12, 2007
The Dixie Chicks were honored in December by the ACLU for defending liberty and the right to free speech in the face of overwhelming pressure. Lead vocalist Natalie Maines said she’s proud to be a card-carrying member and “It hasn’t taken courage to stand strong, just a first-grade education.” On Sunday the group won five Grammys to resounding applause—a sign of how times have changed since the band first came under fire for criticizing President Bush in 2003. Watch it:
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By enemy of the people, February 26, 2007 at 7:40 pm # I am glad you are ashamed shrub is from Texas (even though he is really not a NATIVE, so technically not FROM Texas) and I am glad you, Emily, and Martie stood by your principals. It would have been very easy for you to take the stage in England and perform. Your Blue-grass fiddlin’ and pickin’ are simply wonderful and the English folks who heard you express your shame would not have noticed had you not spoken out about this criminal. My music is all over the place - Rhythm and Blues is where I am most of the time. Regardless, I am a fan because you are worth caring about.
By Emil, February 14, 2007 at 10:36 pm # Wow! If it didn’t take much education to see through Pres. Bush back then, how come so many brilliant law school graduates in the Senate and now running for President couldn’t see through him?
By Steve McLaughln, February 14, 2007 at 8:16 pm # As a resident of South Carolina, I still get goose bumps when I remember and re-tell the story of the Dixie Chicks first live concert after their self imposed hiatus after the right wing media slammed them for their opinions of that “pre-emptive war”. It was scheduled for the Bilo Center in Greenville, SC. The Charlie Daniels band offered to trade Chicks tickets for a concert they would put on the same night in Spartanburg SC. The local media kept telling us the Chicks concert would be done in, and that protesters outside would outnumber those in attendence. That night in Greenville made me more proud of Americans than I had been in years. Something like 6 people traded in their tickets. The protesters outside overwhelmingly supported the Chicks, and the picture on the front page of our local paper showed a lady whose sign read “I support Natalie”. The crowd inside was an absolute sellout, and they were lovingly compassionate about the Dixie Chicks. When our girls took the stage the roar was deafening, and approaching never ending. Natalie stood with wetted eyes, and finally could be heard over the crowd. She said “They said you wouldn’t come” The crowd absolutely roared. She followed “We KNEW you would come!” The roar was deafening! God bless the Dixie Chicks, and citizens like them who speak their minds and support what is right.
By barbara Duffy, February 14, 2007 at 6:35 pm # Yeah vor the Dixie Chicks! Hang in there!
By Joseph Nagarya, February 14, 2007 at 6:16 pm # To “Nancy” -- Anyone who’s thought about it realizes that the gov’t—having bombers and tanks, bazookas and nukes, etc.—ren’t afraid of or concerned with or about privately-owned pop-guns. And anyone who’s studied the debates of that which became the “Bill of Rights” and Second Amendment knows it has nothing whatever to do with “individual” or “private” anything. The only “individual” right debated was that of conscientious objection by those “religiously scrupulous of bearing arms”—and that was voted down.
By Nancy, February 14, 2007 at 3:35 pm # Thank you to the Dixie Chicks for standing up, unafraid, and being counted. If you don’t stand up for something, then sit down and do as you’re told. Every day, our freedoms are taken away in the name of creating Democracy in some way far away place in the world. what a crock of crap. We no longer have habeas corpus. They can tap our phones, come into our houses without warrants, and soon will take your guns away, y’all. Pay attention. Are we giving up our own freedoms for the ‘game’ they’re playing about democracy somewhere else? This isn’t a Reality show on Fox network. Let’s get real.
By Big Al, February 14, 2007 at 2:19 pm # She’s one of the few heroes we have. She’s also very, very intelligent. She’s earned a lot of popular respect. It’s now “in” to take Natalie seriously when she speaks her mind about something. So I wish she would start speaking out real loud against the upcoming war against Iran. Maybe people would listen, and stop Bush’s next war before it starts.
By Gramma Concept, February 14, 2007 at 12:54 pm # Bless you ‘Chicks’........I was a very real ‘hippie’ in the right decade, and I assure you that it did not take too many of my friends being bashed in faces and heads by the NYC tactical police force in Thompkins Square Park on Memorial Day 1967 for me to wake up to yet more of the truth of my time than I already had.....much more.... I saw there and then that being ‘hip’ was not enough....and I soon learned the Bill of Rights (sadly, Not taught in my education), and they are still, last I heard, ‘on the books’....... Big Love,
By Ramsay, February 14, 2007 at 11:27 am # Thank you Dixie Chicks for standing up agianst the war, oil and media machines. Cheney, etc. tried their best to destroy you. They did not succceed! Yea for you!
By Walter Oczkowski, February 14, 2007 at 11:08 am # It is cutomary for people of Polish descent to say “STO LAT” which means live to 100 years and to the Dixie Chicks I say STO LAT ,\may you live to 100 years for your gallant determination for singing the truth.
By Joseph Nagarya, February 14, 2007 at 9:26 am # I remember John Lennon being pilloried by the religionuts for telling the truth about British youth. (And about a significant number of Beatles fans: given the choice of church or Beatles, we’d choose Beatles. I’m not for “country” music—which is made in the city—real or fake. But I am for the courage to put one’s money at risk by putting it where one’s mouth is. Freedom of speech, when it utters the truth, is more priceless than all the money on the planet. I’m not ready to make nice, either—and never will be as concerns domestic enemies of my country.
By Rael Nidess, M.D., February 14, 2007 at 8:45 am # Hurray for Natalie, the “Chicks” and those who stood with them (family, friends, roadies, producers, agents, etc.). As she points out in her speech, one shouldn’t have to consider whether or not one is brave enough to make a statement in our ‘democracy’ - our democracy should be so strong that speaking out would never need to require courage, only conviction. Unfortunately, as the nation’s treatment of the Dixie Chicks points out, this is not currently the case. Congratulations to the Dixie Chicks for speaking out and to the ACLU for insuring they still can!
By Homer Hewitt, February 14, 2007 at 7:40 am # COMMENT - FOR SENATOR CLINTON NEWS ITEM - COMMENT -
By CHRIS TANDY, February 14, 2007 at 7:18 am # As someone who really dislikes country music, I feel compelled to buy their albums. As a vet of the first v.n. war, I’d just like to say, Hail to the Chicks, they’re a group that needs hailing.
By JANE, February 13, 2007 at 11:09 pm # What a breathe of fresh air. As ridiculous as this may sound, her unpretentious, straightford use of her freedom speech right there made me proud to be an American. It also made me hopeful I can exercise mine more fully.
By TJ, February 13, 2007 at 11:40 am # Many believe that they would do the right thing to support our Democracy, even if they were called on to pay a high price for that. Whether or not we would actually do it when the price needs to be paid is not known. The Dixie Chicks do not need to wonder about this.
By ludwig, February 13, 2007 at 10:25 am # They sure do deserve the award. BushII was after them and just about everyone who called themselves “conservative” were. Thank goodness for people like them.
By Jim Goodson, February 13, 2007 at 7:31 am # Hooray for The Dixie Chicks , They deserve kudos for their music and their excersize of our right to freedom of speech. The cream always rises to the top. As a veteran of two wars I salute you.
By lee short, February 13, 2007 at 5:39 am # Natalie should be careful saying “first grade education” inagine the spin the wingnuts can put on that,
By joneden, February 13, 2007 at 12:08 am # Bless these 3 young women! Sadly, and dangerously, their kind of courage has shown itself to be almost non existent. jon
By TheEnd, February 13, 2007 at 12:07 am # Wow. If this was science class we would call this a chemical change, as opposed to a physical change, in that The Dixie Chicks debacle has permanently changed the girls with nope hope of return to their original form. If this was bible study we’d call it being born again. But in everyday life I just say good for them. They’ve come out on top after all the struggle of the past five, or so, years. It still strikes me as odd how so many people who now see the war as a mistake and Bush Jr. a liar still have a bad taste in their mouths toward the Dixie Chicks. The frost of being proven wrong is mighty cold, even for right-wingers. - TheEnd Add Your Comment |
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