The Dixie Chicks

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Wow! A meeting of the LoT liberals (nearly) all in one place at one time, and we miss the gathering of the LoT conservatives online! That's pretty funny.

[scaeagles]

I don't know if all the conservatives here gathering would really qualify as a meet. Smallest meet in LoT history.

[Gemini Cricket]

We went into Iraq for sketchy reasons, Iraq is now a mess, Bush's ratings are in the toilet because of it... Why get mad at the Dixie Chicks? They were right to oppose him prior to the Iraq war. I can't believe they are paying some sort of price for being anti-war.

But I agree with Margaret Cho in saying, 'Uh, you're the Dixie Chicks...'

[scaeagles]

I can. Look at who their primary audience is.

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I can.

So, you hate Neil Young, Bruce Springstein, Green Day and all those other war protest singers, too?

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Look at who their primary audience is.

Okay, to use a scaeagles argument, if they lambasted Clinton, they'd be just fine. So, it's not about disrespecting the president or a state or being unpatriotic, it's disrespecting a right wing president and his right wing state... So one could say that the Dixie Chicks aren't anti-American, they're anti-right wing.

They aren't the only artists to speak out against Bush, though. So are these people just upset because some of their own are rebelling?

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

So, you hate Neil Young, Bruce Springstein, Green Day and all those other war protest singers, too?

Okay, to use a scaeagles argument, if they lambasted Clinton, they'd be just fine. So, it's not about disrespecting the president or a state or being unpatriotic, it's disrespecting a right wing president and his right wing state... So one could say that the Dixie Chicks aren't anti-American, they're anti-right wing.

They aren't the only artists to speak out against Bush, though. So are these people just upset because some of their own are rebelling?

Hate? No. Choose to purchase their product? No. Same with Babs Streisand, Dave Matthews, Madonna, and countless others.

And actually, I do agree with that, GC, regarding lambasting Clinton - to an extent.

I have no desire, and I would suspect most people are this way, for my entertainment choices to lecture me on politics. They have their political viewpoints, which is fine. I just have no desire to go to a concert, where I want to hear music, and listen to a political speech or editorializing. However, the typical audience of a country music concert would rather hear a slam on a democrat than a slam on a republican.

Entertainers seem to think that because they are entertainers, their opinions on politics or social issues should hold more weight. I've never understood why. Their self importance is laughable, really. Not that their opinions always are, but that they think their opinions matter so much because they are a gifted musician.

So in response to Alex saying he doesn't understand why a political viewpoint would influence my entertainment choice, it is because it is my way, small as it is, to let them know with my discretionary dollars that I don't appreciate what they believe. There are countless Hollywood stars who I have no idea what their politics are because they make the choice to keep them quiet. They may take the money I spend on hem and contribute it to Hamas, for all I know. But ignorance is bliss in my little world of choosing where to spend my discretionary dollars.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Entertainers seem to think that because they are entertainers, their opinions on politics or social issues should hold more weight. I've never understood why. Their self importance is laughable, really. Not that their opinions always are, but that they think their opinions matter so much because they are a gifted musician.

Not Afraid already touched on this but, the fact is that they are artists, and a part of art is social commentary on the world they live in. It has always been this way and I hope it always will. It's not that it holds any more weight than anyone else, it's that it is, by definition, part of what artists do. I think the "self-important" part is merely a label put on them by people who disagree with their opinion.

Nobody is forcing you to agree with them, just like I don't have to agree with a country song about the glory of shoving a boot up Saddam's ass. But I don't sit around saying that Tobey Keith is "self important". Rather, I just disagree with his opinion. I appreciate that he is allowed to exercise his creative freedom. And not once have I ever heard people say that he should be boycotted or that he is unamerican. I hear that about the Dixie Chicks all the time.

And what I love most about the Dixie Chicks is that I heard over and over from the likes of Sean Hannity that their career was ruined over this and that they were traitors. Clearly, the majority of people feel differently, as is reflected by their album sales. It shows that maybe it isn't the liberals who are out of touch with reality.

[wendybeth]

Apparently country music stars are only supposed to sing about trucks, the flag and tequila making your clothes fall off.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Motorboat Cruiser

Not Afraid already touched on this but, the fact is that they are artists, and a part of art is social commentary on the world they live in. It has always been this way and I hope it always will. It's not that it holds any more weight than anyone else, it's that it is, by definition, part of what artists do. I think the "self-important" part is merely a label put on them by people who disagree with their opinion.

And if that means I don't like an artists commentary, I can shout it as loudly as I want. I don't find criticism of that art to be anymore a problem than the artist expressing themselves.

And self important? Of course they are, whether I agree with their opinion or not. I find a difference in using their art to express it rather than their art leading to other platforms for expressing their political opinion. But the self importance doesn't come so much from expressing it in their art as it does from expecting what they say to be held in high esteem because they think their art makes them more an authority.

No one has said anyone shouldn't have creative freedom to do it. But why expect to be shielded from complaints and perhaps financial conquences from boycotts should what they say or do be deemed offensive by their fan base?

[Gemini Cricket]

I agree with you that entertainers think that their political opinions are golden. Bah. What do entertainers know about politics? Oh, wait. I know you're a Reagan fan... I'm kidding. I do agree that people like Sean Penn need to get a life.

And you don't own a single Dave Matthews Band CD? I'm glad I didn't go to your meet. I would have hit you with my purse. Not all of Dave's music is political. In fact, a lot of it is serene. And if one doesn't like his song entitled '#41' or 'Crush' they are made of stone...