The Dixie Chicks

[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?

[wendybeth]

Maybe the style of responses that makes it different, Scaeagles. I don't go around calling Toby Keith a murderer and traitor, and I don't wish to harm his career. It just seems like (generally speaking) the conservative response is rather harsher than warranted.

[katiesue]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

Maybe the style of responses that makes it different, Scaeagles. I don't go around calling Toby Keith a murderer and traitor, and I don't wish to harm his career. It just seems like (generally speaking) the conservative response is rather harsher than warranted.

Well put.

[Alex]

There is definitely a difference between saying "I disagree with your view so I won't give you any money" and "you shouldn't talk about politics at a concert."

The former is something I wouldn't do but I suppose has some defense. The latter will just quickly reveal the speaker as a hypocrite as they've simply ignored it all the times politics was brought up at a concert but they agreed with it.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

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.

But I've never heard any artist proclaim that they are the end all authority on anything or that they expect to be taken more seriously than a non-artist. They are just expressing their views.

When you post, I don't think "Oh, Leo thinks he is a self -appointed authority on everything. Man, he sure is full of himself". I am able to recognize the fact that you are expressing your opinion. I see no need to attach all the other preconceptions. So, why is it, when someone is an artist, they are only expected to express their opinions in their songs and nowhere else?

I think these labels only surface when one disagrees with the opinion of the person they are labeling. If you were to hear an artist say, "I support the war and this president in all that they do", would you honestly consider them to be a self-important, grandstanding, self appointed authority?

And as far as them sticking to their particular medium, why should their opinions be stifled in another platform, whether it be talking to a crowd or doing an interview? Why are they somehow out of bounds? Chances are, if they wrote a song about how they feel about the war, they are going to have the same opinion in other forums. Should you only express your political views in the area of computer programming but not on a message board? Does that make you self-important?

In my opinion, no it does not.

[Alex]

And if it is ok to speak politically when it meshes with the outlook of the audience it seems safe to say that an anti-Bush message probably played pretty well to a UK audience.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Motorboat Cruiser

But I've never heard any artist proclaim that they are the end all authority on anything or that they expect to be taken more seriously than a non-artist. They are just expressing their views.

When you post, I don't think "Oh, Leo thinks he is a self -appointed authority on everything. Man, he sure is full of himself".

Should you only express your political views in the area of computer programming but not on a message board? Does that make you self-important?

I suppose it depends on presentation. Are you going to tell me that Alec Baldwin, Sean Penn, Madonna, Barbara Streisand, blah, blah, blah, don't consider themselves to be far superior in intelligence than anyone else?

Many people here probably think I am full of myself. But this is a forum for debate and discussion. Many of these celebrities don't wish to be challanged or to debate or to have to defend positions. Criticism of them and/or their view is always uncalled for. While I am opinionated, I want to discuss and hear what you think. I don't think I'm smarter than any other poster here. NA being the exception that makes the rule.

Edited to add: I feel like I'm being pulled down a road that I'm not intending to go down. If someone wants to express themselves politically at a concert, fine. I just don't really want to hear it. Like I said before, I wouldn't want to go hear a performance of Tchaikovsky's 6th where the conductor stops the performace to tell me he doesn't like a minimum wage increase. It's OK that performers/artists do. It's also OK that fans don't want to hear it and therefore boycott silently, as I do, or shout about i from the rooftops, trying to rally others to their cause. This is all I'm saying.

[Alex]

Interesting, you only listed celebrities who have spoken out on the liberal side of issues.

No Charlton Heston, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dennis Miller, Tom Selleck, or Larry Miller.

No, I doubt they think they are smarter than everyone else. They just think they are right. We are all allowed to argue for the causes we believe in and promote them to the best of our abilities. Just because they happen to be in a position where more people are interested (rightly or wrongly) in listening isn't an argument that they should shut up.