“I Don’t See Why People Care About Patriotism.”
Says Natalie Maines, lead singer for the Dixie Chicks in an interview in the Telegraph.
With their origins as bouffant-haired ingénues playing bluegrass music long forgotten, the Chicks are in Miami to attend a Sony BMG conference, where their new album, Taking the Long Way, is high on the corporate agenda. It's their first release since the group weathered the storm of outrage triggered by Maines's expression of shame that President Bush was from her home state of Texas. Although they've sold 30 million albums, the company was concerned about their commercial future.
When Maines made her comment on March 10 2003, 10 days before Operation Iraqi Freedom unleashed "shock and awe" over Baghdad, the Dixie Chicks were probably the biggest act in country music. Yet within days, their music vanished from the charts and the airwaves, apoplectic rednecks crushed piles of their CDs with tractors, and the FBI was feverishly monitoring death threats against the trio. It was the most heinous pop-star outrage since Ozzy Osbourne urinated on the Alamo.
….
The Chicks can't hide their disgust at the lack of support they received from other country performers. "A lot of artists cashed in on being against what we said or what we stood for because that was promoting their career, which was a horrible thing to do," says Robison.
"A lot of pandering started going on, and you'd see soldiers and the American flag in every video. It became a sickening display of ultra-patriotism."
"The entire country may disagree with me, but I don't understand the necessity for patriotism," Maines resumes, through gritted teeth. "Why do you have to be a patriot? About what? This land is our land? Why? You can like where you live and like your life, but as for loving the whole country… I don't see why people care about patriotism."
There can be no rational explanation of how Maines's remark came to drive a red-hot poker into America's divided soul, but it's only now that some of the poison has begun to dissipate.
My guess is she just injected a new dose of poison into the whole situation. And this whole interview sums up exactly why, "the company was concerned about their commercial future".
Oh, and you don't have to question her patriotism anymore. She has none.
UPDATE: Others suitably impressed: Bullwinkle Blog, Freedom Watch USA, California Conservative, Below The Beltway, Hillbilly White Trash, Q and O, The Real Ugly American, Tammy Bruce, Sister Toldjah, The American Mind, PrairiePundit, Anti-Idotarian Rottweiler, Cold Fury, Donkey Cons,
Other Links to this Post
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Flopping Aces » Blog Archive » Dixie Chicks Care Little For Patriotism — June 17, 2006 @ 11:28 am
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Reality and Sanity » Blog Archive » Clueless Chicks — June 17, 2006 @ 12:39 pm
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Blue Star Chronicles — June 18, 2006 @ 11:20 pm
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Ninth State » Dixie Chicks: Who Cares? — June 19, 2006 @ 7:59 am
By Black Jack, June 18, 2006 @ 11:25 am
Clearly, an advanced case of multiple BDS, complicated by megalomania, and hoof in mouth disease. These silly women seem incapable of seeing themselves as others see them, even after several “wake up” calls.
Their record company is right to be very “concerned about their commercial future” because the Dixie Chicks sure ain’t minding the store. Likely, the combine costs for their insane rants will total more than the Chicks can pay. I think it’s all going to come to a very sad end, indeed.
By jeff, June 20, 2006 @ 11:52 am
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No, the pandering being done, of the disingenuous type in this case, was when she made her original comment in front of a decidedly liberal audience on foreign soil. She didn't make the comment here because she knew what the reaction would be. The rational explanation for the united reaction against her original remark would be that most Americans love and would defend their country; a.k.a.- patriotism. I think it's time to deport this **** to some ******** where no one cares about patriotism, or the Baghdad Broads music, and see how quickly she looses the attitude and begs to come back. Please don't use that language or next time I delete. My kids can and do read this blog.