In My Opinion: Chicks Rule!
Fearless Dixie Chicks are no fairweather activists
Blog by Star!Expert, Monday, April 03, 2006
In my opinion the Dixie Chicks are the only band with balls. Now I wouldn’t have said that three years ago, but my opinion was forever changed on March 10th, 2003 when singer Natalie Maines announced to a British concert audience that “we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas”.
The Dixie Chicks are also from Texas, but this was 10 days before the United States was scheduled to go to war with Iraq and support for the invasion was very high. Once word filtered back to the States about Natalie’s remarks all hell broke loose. Records were banned, death threats were made and fan support seemed to dry up. Where was the liberal support? Who would come to the girls’ defence?
Refusing to back down, The Chicks were the lone source of reason until it became apparent that the war in Iraq was going horribly wrong and then, suddenly, everyone wanted to be their friend. Madonna spoke out on behalf of the band, although that’s kind of like Larry Flynt supporting Michael Moore. When it became safe to do so, artists and bands started releasing anti-war songs and albums -Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Barbra Streisand (?) all had their say but only after the approval rating for the war started to plummet. Way to go out on a limb guys!
And through it all the girls stood firm, resolute in their conviction that the power of music can bring about change, that protest is only protest when you’re in the minority – otherwise it’s called a sing-along. And now they’re back with their first set of songs since the “statement”, and if you think they’ve softened you just have to listen to the first single called “Not Ready To Make Nice”. In it they are unapologetic and proclaim that they’re “mad as hell, can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should”, and that “it’s a sad sad story when a mother will teach her daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger”.
It is indeed a sad sad story when a trio of girls from Lubbock, Texas are the only ones strong enough to speak the truth. Chicks do indeed Rule!!!
|
 |
|
