Sunday, November 26, 2006

Shut Up & Sing

Today I saw Shut Up & Sing, a lively documentary that follows the Dixie Chicks from their controversial anti-war comment to the present day.

I'll admit it—I'm not a fan of country music. I've never bought a Dixie Chicks record. I probably couldn't name one of their albums if my life depended on it, but after watching this I almost want to just on principle.

A few months prior to the start of the war in Iraq, lead singer Natalie Maines said "We're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas" during a show in England. The London-based newspaper The Guardian printed the quote and soon the American right-wing group the Free Republic got a hold of it and led a national boycott of their music.

Ridiculous. And wildly hypocritical.

Here they are "defending" a war that is allegedly taking place to "liberate" a country so they can enjoy the same freedoms that we do, and these so-called patriots are denying the Dixie Chicks their freedom of speech (and freedom of security since Maines received death threats as a result of speaking her mind). It's also hypocritical because it hurt the business of the Dixie Chicks, a business which is ultimately stimulating the American economy when it does well.

It was refreshing to see Republican John McCain cracking down on the radio suits who originally ordered the boycott during congressional hearings, but it was nauseating watching these three lovely ladies see their career crumble before them because they acted like...Americans.

Every journalism teacher should show this film in class and every fan of the first amendment should buy a Dixie Chicks album. Just to show their patriotism.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wish I could see it. No theater around here will show it. Oh well, I guess I will just have to wait for the DVD.

Tassoula said...

Hi Jerry,

Keep your fingers crossed that it will expand to more theaters!

I see that they have an official My Space page now. You can access it here.

It may be worth it to let them know you're wanting to see it and what area you're from.

Best of luck - even if you have to wait for the DVD, it will be worth it.

chris morrell said...

..hi there ..like you i had no real interest in the "Dixie Chicks" before this ..and i agree that what happened to them is scandalous, and "the right" in the USA should be thouroughly ashamed...can they not see their open hypocracy, and denial of the true "Liberty" spirit of America?...i dont need to re-run the whole post 9/11,going up their own backside scenario to you, obviously,
but , surely a given for whoever takes over from Bush, is that they have to restore and rebuild the credibility of the USA...nothing less!...we've got a similar job to be done as Blair leaves..in some ways, "our lot" seem even more in denial , they've already "whitewashed over the whole Iraq disaster with a couple of skewed self-serving "Inquiries" ...most of us feel we have been duped and ignored.
Let's hope that the "Dixie Chicks" can at least get their career back...i heard about the film ,but as has already been noted, will probably have to wait for it on DVD... Cheers Chris M