"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
-Theodore Roosevelt, Republican president
"don't let hard times make you a hard person..."
The whole country was founded on the right of the people to criticize their government without fear of reprisal. Somewhere along the way, the conservative republicans forgot that.
shareThe whole country was founded on the right of the people to criticize their government without fear of reprisal.
Without fear of reprisal from the government.
I think the backlash was ridiculous, but the fact remains that their First Amendment rights were not violated. People have a right not to buy their CDs if they don't like what the group stands for.
"I think the backlash was ridiculous, but the fact remains that their First Amendment rights were not violated. People have a right not to buy their CDs if they don't like what the group stands for."
Yes, they do have that right.However, they don't have the right to send them death threats, throw garbage on their front lawn, and make theirs and their relatives lives a living hell.Also, country radio stations banning their music IS CENSORESHIP!
However, they don't have the right to send them death threats, throw garbage on their front lawn, and make theirs and their relatives lives a living hell.
And nobody said they did. The discussion is whether their First Amendment rights were violated, and they were not, because the First Amendment (as all the articles in the Bill of Rights) is about rights that people can exercise free of retribution from the government.
Also, country radio stations banning their music IS CENSORESHIP!
"censorship" (no "e"), is about someone in authority deciding what can and cannot be published, played on the airwaves, performed, etc. And that clearly did not happen here. Their music was not banned. It remained legal to play Chicks music on the radio. Many radio stations chose not to because because if they did they would get DELUGED with complaints and lose listeners, and that was simply a business decision. That was certainly the case where I live. Again, this was not government action, it was people and businesses making their own decisions.
What would you do, FORCE stations to play their music? That's where the tyranny would come in.
You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi
while individual stations were certainly free to not play their music that wasn't really ever the concern.
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=11694
I couldn't have put it better.Thanks for posting.Checkout the book "Rednecks & Bluenecks: The politics of country music".It gives you even more detail into how rediculuos this all really is.
shareActually, the discussion is NOT whether their 1st Amendment rights were violated. The person who started this thread based in a quote about speaking out against the President. Someone else made a comment introducing 1st Amendment rights. Secondly, since this a message board attached to "Shut Up & Sing", it amazes me, agree with them or not, how ANYONE who has seen the movie has trouble understanding what the Dixie Chicks did or how they felt afterwards.
I didn't care for the comment when they made it. That said, I certainly, in the years since the comment, have a better understanding of where Maines' thoughts were and how she felt and what she was trying to do. I have ALWAYS fully supported her right (and those of everyone else) to say how they feel. I support the right of all the protesters and CD stompers to voice their opinion of the Dixie Chicks by their actions.
As far as country radio and corporate stations banning them from the airwaves, that becomes a much more difficult ship to navigate. Was it a business decision or a political one? There's no way to tell. But that's where MY free speech comes into play. I will always, until the day I'm dead or the day they quit recording, whichever comes first, support the Dixie Chicks and any project they pursue. They are talented musicians and for me, that's what is most important where they are concerned. On a patriotic level, I am impressed and inspired by them. Their willingness to stand up for what they believe is right and to suffer the consequences of those actions, whatever they might be. I dare say you would find many in this country who have the guts to do just that, especially when so much is on the line.