Dixie Chicks Opinion

At the start of the War in Iraq, many people had different opinions on how much the United States of America should be involved. Some people had stronger opinions than others. The Dixie Chicks made a public comment in London against the actions of President George W. Bush that offended several Republican Americans. Their public statement was the biggest news story at the time, and their music was being boycotted by most all of the radio stations. The Dixie Chicks were wrong to express their feelings publicly although others feel differently.

The Dixie Chicks were playing a concert in London when Natalie Maines, the lead singer, made a remark about George W. Bush. She specifically said that “[she was] ashamed the President of the United States [was] from Texas” (qtd. in Parry, “Dixie”). Instead of getting applause and gratitude from her fans for the statement she made, the reaction was just the opposite. The nation was shocked. “Radio stations across the nation began to boycott their music” (Sullivan, screen 1). Maines “publicly apologized” for her disrespectful remark about the president and said that the president “should be treated with the utmost respect” (“Radio”). The Dixie Chicks were still haunted by the pro-Bush boycott three years later. During one tour, Maines received a threat that she would be shot dead at her show in Dallas (Parry, “Dixie”). After coming out with their next single, “Home,” the Dixie Chicks were welcomed back into the industry by winning a Grammy for Best Country Album (“Radio”).

After the concert in London, many Americans looked at the Dixie Chicks differently. Some were upset which led to the boycott of their music. Others, however, agreed with the statement one hundred percent. They felt that the statement was an

expression of the first amendment of the Constitution, Freedom of Speech (Parry, “Wpost”). Maines was quoted as she spoke out about the necessity for patriotism. She wanted to know, “why [one] has to be a patriot.” Maines did not understand why “people care about patriotism” (Sweeting, screen 1). The speech she made was her defense for the remark made in front of London. Many Americans felt that speaking out was always appropriate in any situation. What they did not understand was that,