Junto Boys

WASTING MORE TIME ON THE DIXIE CHICKS - Tom Stamper

I’m surprised that the Dixie Chicks continue to give interviews only to reiterate the same slogans. The Chicks / Diane Sawyer interview last night provided a Teddy Roosevelt quote fed to them by some publicist. It was obviously from the days that Taft was President and TR was angry that he had left office to hunt big game. The gist of the quote is that it is very American to criticize the President. Was that supposed to win us over?

Free speech is designed to let ideas compete in the marketplace. Their ideas lost among their audience and they see it as repression. Have they been jailed for their ideas? Have they lost their property? No! But better the Iraqis go to jail for their own ideas than George Bush show any resolve.

Instead of being repressed, the Chicks got a lesson about who listens to their music. It’s pretty obvious that have little in common with their audience. Instead of stepping back an examining that, they cried for an hour on TV last night about how they are misunderstood. But when Diane Sawyer played Michael Moore’s words at the Oscars referencing them, they glowed with pride and then offered some weak comment about how it didn’t do them any good.

After lecturing their audience about free speech they complained about people protesting them. Of course, the death threats they received were out of line, but they were perplexed as to why all isn’t forgotten. They were upset that people were smashing their Cds. Are they so vapid that they don’t recognize others rights to free speech?

No, like many simpletons, they want their ideas embraced because their heart was in the right place. I just don’t –sniff – sniff – tear – tear – want anyone to be hurt said Maines. We just wanted a peaceful solution to the conflict. But the Chicks didn’t offer a peaceful solution in their criticism; they just blamed Bush that he couldn’t invent one.

Bush was supposed employ plan B when the Dixie Chicks were angered. That plan where we send Saddam to his room without supper if he interferes with the weapons inspectors one more time. That really works with the Chicks’ kids. They haven’t raised a totalitarian despot yet. And of course, Natatlie Maines will still be available to sneak Saddam a plate after everyone else has gone to bed.

Of course it is everybody’s right to criticize the president. If you have education and substance behind your criticism it leads to a better discussion, but saying that you are ashamed that Bush is from Texas is just a personal attack to be popular in front of a foreign audience. They’ve argued the same opposition talking points about a rush-to-war, and everything else you’d expect from a Berkeley Grad Student or NPR reporter. The difference is that at least a Berkeley Grad Student and NPR reporter understands enough about politics to lend some history and knowledge to the subject.