**pretty good article**
Dixie Chicks get more than they bargained for
The United States' impending war with Iraq has caused many celebrities to speak out for and against the war. As a result, Americans are responding to these comments in ways that are causing some celebrities to change their tunes.
Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines has drawn criticism for recent comments. Photo from dixiechicks.com
Last week Dixie Chicks member Natalie Maines, proclaimed, ?Just so you know, we?re ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas,? to a crowd of concertgoers in London.
Since the comments were made, hundreds of country music stations across the United States have banned the group?s music from their rotations. Even WZZK in Birmingham has removed the Chicks from their playlists.
This weekend Maines made a public apology saying, ?As a concerned American citizen, I apologize to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect. We are currently in Europe and witnessing a huge anti-American sentiment as a result of the perceived rush to war. While war may remain a viable option, as a mother, I just want to see every possible alternative exhausted before children and American soldiers? lives are lost. I love my country. I am a proud American.?
Her public apology has not been enough to sway a large percentage of the public to listen again or convince radio stations to begin playing their music again. An unscientific opinion poll on WZZK.com currently shows that 81 percent of listeners still think the Chicks? music should still be banned from the station, even after her apology.
Brian Driver at WZZK isn?t worried that the ban will have any negative effects on the station.
?Right now our listeners have responded and said that they do not want to hear the Dixie Chicks on WZZK, and we always want to satisfy our listeners,? Driver said. ?If anything, this situation should help our ratings, since we are doing what the majority of our listeners want.?
The public backlash has taken the form of protests, boycotts and even large ?smashings? of Dixie Chicks merchandise.
LAUNCH Media reports, ?In Bossier City, Louisiana, a 33,000-pound tractor was used to crush Dixie Chicks CDs and other items, according to The Associated Press. One radio station set a trashcan outside its office for disgruntled fans to toss their Dixie Chicks music.?
Maines? comments come in a time when many celebrities have chosen to speak out about the impending war with Iraq, which as of this moment seems unavoidable. Maines has joined the ranks of Janeane Garofolo, Sean Penn and Bruce Willis who have been outspoken, taking either side of the argument.
Adam Martin, a student at UAB, doesn?t think it is necessarily a bad thing when celebrities speak out about world issues.
Martin said, ?There are degrees to which it is okay to use stardom as a platform to spread awareness. If it weren't for Michael Jackson or Bono of U2, a lot of third world aid wouldn't exist. It's true that some celebrities will talk politics just because they'll get the recognition, but some of them really do care about the social, economic, and or political issues facing our nation and the world.?
Matt Stokes, a senior history and political science major at UA, has a different opinion.
?You should note that the Dixie Chicks have no understanding of foreign policy, just like most celebrities. If an opinion is uninformed, or blatantly ignores facts, then your opinion is worthless,? Stokes said. ?I'm sure if Natalie Maines heard about Saddam's rape camps or his weapons programs, she might change her mind.?
Raquella Hess, a student in New York City, doesn?t agree with a U.S. attack on Iraq, but believes that Americans should support the troops that will be fighting.
?It's all well and good that these celebs have opinions and political stances, but I don't think that any of them, including the Dixie Chicks, should be saying what they're saying. I am in no way pro war, but I realize that there are people over there fighting, whether it is because they truly want to or they have to, and I try to do my part and say nothing,? Hess said. ?It's terrible to say, but please, learn from Vietnam. I hate to think what they feel like over there, knowing that they have so little support from their peers.?
Whatever the public opinion, the Dixie Chicks might have suffered a career-hurting blow because of Maines? comments.
Dixie Chicks get more than they bargained for
The United States' impending war with Iraq has caused many celebrities to speak out for and against the war. As a result, Americans are responding to these comments in ways that are causing some celebrities to change their tunes.
Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines has drawn criticism for recent comments. Photo from dixiechicks.com
Last week Dixie Chicks member Natalie Maines, proclaimed, ?Just so you know, we?re ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas,? to a crowd of concertgoers in London.
Since the comments were made, hundreds of country music stations across the United States have banned the group?s music from their rotations. Even WZZK in Birmingham has removed the Chicks from their playlists.
This weekend Maines made a public apology saying, ?As a concerned American citizen, I apologize to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect. We are currently in Europe and witnessing a huge anti-American sentiment as a result of the perceived rush to war. While war may remain a viable option, as a mother, I just want to see every possible alternative exhausted before children and American soldiers? lives are lost. I love my country. I am a proud American.?
Her public apology has not been enough to sway a large percentage of the public to listen again or convince radio stations to begin playing their music again. An unscientific opinion poll on WZZK.com currently shows that 81 percent of listeners still think the Chicks? music should still be banned from the station, even after her apology.
Brian Driver at WZZK isn?t worried that the ban will have any negative effects on the station.
?Right now our listeners have responded and said that they do not want to hear the Dixie Chicks on WZZK, and we always want to satisfy our listeners,? Driver said. ?If anything, this situation should help our ratings, since we are doing what the majority of our listeners want.?
The public backlash has taken the form of protests, boycotts and even large ?smashings? of Dixie Chicks merchandise.
LAUNCH Media reports, ?In Bossier City, Louisiana, a 33,000-pound tractor was used to crush Dixie Chicks CDs and other items, according to The Associated Press. One radio station set a trashcan outside its office for disgruntled fans to toss their Dixie Chicks music.?
Maines? comments come in a time when many celebrities have chosen to speak out about the impending war with Iraq, which as of this moment seems unavoidable. Maines has joined the ranks of Janeane Garofolo, Sean Penn and Bruce Willis who have been outspoken, taking either side of the argument.
Adam Martin, a student at UAB, doesn?t think it is necessarily a bad thing when celebrities speak out about world issues.
Martin said, ?There are degrees to which it is okay to use stardom as a platform to spread awareness. If it weren't for Michael Jackson or Bono of U2, a lot of third world aid wouldn't exist. It's true that some celebrities will talk politics just because they'll get the recognition, but some of them really do care about the social, economic, and or political issues facing our nation and the world.?
Matt Stokes, a senior history and political science major at UA, has a different opinion.
?You should note that the Dixie Chicks have no understanding of foreign policy, just like most celebrities. If an opinion is uninformed, or blatantly ignores facts, then your opinion is worthless,? Stokes said. ?I'm sure if Natalie Maines heard about Saddam's rape camps or his weapons programs, she might change her mind.?
Raquella Hess, a student in New York City, doesn?t agree with a U.S. attack on Iraq, but believes that Americans should support the troops that will be fighting.
?It's all well and good that these celebs have opinions and political stances, but I don't think that any of them, including the Dixie Chicks, should be saying what they're saying. I am in no way pro war, but I realize that there are people over there fighting, whether it is because they truly want to or they have to, and I try to do my part and say nothing,? Hess said. ?It's terrible to say, but please, learn from Vietnam. I hate to think what they feel like over there, knowing that they have so little support from their peers.?
Whatever the public opinion, the Dixie Chicks might have suffered a career-hurting blow because of Maines? comments.
