Dixie Defenders
of a Ditzie Democracy
by Wayne Lutz
October 22, 2003
I haven't read the book yet I'm embarrassed to say, but just
the title of Laura Ingram's latest, "Shut Up and Sing,"
immediately brings the Dixie Chicks to this censorious, right-wing,
reactionary mind. These girls are their own worst enemy, they
are, and they would do themselves (and all of us) a world
of good if they would just shut up and sing. But no
such luck...the Chicks are jawin' again.
I'm a one-man "chill wind," I know, blowing a dark
and dastardly fog of fascist censorship across this great
land by daring to suggest that the Dixie Chicks don't have
the right to flap their gums.
I'm suggesting no such thing, of course, nor is anyone else.
One of the wonderful things about this country of ours is
the freedom that her citizens have to make fools of themselves.
If Americans were anywhere near as "intolerant"
of "dissent" as the leftists make us out to be,
Al Franken would have vanished into a re-education camp years
ago, and the New York Times would be a one-page tract issued
from some secret underground printing press. As it is, the
Chicks keep blubbering, and they do it in front of a much
larger audience than that which most idiots enjoy - an unavoidable
side effect of celebrity.
The part of all this that the Chicks and other malcontents
just don't get is that their freedom to spout is the
same freedom that allows those who disagree with their bleatings
to express that disagreement - with their free voices, and
in the case of someone with a product or service to sell,
with their wallets. It's a simple concept, really. Quintessentially
American - not at all hard to understand.
Not hard to understand, that is, unless you happen to be
a spoiled, pouting Chick from Dixie. Or a Hollyweird actor
who suddenly finds himself a liability to movie producers.
Or an organization with a leftist, anti-American agenda -
an organization like, oh, I don't know...the People for the
American Way.
The response of the American public in general and the American
consumer in particular to the Dixie Chicks was entirely predictable,
if any one of them had just taken a moment to think
before spouting off. The Chicks' audience are country music
fans, for crying out loud. It would be hard to imagine
a class of folks who could be better characterized as no-nonsense
patriots. Actions have consequences, and the consequence of
making anti-Bush remarks on foreign soil is outrage from a
pro-Bush public. This is not rocket science.
But rather than accepting the consequences of their actions
like a grownup might, the Chicks seek solace in victimhood.
It's much easier (and more cowardly) to portray one's self
as the target of fascist "censorship" than it is
to simply stand up for one's beliefs (misguided though they
may be) and take the hits as they come. Now, aiding the Chicks
in their attempt to paint their blunders as something noble
is the grossly misnamed People for the American Way.
People for the American Way is a radically leftist organization
hiding ineffectually behind a pro-American name. On October
14 that organization hosted "The Spirit of Liberty Awards"
in Los Angeles, and presented the Dixie Chicks with a "Defenders
of Democracy" award. (Another honoree was Ben Affleck,
and presenters included Paul Begala, Norman Lear, Harrison
Ford and Bill Maher. 'nough said.) In the other-dimensional
world of leftist whiners, the rending of garments and gnashing
of teeth over the predictable negative response to
anti-American sentiment is an inherent "defense"
of democracy.
In a further illustration of the Chicks' inability to comprehend
the minds of their own audience, rather than distance themselves
from an organization whose members wouldn't last two minutes
in Toby Keith's Bar, they instead trumpet the "award"
on the front page of their website:
"The Dixie Chicks were awarded the Defenders of Democracy
award by the People for the American Way. Way to go Chicks!"
"Way to go," indeed. Way for country music stars
to go straight into the unemployment line.
Which is just where the Chicks are headed, it seems, unless...unless
maybe they can kiss the country scene goodbye and reinvent
themselves as...rock stars?
The October 28 issue of "Country
Weekly" tells the sordid tale. It seems that Chick
Martie Maguire gave an interview to a German newspaper (what
is it with these people and foreign media?) in which she said
that the Dixie Chicks now consider themselves "part of
the rock 'n' roll family." Makes perfect sense to me.
If you disaffect your audience, why, just claim a new (and
more liberal) audience! Problem solved!
Or not. Natalie claims that something was lost in the translation.
In fact, she says that what was reported were "things
[Martie] absolutely did not say in any shape, form or fashion."
Well that takes all the fun out of it. (And I'm in no position
to verify or refute that claim, since I haven't seen the original
German text of the interview - which is a shame since I'm
fluent in German and could get to the bottom of it quickly.)
No matter, the Chicks were so upset over the report that
they dispelled any question of their mouthiness by making
fools of themselves on their own website, in a long and huffy
statement
from Natalie. (Natalie was even infantile enough to post
a copy
of the letter in German, so that "if you don't
like what I really said you can just translate it into what
suits your agenda." )
In the shape of petulance, form of pique and fashion of snotty
sarcasm, Natalie says that the Chicks don't intend to suddenly
turn in to a rock band. Besides, says the injured Chick, they
can't "leave" country music, because they've already
been kicked out.
"How can you leave a party now when the hosts had
shown you to the door six months ago?"
Now, Natalie. How can you blame the host for showing you
to the door when you've just hurled all over his guests?
The Chicks' mouthointestinal problems aren't showing signs
of improvement, either. Natalie managed to work a couple more
slaps at the Bush administration into her tantrum, and even
added a shot at Arnold Schwarzenegger, just in case there
was still a country mustic fan out there somewhere whom she
hadn't yet alienated.
As the "Country
Weekly" article points out, regardless of the public's
perception of the Chicks - country, rock or rap, "that
may not be as important as radio's reaction to this latest
round of mouthing off. Country stations - and their corporate
owners - could decide they've had enough of the Chick's chirping.
And if country stations back away - again - from the group's
music, it could effectively spell the end of the Chicks' run
on radio."
"So whether Martie did or didn't say the group is
'leaving country,' that scenario could, indeed, be the outcome."
Somehow I don't think the Chicks will be missed if they move
from Country country to Rock world. They'll undoubtedly be
made to feel right at home in the land of pierced navels and
exposed thongs.
On the other hand, I wonder if anyone's asked Ted Nugent
how he feels about these new neighbors?
©
2003 Tocqevillian Magazine
