Grammy Kudos!!!!
Congrats to the Dixie Chicks who swept their Grammy nominations with wins last night, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Country Album, and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
What perfect vindication for a group who was shunned by a Country Music Industry that was wrapped up in catering to a culture of ignorance, ethnocentrism, and hate. I would be willing to bet that they start getting airplay again. . .After all, ethics are one thing, but as far as our culture goes, profit is something altogether different.
I am so glad that there are so many in our country who recognize that democracy and free speech are still values to hold on to, and for individuals like Natalie Maines who are willing to stick to their guns and hold to their values, even when it might be counter productive to their professional career. I think some good Karma paid off last night.
If you haven't had a chance to hear "Taking the Long Way", it is definitely worth the listen. Produced by Rick Rubin (of Beastie Boys, Run DMC, and Red Hot Chili Peppers fame), the album is a fantastic listen--well written and well produced. Not a Rock album, it has certainly become a favorite for this old Rock Dawg.
On a side note. . .it was good to see Sting and the boys back together again. Not my favorite Police song, but a good performance of it nonetheless.
posted by Thomas J. at 2/12/2007 08:47:00 AM
12 Comments:
I think that the Dixie Chicks are musically among the elite. Anyone who ears can tell that! I also agree that free speech is a good thing. HOWEVER... I DO NOT THINK that whe the Dixie Chicks (or at least one of them) said and did just before most of the country music world dismissed them. Free Speech does not entitle on to be rude, slanderous, or purposely hurtful to a person, group, culture or country. They deserve the Grammys that they got because they earned them- they are fine musicians. I still will never purchase another CD of theirs because I refuse to knowingly support their extreme judgement and what I consider to be biggetry.
man- there are some typos in that last post... sorry..., I was typing too fast I guess. oops.
Geez anonymous, Natalie Maines was right! While I don't particularly care what state he was from, but I know he is a disgrace as a President and an American! What we are doing in Iraq is wrong, plain and simple.
I don't think country radio, as a whole, will start playing the Chicks agian. About the only real country music played anymore is Alan Jackson and George Strait, oh, and Brad Paisley. "Country" radio wouldn't know country music if it came up and slapped them in the face! Country radio is a disgrace, not the Dixie Chicks.
I am a HUGE country music fan, but I don't listen to any country radio stations since they stopped playing country music. A twang, a steel guitar, and a fiddle does not equal country music; what is being played these days is pretty crappy pop music.
But, onto the Dixie Chicks, I am not a huge fan of theirs, never have been, probably never will be, but THEY ARE RIGHT! I just might have to buy every CD they ever make just to support free speech!
Geez Kimberly...I guess it is a good thing that this is America and everyone has the right to their own opinion.
I just find it very interesting that of all of the blogs I read from time to time, this one is the probably the least tolerant of those who think and speak differently from the writer, and claims to be completely sickened by judgementalism, and yet he supports one of the rudest, most judgemental things ever said in my opinion. I dont get that. it seems to me that Natalie found it easy to pull the "free speech" card to gain attention, and the writer of the blog finds it easy to support because it is exactly the same way that he believes.
Tolerance is a two way street.
I hope that the Chicks enjoy the royalties off of the CDs that you plan to buy (even though you don't like them musically) just to "support free speech." That makes little sense to me... but hey, if you have money to waste on things that you don't intend to use, that is up to you.
I think that I will support free speech by supporting our American values, traditions, and by standing up for what I believe in and learn to understand that not everyone will think, act, or say what I (or you) think that should say.
The Chicks are talented... no question in my mind about that. I just cant agree with Natalie... not necessarily because of what she said, but because of the manner and venue in which she said it, and the things that she did following the lash out.
In America we have the right to free speech... but NO ONE should ever be allowed to use that as an excuse to be nasty to another person. That is just wrong.
Natalie wasn't nasty, she was honest.
To each her own.
If a woman weighs 290 pounds is it okay to say.... "HEY FATTY.... GO ON A DIET.... YOU GROSS ME OUT?"
Honesty is not a permission slip for rudeness. RESPECT MUST FIND ITS WAY BACK INTO AMERICA!
I think that America should return to being respectable.
The War in Iraq is Criminal. . . a select few waged a war for profit. I personally can't imagine how ANYONE could NOT be ashamed of an administration who is guilty of that.
I agree. . Maines spoke the truth. .calling a nasty situation NASTY. I think there is a precedent, and if it is a crime to call tyranny tyranny, then our country shouldn't even exist.
I think that there should be MORE people who should ask the hard questions, rather than blindly calling laziness and complacency patriotism.
Bob Browne, the leader of the Greens political party in Australia, and a man that I admire greatly, wrote a chapter in his book about this matter. Being more left to the left, he is constantly accused of being 'rude, intolerant and inappropriate.'
The classic example of this was when George Bush visited the Australian Parliament. Browne heckled Bush from his legitimate parliamentary seat (place) in the house demanding asnwers on the US Iraq policy. It was condsidered by all the normal protocols of the house to be really bad and embarrassing behaviour. From memory I think he was removed by security.
Anyway, his take on all this, and on other acts of impoliteness is that there are just some issues where time just runs out for proper and respectful behaviour, and that you just have to cut through and get stuck in. I don't believe him to be an obnoxious character, and I think he is true to his view. He chooses his issues carefully.
I suppose I am saying that Iraq is a big issue. We have allowed our goverments time enough to sort through what they believed to be the correct policies. Many have used the correct protocols to put opossing ideas, well, maybe it is time to be just plain rude.
Regards
Leo
yeah, I personally think the whole "The Dixie Chicks should be respectful, rather than rude" is a straw man argument. . .
It doesn't get more impolite than invading and occupying another country illegally. I think that we can argue that any critique of manners and etiquette should start there.
3 questions...
1. If a woman weighs 290 pounds is it okay to say.... "HEY FATTY.... GO ON A DIET.... YOU GROSS ME OUT?"
2. If we view something as "criminal," immoral, or wrong in some other way, is it okay to react in any way that we see fit, even if it is just as immoral, wrong or criminal in someone else's eyes.
3. Are you suggesting that we return to the "eye for an eye" way of life?
so, basically, you are saying that all Americans should just sit with their hands folded and not speak out against what they believe to be WRONG done by our government?
Do you speak out against abortion? Our government has upheld Roe V. Wade for 30 years now. According to the rationale that you are using, it is not appropriate for someone to speak out against that.
This is backwards thinking. Plain and simple. Our nation is based upon the ability to speak out against what we feel is wrong with our culture and government. this is a system set in place by our founding fathers (who did THEIR share of lampooning and criticizing of THEIR sovereign leader.
I would expect, anonymous, that it is simply hip within your circle of friends, associates, and church members to bag on the Dixie chicks. I would be willing to bet that the radio stations you listen to bag on them every day. I say that, because i can't imagine how rational people with original thoughts can be so critical of artists who speak out against criminal behavior. The same conservative fundamentalist factions of our culture who are so viciously critical of people who speak out against the administration ("Oh, they are so rude"). Are the same people who think that their citizenship and religion gives them the right to discriminate, abuse, exclude, and exploit people from other cultures, nations, religions, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
It is about time that the upper-middle-class fundy MINIORITY in this country gets off it's high horse and admit that the world has NOT given them the right to dictate hopw the rest of the world should look, act, think, or believe.
1. If a woman weighs 290 pounds is it okay to say.... "HEY FATTY.... GO ON A DIET.... YOU GROSS ME OUT?"
Well, if you wish to be disrespectful and uncompassionate and un-Christian, that is your decision, but you will be judged based on what you say and how you treat others. Judged both by people, and more importantly, God. People don't matter so much, but God does. Of course, people do matter, remember Jesus said something about how we treat the least of his people.
2. If we view something as "criminal," immoral, or wrong in some other way, is it okay to react in any way that we see fit, even if it is just as immoral, wrong or criminal in someone else's eyes.
As long as we are following the laws of the land. And, the Dixie Chicks are the topic of discussion here, more specifically the comments made by Natalie Maines. Nothing she said, or did, is criminal, immoral, or wrong. However, I think she feels differently about President Bush.
3. Are you suggesting that we return to the "eye for an eye" way of life?
Well, I can't answer for Thomas, but I can't imagine he would ever want that.
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