Shut Up and Sing is a documentary opening this Friday in wide release. Of course, I don't expect it to come to my neck of the woods, but I do hope I get the chance to see it.
It's release has me thinking again about the entire situation and the disgusting display of hatred towards someone who *gasp* had an opinion. It is amazing to me the limited opinions people have on this subject. People I've talked with either hate them and demonize them for speaking out against a president and a war (which now, three years later, it's perfectly acceptable to criticize); or they think the Chicks should have known better because their audience is predominanly convervative and therefore they should have just kept their mouths shut.
Known better???? Seriously???
People really think that the issue is weather or not people buy their records? The Dixie Chicks don't seem to think so. Nor do they seem to care and good for them! Money or popularity or success pales in comparison to what the American public seems to be asking them to give up, their fundamental right to speak out and have an opinion.
Not only is it our right to speak out against our own goverment, it's our responsibility to do so when lives are at stake and we see this goverment is acting irresponsibly. That is precisely why the 1st ammendment to our Constitution was written.
And look what we've done with it.
The point here is not that it's wrong to disgree or disapprove of what they said or even that what they said may have merit, but it is wrong to systematically work to take them down, to send them death threats, to essentially work to prevent them or anyone else who might speak out with a dissenting opinon from feeling free to do so.
Twelve little words - and look what they did in return.
Natalie Maines may be ashamed the President is from Texas, but I am ashamed to share the moniker of "American cititizen" with people who actually have the gall to say "Freedom of speech is fine as long as you don't do it in public."
11.06.2006
Freedom of speech is fine as long as you don't do it in public.
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In the words of Trace Adkins, "Freedom of speech protects you from the government, not from me".
Everyone, liberal and conservative have the right to say what they wish, within the law...and everyone else has the right to react the way they wish within the law.
Some people don't like what the Dixie Chicks said.
Some people don't like how groups of people reacted.
Oh well. You can't protect one and not the other.
"Everyone" has consequences to their speech and their actions. Has nothing to do with Freedom of Speech. The government did nothing to them. It was citizens that don't like what they said and decided to protest them....we have to protect their right to do that as well.
You can't pick and choose whose rights you want to stand up for.
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