No It's Not Over: Radio DJs Suspended for Playing Dixie Chicks
Published May 06, 2003
With their concert tour off to a rousing start a few days ago, it appeared the Dixie Chicks' nightmare was about over. But no, the controversy just won't go gently into that goodnight: two DJ's were suspended from country station KKCS in Colorado Springs for playing the Chicks:
- "We pulled their music two months ago, and it's been a difficult decision because how can you ignore the hottest group in country music," station manager Jerry Grant said.
He said there has been discussion about whether to reinstate the music, but the DJs, Dave Moore and Jeff Singer, became impatient.
"They made it very clear that they support wholeheartedly the president of the United States. They support wholeheartedly the troops, the military. But they also support the right of free speech," Grant said.
The station has received a couple of hundred calls and 75 percent favored playing the music.
Grand said Moore and Singer will be out for a couple of days.
"I gave them an alternative: stop it now and they'll be on suspension, or they can continue playing them and when they come out of the studio they won't have a job." [AP]
- The station plans to play the group's music again eventually. "Most stations are starting to play them again anyhow a song here, a song there. I just have a problem with the way this was done. We would have put them in anyhow. But we'd like to do it on our terms," he said.
- No It's Not Over: Radio DJs Suspended for Playing Dixie Chicks
- Published: May 06, 2003
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- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Culture: Media, Music: Country and Americana, Music: News
- Writer: Eric Olsen
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Comments on this articleComments
You said "it is people like George Bush that give the Dixe Chicks the right to freedom of speech." I say that a freedom only exists when exercised. That they spoke and now people want to "ban" them means that they weren't truly free to speak, were they?
A boycott is one thing, a ban is another. When a radio station or network of stations chooses not to air the songs they are simply exercising poor or good judgement, depending on whether or not you agree. When you say "ban the dixie chicks," you are suggesting something more, something entirely antithetical to the very freedom you fought for and claim to defend.
To protest a war or a President is not un-American. To protest the principle of free speech is. Please be careful that you don't find yourself on the wrong side of the "anti-American" argument because you're emotionally disturbed by someone's choice of words. Speech is only free when we tolerate those who choose to say thinks we don't like to hear.
Much respect is owed you for fighting for your country. Nobody is questioning your patriotism or your honor. But American is free and strong today because people make hard and unpopular decisions to keep it that way, and in this case the right thing to do is to let the Dixie Chicks and anybody else who wants to demonstrate their ignorance do so, without a "ban".
Emotional arguments are just that - emotional. I don't want to live in a country where freedoms are dictated by whoever can tell the most touching story.
Tony, I support the war 100%, and I respect your sacrifice - and your son's - fully. But I also want Americans to be able to speak their minds without fear of losing their livelihoods, which is what this case amounts to. I spoke out against the original statement, but that doesn't mean I want to see them banned from radio stations, their CDs steamrolled and the like. The punishment - in this case being told they are fools - should match the crime. We don't give the death penalty for jaywalking.
If you'll allow me a slight detour from the discussion of whether the Dixie Chicks should be banned or not, I would like to point out something. What is interesting about this is that one of the things no one discusses about the Dixie Chicks and their comments is the amount of restraint that country artists are expected to show. Because country has a more middle-class, family-centered audience than other music types, such as rock, which caters more towards college students, and younger people, they are held to different standards of behavior. In a concert shortly after this all began, Eddy Vedder took a Bush mask and impaled it on a mic, yet he lost no popularity because people's responses were, " oh, that's just how rock stars are." If a country star were to trash a hotel room, they would shock people (ie. "how dare they?"), while a rock star doing the same thing would get the response of, again, "that's just the way rock stars act." Just a thought or two on why the public reacted so voriciously to the Dixie Chicks
Tony Clark: Are you f@#king kidding me?
George Bush doesn't give people the right to freedom of speech. That would be our Constitution, the supreme law of our land. Apparently your son is fighting in Iraq not for WMDs (that don't exist) or for a (failing) "democracy", but so that George W. Bush can become King.
George W. Bush took away the right to speech (free or your version) of 2327 Americans when he sent them to needlessly die in Iraq.
I recommend a book by a man named George Orwell called 1984. You will like it. It describes the world you want to live in.
You are certainly not a hero, sir, if you would surrender liberties that real heroes fought and died for. Liberties like the right to say you are embarrassed to be from the same state as a warmongering president.
The Dixie Chicks get what they deserve.
You run your mouth against US policy and take what you get.
Saw the interview on 60 Minutes.......did nothing except re-enforce what they had already said. And then to compose a song such as that......
see ya and not on itunes either lol
And by the way why is there no "contact us" link on their "official website"???????????
Are they afraid of what we really think???
You liberals need to put your political ambitions behind you and look at the target audience.......need I say more???????
if you are upset with what the chicks have said then you are unamerican. they did not say anything wrong. and what they said has nothing to do with their music. I am a vietnam vet. and feel I have every right to speack out on this. if you can't see whats happening you are narrow minded and uninformed. so wake up and funnel your unfounded anger to something more constructive.
Tony... I SALUTE YOU!! If you are a Marine...SEMPER FI!! I also agree that The Dixie Chicks shouldn't be banned. From what I can tell the original statement from Natalie Maines wasn't anything horrible and Bush's reply was common sense. People get crazy over this crap...
I assume we are all aware that this story is from three years ago?
I may disagree with our pres at times but I don't do it on foreigen soil. I put the Dixie Chicks in the same cat as I do Hanoi Jane. Extent the war, give our enemies a reason to fight longer and kill our son's & dauthers. This is not a personal attack, this is a reality check. Join Hanoi Jane and kill our childern, or shut up and play your music. I for one will never purchase a Dixie Chick tape ever. Personal attack? No just FACT
Yeah way to go man dissent is treason, blind obedience is patriotic! I went to VietNam too, twice got lucky and didn't get hit. I'm with the chicks I'd be embarrassed to say I was from Texas too, given the Chickenhawk userper in the White House. Never mind any of that, all hail our fearless leader who held up an Aircraft Carrier's return from a WestPac so he could grandstand and tell fresh fibs!
James Ketola
[Edited]
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Im A veitnam vet,I was in the special forces of army div 33rd birgd.I was hit with a motor round.It caused me to have motor function problems along with slight relearning process.Im not a hero but I recived a purple heart,silver star,bronze star,medal of valor.I truly know what fredom is.I think that the americans should stand together and ban the dixe chicks!President Bush has made some great choices,stopping terroism.My son is in iraq right now and I pray for him.But it is people like George Bush that give the Dixe Chicks the right to freedom of speech.I and my son Did what This country asked.I dont regret on minute of it.Ask the Dixe Chicks if they ever seen a man with a bullet in his back get up and still want to help a vietnam little boy so he would get hit by gunfire.that what Jimmy Logan did right in frint of me,He later died.Guess what he was from Texas.