On stage in London on Monday [03-10-03], Dixie Chick Natalie Maines told her audience "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."
Pressed for an explanation, she later said "There is nothing more frightening than the notion of going to war with Iraq." Well, yeah, if a proposed action elicits the subjective personal emotional reaction of fear from a Dixie Chick, then we shouldn't do it. Indeed, we should be ashamed that we have a president who would frighten a poor defenseless little Dixie Chick.
What a dumb, whim worshipping fool. Why don't you just hide your ignorant bitch ass under the bed and let the guys take care of defending the country. Or perhaps instead we should just wait here like sitting ducks for some Arab fanatics to come kill the rest of us at their leisure, since military action gives this girl the heebie jeebies.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - David
It was very nice of Natalie to express her thoughts while oversees in a crowd full of people who hate the U.S. anyway. I hope her english fans can keep their record sales up. Maybe she should just move to England like Madonna to be near her new fans who love her remarks. I take great pleasure in realizing that ol' Natalie probably couldn't find Iraq on a map. Ever watch these shows like "Who wants to be a millionaire" or "Weakest Link", the dumbest contestants are usually the ones shown during celebrity segments.
While I respect Natalie's right to express her opinion I also respect the rights of her fans to not buy her music and boycott stations that play her songs. Too bad the other two Chicks have to suffer with her remarks. Also it is very interesting to see that Miss Natalie is so proud to voice her opinion that now that she is catching hell for her remarks and fans across the country are beginning to boycott their music, she now apologizes and says that you should respect whoever is in the office of president, funny how losing potentially millions of dollars for a stupid remark causes you to ask for foregiveness.
2 - Mark Saleski
funny how it was ok, during the 8 years of Clinton, to call him every name in the book.
...but for some reason our current president is beyond reproach. and negative commentary is not tolerated.
ok, it's not funny.
3 - The Theory
but it is interesting.
and I shall uphold the standard by NOT making fun of Clinton.
mwahaha.
peace.
4 - Sgt
I support her right to make whatever comments she chooses, that is why I and thousands more like me go to work everyday in the US military. However, how can you claim to be a proud American and bad-mouth the country and its ELECTED leaders in another nation? One question to Ms Natalie....did you vote? If the answer is no, please shut the hell up! Another thing if you are not going to support your troops, how dare you try to make money in singing about a Vietnam vet because I'm sure anyone who has served this wonderful country would much rather have someone like Charlie Daniels sing about us! You should thank your lucky stars you are an American because if you pulled this shit in poor little defenseless Iraq, you would be killed....still support them?
5 - randy
It is fascinating to watch Americans' reaction from outside the USA to Natalie Maines' comment. Perhaps she timed it poorly. But the scarier part of what she did is mentioned earlier: it was ok to lambaste Clinton for 8 years, but say something bad about Dubya, and the right-wing dominated US media are all over you. It's a dangerous time in the USA - differing views are not tolerated like they once were. The consequences of this could be horrific if the USA isn't careful. Bush's mantra, "If you're not with us, you're against us", is illogical at the best of time. Is he right to go into Iraq in a few hours, and destroy lives? Well, it's kinda moot, isn't it, 'cause there he goes...
6 - Gwuen
The difference is that there was not a pending war with another nation during the Clinton administration. During a time like this you are suppose to rally together and stand as one, not poke fun at your leader. I am not a huge Bush fan, nor was I a huge Clinton fan either, but regardless I would not be making negative statements about my country's President (no matter if it was peace or war time) while in another part of the world. It is not very patriotic.
7 - cindy
why didn't she make that comment in the U.S. in
the South ? WHY did she wait till she was in
LONDON?
8 - samantha
I just bought another Dixie Chick CD!
9 - Kitten
It's funny to see that you yell and scream about someone say anything bad about your president. When if there wasn't a threat you would all be complaining about how he is putting your economy into a downward spiral.
10 - Mark
It is OK to make fun of Clinton! Just a couple of reminders: Didn't inhale, wife made 100K overnight just like everyone else, BJ's in the Oval office, and what is "is." He is the most duplicitous guy we have had fun with in a century! And yes, the DIxie Chicks, and the rest of the over-privleged Hollywood/music crowd can shut up, a lot of people with a lot less are doing a lot more for this country.
11 - HellSpawn
Well, I'm not a Dixie Chicks fan, but I think I just became one.
It's ok to lampoon Clinton for his creative use of cigar..(hey..is there a grammy for that? If so..he deserves one)
It's ok to lampoon bush for his idiotic and bigoted "you're either with us or against us" stance, and *gasp* run all you right wingers..run "they [Hussein's regime] don't believe in god. Not as we do." While that may be true, that's no reason to start a war. Ever heard of crusades? Or holy Jihads?
And our good president didn't have nuthin' to do with Enron, nosiree bob. Crush saddam, crush saddam. He's the axis of evil. Nevermind the economy. Crush saddam. War's good for the economy. Crush saddam.
Oh, yeah, and while you're at it,arrest anyone who's of Arab descent. Arrest people for readind deviant literature. Institute secret courts to issue secret warrants, so suspected terrorists and other deviants can be held indefinately. Crush saddam. Excuse me, boy, go get my hood and sheet pressed like a good lil sambo. Crush saddam.
Defending Americans isn't just about having bigger bombs to play who-has-the-bigger-phallus. It's about defending OUR Freedom to express our views, even when they disagree with the administration.
Now go cruise around in your pickup, swill some beer, lynch a nigger, shoot some roadsigns, beat your wife, and get to the yeehawin'
12 - Steve L
Well, she certainly put her money where her mouth is. Sorry.... You Lose. I'll spend my dollars on some other artist. Too bad you have blemished your two partners.
13 - Rusty
George W Bush wasnt even elected , his brother stole it for him in Florida.
If I was from Texas, I would be ashamed too. Bush is a total dumbass
14 - Darla
Natalie---I'm a BIG C & W fan, but of Dixie Chicks no more. I stand behind the right of free speech, but don't shoot off your mouth in another counrty! We have the right of free speech because we live in the USA, our soldiers have fought for us to give us that right. Whether you like the president of our country we elected or not, he does represent the United States of America and should be treated with respect. We all have opinions, but let's keep those opinions to ourselves. Small minds. And...as far as Clinton goes, he got caught. Whatever.....! Since 9-11, I've seen and heard alot of people right here in the USA piss on their own country---what's the matter with you all!!! If you don't like the way the country is ran----try living someplace else, like Iraq for instance!
15 - Sareena
So we should respect Bush because he's a draft dodging, coke-snorting alcoholic with deep ties to Enron but it's okay to make comments about Clinton because he got head? At least my stock portfolio looked fine and I wasn't laid off during the Clinton years. Now my phones are probably tapped thanks to PATRIOT ACT II....Thanks for the "freedom"
16 - Rebekah P
I hope you all will read your comments as to just how ignorant they sound. Who went overseas when Clinton was president and blasted him publicly? I rest my case.
The Dixie Chicks showed total disregard for our government and an absolute lack of class. It is fine for them to exercise their freedom of speech, but when you are a visitor in a foreign country, you are first and foremost, a representative of the United States of America, and should act accordingly, regardless of your freedoms. I know I am not the only one who took Citizenship classes in grade school, am I? They are entitled to their opinions, as we all are, but to blurt out a bashing statement in the middle of a concert on foreign soil is absolutely uncalled for. America bashing has no place hiding behind FREEDOM OF SPEECH. And the apology? Too little, too late, in my opinion.
Bye, bye, Birdies.
17 - Wolfgang
It does not matter if war was on or not. typical liberal personal attacks must not stand. An appology that was dictated by their/her public relations firm, after a poor first attemt, does not do it. Let us all sacrifies for our country and let's not support such behavior anylonger. If they think they can piss on our pariotisum, and call it free speech, than we have every right not to buy and have to listen to their musik, boycot any station and not perchas any goods from advertisers that do in any way support musik or film artists that rub the nation the wrong way. The silent mojority must express the economic power we have and fight back where it hurts the people the most: their pocket book and their social exceptance. Let's take action and put our anger where our mouth is and keep listening to and watch patriots who represent and have our values. Let's not forget, we are the 2/3 of the base and should get our way!!!
18 - Ken
I think I'm going to go out and buy the Dixie Chicks' new album just to show my support for Natalie Maines. If you can't support this lady's right to free speech then maybe you should immigrate to Iraq where there is no free speech.
And for the record:
-I support our men and women in the US armed forces.
-I didn’t want war without UN support but I hope we win and Saddam dies.
-I don’t like country music except for Jonnie Cash.
19 - Ashley
You're so right... Even if you're ashamed that your President is killing innocent people on your behalf you should really just keep it quiet in the name of patriotism. Look what happened to Sergei Duvanov in Kazakhstan.
20 - Freedom's Voice
"Since when have we Americans been expected to bow submissively to authority and speak with awe and reverence to those who represent us? The constitutional theory is that we the people are the sovereigns--the state and federal officials only our agents. We who have the final word can speak softly or angirly. We can seek to challenge and annoy, as we need not stay docile and quiet." --Hon. William O. Douglas, 1972
21 - Stef
I thought America was land of the free? Since when is saying your opinion a crime? Oh, and since when did George Bush become king of the world and decided to "liberate" Iraq. Where was the US to intervene in the genocide that Milosovich was doing. Oh wait, Milosovich didn't have oil, my bad. It's amazing to see the US only goes to war when it has something to gain. I never really liked the Dixie Chicks, but Natalie Maines said what was on her mind, and don't crap on her head for it, isn't the US based on freedom of speech.
22 - steve
what are they going to do with guy on the oscar's that really let Bush have it!i think i would like Bush better if he was the one on the frontline over there.
23 - Susan Skrabanek
"ignorant bitch ass".....wow, that's really clever. While you were thinking of pathetic insults like that one (probably took you all night), it might have escaped your notice that having this war will in fact INCREASE the number of "Arab fanatics to come kill the rest of us at their leisure". War will have no impact on that reality other than to make it worse. If we really wanted to stop terrorism, we'd go for the pocketbooks and hard. Killing people just tends to really piss off their family and friends, and makes retribution all that much sweeter. We ought to know that by now.....
24 - Michael
Thanks for all the comments, folks. Very enlightening. I never owned a Dixie Chick album. Now I have a complete set. As an American, I not only support someone's right to have an opinion, I'll support them with my wallet while all the anti-democracy herd-followers berate them in the name of "patriotism" just because they stepped out of line.
Everybody I know will get a Dixie Chicks CD for their birthday this year.
25 - vivid
1. I think it is ironic that the three people at the healm of the country are Dick, Bush, and Colon. Therefore everything that happens to the US under their leadership is no better than the products of these bodily organs.
2. I would say the same thing as Natalie, in London, in China, in the middle of the US capitol and on stage in a backwater bar in the middle of any uneducated Texas redneckville.
3. President Bush wasn't elected by the people of the united states, he had his family play the electoral college system to his favor and even then only won by the skin of his teeth. Therefore he deserves no respect, and no consideration.
4. My ancestors signed the constitution and provided lodging to George Washington himself, and this is no longer the country they worked and died for. Bush and the Anti-terrorism act have completely bastardized any genuine freedom we had left.
5. Under the leadership of W, we have gone through the worst economic slump in total GDP (that means gross domestic product for the ignorant rednecks) since the great depression, a terrorist attack that destroyed a national landmark, and a center for global peace, killed 3000+ people on our soil, and all evidence pionts to the administration allowing it to happen, and now we are loosing sons and daughters, 50 so far as of the 4th day of the war, to fight for oil, when we produce more oil than any other nation in the world.
6. Investigations into misconduct by the administration regarding forged documents submitted to the UN are currently underway. The CIA is pointing the finger at the Bush administration and the Administrations dirty finger is pointing back at them.
7. Anyone with the ability to view the world as the large scale organization that it really is can see that Bush's "I'm Gonna do everything the way Clinton wouldn't" policies, refering to foregin affairs, would know that by not communicating and colaborating with the leaders of foreign government, we are biting the hands that feed us.
8. Durring the first Gulf war, the reason we pulled out was because Sadam was on a plane ready to leave, which would have left us to run Iraq, and that wasnt' the point then.
9. Bush Sr never planned on not being re-elected and this is just a continuation of what he would have done had that happened, thus the dirty deeds to get JR elected.
And finally
10. We are the worlds largest economy, we use over 50% of the worlds resources, and we are approximately 4% of their population. Without a positive leader, who is respected by the leaders of the rest of the world, our entire way of life can not support itself, and will be destroyed.
Now, do you still think Natalie Mains is stupid for saying she is ashamed of the president?