Eagles and Dixie Chicks

[sodascouts]

It WAS a brilliant career choice (although I don't think that's what motivated her). They got tons of ink - magazine covers, interviews, etc. Yeah, there was a crazy or two who sent a threatening letter, but hey, that's nothing compared to the publicity they garnered.

I do admit that I think there was a bit of an overreaction. It's not as if she was pulling a Jane Fonda, hopping on anti-aircraft weapons pointed at American soldiers (although to be fair Jane Fonda has apologized for that massive blunder)! I think most of the anger came not from the fact that she spoke her mind - tons of musicians diss Bush - but that she was doing it in order to get cheers from a foreign crowd. That kind of thing leaves a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths.

[Maleah]

I totally agree with that. I don't think it was so much WHAT she said......but where she said it and some rotten timing during which she said it.

[Perfect Little Sister]

I think the U.S. Constitution guarantees us freedom of speech, and no one should be subjected to death threats just for stating their opinion.

I'm going to have to disagree with you here Dreamer. The Constitution guarantees us freedom of speech, HOWEVER, this comment was not made in the United States of America ergo the U.S. Constitution does not apply! We have these freedoms in our country. We do not have our own freedoms in other countries. That is what I had a problem with. Not the fact that she made disparaging remarks, but that she made them on foreign soil.
The death threats are inexcusable! I am in total agreement with you on that one!

[Maleah]

Absolutely.......death threats are inexcusable no matter WHAT the situation.

[Freypower]

I think the U.S. Constitution guarantees us freedom of speech, and no one should be subjected to death threats just for stating their opinion.

I'm going to have to disagree with you here Dreamer. The Constitution guarantees us freedom of speech, HOWEVER, this comment was not made in the United States of America ergo the U.S. Constitution does not apply! We have these freedoms in our country. We do not have our own freedoms in other countries. That is what I had a problem with. Not the fact that she made disparaging remarks, but that she made them on foreign soil.
The death threats are inexcusable! I am in total agreement with you on that one!

I don't understand why Americans should not be able to disagree with their government outside the United States. Are you all supposed to be utterly pro-American, right or wrong, when you are on 'foreign soil' as you put it? I understand patriotism but surely 'foreigners' don't all go around believing that everybody in the U.S. is totally pro-government. Surely that is what democracy is about. You have the right to express your opinion no matter where you are. If I leave Australia and I want to tell someone overseas how much I dislike the Howard Government, I will do it.

NB: I have no intention of offending any of my American friends which is one reason I have stayed out of this topic, but perhaps because I am not American this is something I don't understand.

[Perfect Little Sister]

I find it arrogant, FP, for Americans to assume that everyone, everywhere should be aware of and respect our Constitution. It governs our behavior in our country. If an officer from Singapore was here and saw a person spit gum on the sidewalk he would not have the right to cane that person. It is his right to do so in his country. Not in any other country. One should not assume that the world shares or respects one's beliefs. When Ms. Maines made her comment everyone screamed "First Amendment" but it didn't apply in this case. That was my point. My comment, oddly enough, was directed more at the arrogance of Americas.

[Freypower]

I guess I don't understand where the Constitution comes in when someone was expressing their democratic right to an opinion. I don't see how it matters that she didn't say it in the United States.

[Perfect Little Sister]

The "democratic right to an opinion" and the right to express it is not universal. It is protected in the U.S. by the First Amendment to the Constitution. Personally, I don't go to concerts to listen to political rants. I go there to hear music. If I want to hear political commentary, I go to a debate or rally. I went to see Sammy Hagar a few years back and he had a mini day on the green type thing where there were other bands playing. One of the other bands' (I don't even remember which) lead singer started going off about politics. It took a good hour after he left the stage for the crowd to get back into the rocking good time mood it had been in before he went off. He had the right to say what he wanted. He also infringed on the rights of 10,000 people to have a good time. Which they had paid good money for, I might add. Now perhaps it's the kind of music I listen to, but ranting and raving wrecks the good vibe. Maybe punk or grunge or something is suited to that negative vibe commentary. I don't know. Just a little common courtesy would be nice. Just because someone is pissed off about something doesn't mean they have to bring everyone down to their level of negativity. What's the old saying? "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy". I don't find her comment "wrong". I just feel it was done in the wrong manner. And, to answer your question regarding her right to say it, that is a matter of opinion. In this country, we believe that to be yes. Not every country believes that. This is a grey area, as is every political issue. I believe people should be free to speak their mind. I believe in the U.S. Constitution. I don't think everyone, everywhere has to share my beliefs nor should they have my beliefs forced upon them. Excuse my while I push my soap box back into my closet. (it's not often I drag that darn thing out)

[Ive always been a dreamer]

I stand by what I said even though PLS makes a valid point here. Whenever you travel abroad you are subject to laws of the country you travel to and not your own countries laws. However, having said that, Americans who travel abroad to developed nations expect that their basic rights will be protected and that is part of the reason we have embassies located in other nations.

In this case, the Dixie Chicks were Americans in a foreign country with a free speech society, and they did not break any laws. If they had gone into a country and broke one of their laws, then they would certainly be subject to the penalties under the laws of that country. This was a simply a matter of Americans exercising freedom of speech in a free speech society. The persecution the Dixie Chicks experienced did not come from the citizens of a foreign country. It came from other Americans here in this country. IMO, Americans should never deny other Americans this right either in the letter or in the spirit of the law.

[sodascouts]

Well, regardless of the lack of applicability of the US Constitution abroad and the cultural differences between definitions of democracy and how one exercises it, I think it all comes down to whether or not it was the right thing to do. Since that matter is subjective, there's not much more one can say.

As for politics at concerts... that's a whole 'nother debate and it would probably be best to start a new topic for it in the off-topic forum if we want to hold it in earnest.

But back to the original topic... I didn't get any announcement about whatever it is that the Dixie Chicks and the Eagles are doing together!