In 2003, I was one of a group of music executives in the country music industry who were appalled at the punishment the broadcast industry handed to the Dixie Chicks for their pure political speech. We formed an organization called MUSIC ROW DEMOCRATS. Our group grew to include 1500 executives, songwriters, managers, agents and artists in the country music community in Nashville, TN.
Our mission statement called for us to defend the first amendment rights of our members, and to help dispel the notion that country music was the exclusive playground of Republicans. Today, two of our premier super-stars, Tim McGraw and his wife Faith Hill, held a press conference announcing the launch of their new Soul2Soul II tour. In that press conference they were asked their opinion regarding the relief and rebuilding efforts in New Orleans and along the gulf coast. (Tim is a native of Louisiana, Faith of Mississippi). Here is a sample of their comments:
The country music artists -- who are natives of the storm ravaged states -- were at times close to tears, and clearly angry when the subject of Katrina came up during a news conference today. They had met with reporters in Nashville to promote their upcoming Soul2Soul II Tour, but when asked about the hurricane cleanup, the stars pulled no punches.
"To me, there's a lot of politics being played and a lot of people trying to put people in bad positions in order to further their agendas," McGraw, a 38-year-old native of Delhi, La., told ABC News Radio.
"When you have people dying because they're poor and black or poor and white, or because of whatever they are -- if that's a number on a political scale -- then that is the most wrong thing. That erases everything that's great about our country."
McGraw specifically criticized President Bush. "There's no reason why someone can't go down there who's supposed to be the leader of the free world ... and say, 'I'm giving you a job to do and I'm not leaving here until it's done. And you're held accountable, and you're held accountable, and you're held accountable.
You can check out the whole article at
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/...
Unfortunately AOL took the editorially irresponsible route by simply asking the question in the headline "Have they gone `Dixie Chicks'?"
We ask you to join us in applauding Tim and Faith for forthrightly USING THEIR VOICE to speak out about an issue that they care about. Living in this small community for many years, I happen to know that Tim and Faith are both thoughtful, informed and engaged people. Hopefully they will not suffer the same sort of repercussions that the Dixie Chicks did. Please help us watch their back and push back if you see any hint of the attack dogs going after them. Show your support in online polls etc.
Forgive me for asking you to recomend this diary, but lets nip another potential Dixie Chicks situation in the bud.