And you agree with everyone else, right?
I wasn't going to say anything about this because I'm a little too worked up to present a solid or eloquent opinion. And I don't usually get into stuff like this in my journal. However, this just keeps swimming around in my head and I'm not going to get any work done today if I don't get it off my chest.
A Dallas radio station decided to let their listeners vote on whether or not they would play the Dixie Chicks latest release, Not Ready to Make Nice. The response was about what I expected: freedom of speech versus not supporting America/being a bad citizen. Personally, I call bullshit on the second one, but that's a whole other issue.
People threatened to quit listening to the radio station if they played the song. As passionate as people are about this, I'm sure they would. The radio station believed them, too. The vote came out 54% in favor of playing the song and 46% against it. To appease the 56%, they played the song once. Once. Way to take a stand. They said they didn't expect the vote to be so close and they don't want to offend almost half of their listeners. Well, that makes sense, because the other half who voted for the song are more reasonable and will continue to listen anyway.
I understand not wanting to support someone's career because you don't agree with their opinions, lifestyle, or politics. But to not listen to a radio station because of one group? Do these people really think they would agree with the opinions of every other artist played on that station? Do they not have a problem with the artists who were busted for drug possession, DWI, or indecent exposure? And I have a real problem with a radio station deciding not to play an artist's music because they made disparaging remarks about the President. Not playing a specific song because of a statement it makes or offensive lyrics is one thing, but to ban an artist entirely? That reeks of McCarthyism.
Now, I'm not a huge Dixie Chicks fan. I know some of their songs, but I don't own any of their CDs. Nor do I listen to this radio station that much. I also know that this is a very minor infraction on freedom of speech. There are certainly bigger and more important events happening in regard to this topic, but this is the rant I had to get out of my head today.
The Dixie Chicks' new CD won't be out until May 23rd, but the lyrics for Not Ready to Make Nice are on their website. I thought I would share them here.
Not Ready to Make Nice
Words and music by Emily Robison, Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Dan Wilson
Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting
I’m through with doubt
There’s nothing left for me to figure out
I’ve paid a price
And I’ll keep paying
I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should
I know you said
Can’t you just get over it
It turned my whole world around
And I kind of like it
I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don’t mind sayin’
It’s a sad sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they’d write me a letter
Sayin’ that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over
I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should
I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should
Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting
If you actually made it here, you deserve many cookies. Eat up and enjoy!
A Dallas radio station decided to let their listeners vote on whether or not they would play the Dixie Chicks latest release, Not Ready to Make Nice. The response was about what I expected: freedom of speech versus not supporting America/being a bad citizen. Personally, I call bullshit on the second one, but that's a whole other issue.
People threatened to quit listening to the radio station if they played the song. As passionate as people are about this, I'm sure they would. The radio station believed them, too. The vote came out 54% in favor of playing the song and 46% against it. To appease the 56%, they played the song once. Once. Way to take a stand. They said they didn't expect the vote to be so close and they don't want to offend almost half of their listeners. Well, that makes sense, because the other half who voted for the song are more reasonable and will continue to listen anyway.
I understand not wanting to support someone's career because you don't agree with their opinions, lifestyle, or politics. But to not listen to a radio station because of one group? Do these people really think they would agree with the opinions of every other artist played on that station? Do they not have a problem with the artists who were busted for drug possession, DWI, or indecent exposure? And I have a real problem with a radio station deciding not to play an artist's music because they made disparaging remarks about the President. Not playing a specific song because of a statement it makes or offensive lyrics is one thing, but to ban an artist entirely? That reeks of McCarthyism.
Now, I'm not a huge Dixie Chicks fan. I know some of their songs, but I don't own any of their CDs. Nor do I listen to this radio station that much. I also know that this is a very minor infraction on freedom of speech. There are certainly bigger and more important events happening in regard to this topic, but this is the rant I had to get out of my head today.
The Dixie Chicks' new CD won't be out until May 23rd, but the lyrics for Not Ready to Make Nice are on their website. I thought I would share them here.
Not Ready to Make Nice
Words and music by Emily Robison, Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Dan Wilson
Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting
I’m through with doubt
There’s nothing left for me to figure out
I’ve paid a price
And I’ll keep paying
I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should
I know you said
Can’t you just get over it
It turned my whole world around
And I kind of like it
I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don’t mind sayin’
It’s a sad sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they’d write me a letter
Sayin’ that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over
I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should
I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should
Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting
If you actually made it here, you deserve many cookies. Eat up and enjoy!