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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | shawn campbell <thursdayinjune@yahoo.com> |
| Subject | Re: artists and protest (was dixie chicks axis of evil blah blah) |
| Date | Mon, 24 Mar 2003 19:53:34 -0800 (PST) |
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Frankly, I am more than pleased when artists have
strong political convictions and are willing to voice
them -- even moreso when they are working in
traditionally conservative genres like the Dixie
Chicks and Mary Chapin Carpenter in country music (I
was VERY sad that Natalie Maines apologized for her
remarks). Much as conservatives celebrate actress
Patricia Heaton for being a "pro-life" conservative
amidst the liberal voices of Hollywood, I congratulate
the female country stars who are willing to stand up
for their beliefs. I'm just sorry that conservatives
cannot understand that dissent is one of the things
that makes America great. "The land of the FREE,"
anyone? And whether you like to admit it or not, when
a person chooses to express him- or herself, and then
his or her livlihood is threatened because of his or
her expression of that belief, that IS a form of
censorship. It would be one thing if all the Dixie
Chicks' songs dissed the GOP and Bush and his
henchman, and demanded paid maternity leave and health
care for all and all those evil, nasty things
conservatives hate. But they don't. They sing about
love and heartbreak and...fiddles? -- I don't know.
Their lyrics are not political, it seems, so the
expression of their personal opinions outside their
albums should not result in people who were really
digging the countrified "Landslide" yesterday crushing
CDs with a bulldozer today! I think Woody Allen is
pretty gross for hooking up with a woman who he raised
as a daughter, but I still love 'Manhattan.'
Anyway, as I was saying, call me crazy, but I much
prefer Bono agitating for third world debt relief and
more money for AIDS prevention to Fred Durst cruising
around with porn stars in his limo. Are stars always
the best informed? Certainly not. Are AMERICANS
always the best informed? Um...NO! Artists like the
Beastie Boys, Billy Bragg, U2, and yes, maybe even the
Dixie Chicks, may be able to make people who never
pick up a newspaper at least somewhat aware of the
issues of the world -- and I think that is a noble
thing.
But that's probably because I'm a commie traitor bill
of rights supporter, eh?
god save america.
--Shawn
P.S. This is a power pop-appropriate post because the
new Mull Historical Society record, 'Us,' is
brilliant. Chiming, orchestral, Scottish pop. Yum.
Good for commie traitor Amerikans and all the rest of
you too!
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