I never could fault them for speaking their mind.
Nor can I but you also can't fault listeners and programmers from speaking their minds either. It cuts both ways but the DC apparently didn't like that part.
Yes though they may have found out the hard way that free speech has consequences—in other words, it can provoke more free speech from those who disagree (..or agree...) with you.
When the Chicks controversy erupted there was the expected
“oh, this is censorship! They have freedom of speech!” remarks. Censorship is when the government bans something.
This is the free market in action.
A radio station that puts on a conservative or liberal talk host gets the host’s opinions plus those of the callers.
When the ratings stink (as in liberal talk radio), the station has every right to can the host. Same with music.
If listeners object to content, the station can respond
by removing it. And if listeners wind up missing Chicks
songs, maybe they can tune to top 40 stations that may have
picked it up instead (they turned their back on country
radio/fans as it was).
Got an opinion? Great! But expect others to offer theirs
in response...
Neither could I. But ultimately they must be aware of the commercial consequences of doing so. They're in the business of making country music. People who listen to country music tend to be socially and politically conservative. Therefore, it behooves them not to alienate their audience if they wish to be commercially successful. They want the free speech without the consequences to their careers. Too bad, it don't work that way.
CC
From a free speech pov, no, but from a business perspective, yes. They were a business and their spokesperson acted in her own interests, not the interests of her company and its employees. I saw it as an incredibly selfish act, but one of the first things I learned about business is that it's not against the law to destroy your own business--you are just as free to fail as succeed.
Neither could I fault anyone for speaking their mind with their wallets or purses.
However, no one ASKED them for their opinion. And they chose an entirely inappropriate venue to give it. They forced it on people who had paid money to hear them perform, and in another country to boot.
True and thats why the radio station doesnt play them. The public is speaking their mind
“I never could fault them for speaking their mind”
Me neither. I just never buy their CD’s or listen to their music.
I couldn't either. But I hope no one will fault me for speaking my mind when I fault them for the content of what is in their tiny little anti-American minds. I hope no one will fault me for speaking up with my dollars. When a station I listen to plays the Dixie Chicks, I call them immediately, point out that I am not fond of that group, and that if it shows up even once or twice more I will delete their station from all my radios and never listen again. I also call their advertisers from the same segment and point out that they are paying for ads that associate them with a rather controversial position. We all exercise our free speech rights, freely. Fortunately, when we all speak freely, the Dixie Chicks lose. I've forgiven them and no longer hold a grudge, but I have not forgotten, and I never will. To me they are the moral equivalent of the nationalized "new" GM - dead to me because they are anti-American.
Not sure what you mean by that - obviously they have the right to speak their minds whenever and wherever they want, but that doesn't make it a good idea.