Let freedom 'Sing' (FREE REPUBLIC CREDITED/CHARGED WITH DEMISE OF DITZY CHICKS)

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | November 12, 2006 | MARY HOULIHAN Staff Reporter

[Chi-townChief]

"The revolt against the Chicks is mostly credited to a right-wing Web site called the Free Republic, whose anonymous members, infuriated over Maines' comment, went on their blogs and riled people up. Before long, former fans smashed the band's CDs, country radio boycotted them and death threats were voiced. As record sales plummeted, the women were left wondering how to move forward without their solid fan base."

Kind of an odd view of FR but a little free PR never hurts.

[Revolting cat!]

(FREE REPUBLIC CREDITED/CHARGED WITH DEMISE OF DITZY CHICKS)

Can we cut a double CD and go on tour, then?

[MarkeyD]

I don't think FR had anything to do with it. Every Country station was dissing them and not playing the music. This reporterette is an idiot.

[AmericanMade1776]

I can live with that.

[Jewels1091]

how many people have their own blogs????

[billybudd]

Yeah, those damn freepers and bloggers sending death threats.

[zarf]

FR plays lights out!

[CheyennePress]

Isn't amusing how they're worried about the freedom of expression, when what indeed happened was exactly that?

It's as if they feel that anyone who is in the public sphere should be able to say anything with zero repercusions.

Well, that ain't happening. And frankly, if Tim McGraw or Toby Keith said what the Hicks said, I'd be willing to bet that either one would get the exact same reception. I sure as heck wouldn't buy their lot, anymore.

[Seruzawa]

Plenty of other people have had their careers damaged by their own big mouths. Remember Jimmy the Greek? Was it the evil conservatives who threw him off the air? No it was corporate media lefties... the true totalitarians of thought.

[cripplecreek]

I'm still blaming Metallica.

[Revolting cat!]

[reagan_fanatic]

Too much credit given to FR, but when it comes to the Dixie Chumps, I'd consider any role in their fall from grace a badge of honor.

[SIDENET]

"I think if we'd been a man in the country industry, we would have been like rebellious and just kind of a Merle Haggard of the time

Comparing themselves to Merle?

IN THEIR DREAMS!

[JSteff]

If we had that much power Congress would still be Republican.

[Vision Thing]

Kind of an odd view of FR but a little free PR never hurts.

They could've helped us even more by offering a link to FR, just like this: Free Republic.

I checked the article itself at the Sun Times website, but no such luck for us.

[maggief]

[Doc-Joe]

"The Simpsons" should be next on the hit list. I've watched "The Simpsons" since the Tracey Ullman days. I have never missed an episode. After tonight, however, that will change. Tonight's episode targeted the US Army. Near the beginning of the show, they showed two Army recruiters working in Springfield Mall, with no luck. One of them commented, "Even the dumbest people, in the dumbest town are too smart to join the Army."

@#%$ you, Matt Groening. The next person that tells me the left cares about the troops is getting his jaw wired shut. He is no different than any other lib. I recall after the 2004 election how the left's attitude towards our troops changed when the votes were tallied. Pre-election, they feigned a deep concern. Afterwards, the prevailing sentiment was, "F*** 'em. They get what they deserve." (I'm sure somebody here saved the DU posts.)

[MarkeyD]

They should blame Jimmy Carter. He was covering the whole thing closely.

[Vision Thing]

FR plays lights out!

LOL! Great graphic. But my only quibble with it: The guy throws a sneaky left hook. We here at FR only throw devastating right hooks.

[DrewsMum]

Hey, don't burst our bubble