Dixie Chicks in the Frying Pan, but Free Speech Isn't

Capitalism Magazine ^ | March 25, 2003 | Wayne Dunn

[conservativecorner]

Summary: Dixie Chicks lead clucker Natalie Maines has fans wanting to kick her in the tail feathers. Cumulus Broadcasting is even banning the Chicks from all its 260 stations. Some have suggested, however, that the Cumulus decision violates Maines' First Amendment rights. "I thought one of our rights as Americans was to speak our minds," one Tennessean lamented.

[CAPITALISM MAGAZINE.COM]

Dixie Chicks lead clucker Natalie Maines has fans wanting to kick her in the tail feathers. Cumulus Broadcasting is even banning the Chicks from all its 260 stations. Some have suggested, however, that the Cumulus decision violates Maines' First Amendment rights. "I thought one of our rights as Americans was to speak our minds," one Tennessean lamented.

Well, Maines spoke her mind. And still can. The Chick is free to cackle anything she wishes. Her First Amendment rights are as robust now as they were when she flogged Bush in front of that London audience.

Though Maines' little nugget may have sweetened fans there, it soured many back home. Most think she laid a big goose egg and are ready to fry her for it--by requesting radio stations either pluck the Chicks or lose listeners.

So exactly whose rights are violated by this? No one's.

Free speech is not a free ticket to other people's resources. My freedom to express my opinion in this piece doesn't obligate anyone to publish it. The First Amendment simply prohibits congress from outlawing my writing it or anyone else from printing it. In other words, the First Amendment guarantees you the freedom to say what you please; it doesn't guarantee you a platform on which to say it or an audience that'll pay for it.

Station owners choosing--for whatever reasons, rational or irrational-- not to air someone's music or views doesn't trample anyone's rights. To the contrary, it's an instance of the owners exercising their rights to their own property.

Just as individuals each have the right to express their opinions, so too do individuals each have the right not to abet those with opinions they disapprove of.

What if it wasn't like that though? What if the right to free speech meant, as some seem to believe it does in fact mean, being forced to support speech with which you disagree?

Well, it would imply, for example, that if Bush supporters disrupted a Dixie Chicks concert by singing the National Anthem or whatever, that ejecting the disrupters from the premises would violate their First Amendment rights. It would mean that if I showed up on a war-protester's doorstep and began lecturing him on why the war in Iraq is good, that throwing me off his property might land him in jail for thwarting my free speech. It would even mean that if someone randomly plopped a manuscript in your lap and demanded you publish it, not doing so would legally justify his crying, "How dare you infringe my freedom of speech!"

Under that false notion of free speech, note whose actual rights get trampled. Note how a "right" that imposes obligations on others demolishes real rights.

Natalie Maines apologized for her comments --the Chicks are tired of getting pecked and want back in the hen house. And if fans want to forgive her, that's their prerogative. If radio stations don't play them, that's their business. But a proper understanding of free speech will help keep us all out of the frying pan.

Wayne Dunn writes about political and cultural events from an Objectivist perspective. Visit his web site at wwwrationalview.com.

[camle]

chuck the fixie dicks.

[MattinNJ]

Their first mistake was taking on Toby Keith. Then they took on GW. Short fat and stupid is no way to go through life.

[camle]

ought to put Maines with Moore. be like two soccer balls...

[Focault's Pendulum]

Free speech is not a free ticket to other people's resources. My freedom to express my opinion in this piece doesn't obligate anyone to publish it. The First Amendment simply prohibits congress from outlawing my writing it or anyone else from printing it. In other words, the First Amendment guarantees you the freedom to say what you please; it doesn't guarantee you a platform on which to say it or an audience that'll pay for it.

Some people in this country need to be reminded of this....over and over and over, again.

[Destructor]

Personally, I hope the Dixie Chicks break up, and Natalie Maines fades into obscurity. I'd like to see Ms. Maines reduced to being just another Liberal with an opinion.

[JFC]

Freep them. Natalie has opended her gurst book back up after editing many of them and then closing it for several days. She needs to learn to shut up and fly away.

http://nataliemaines.com/index2.html

[cardinal4]

Do you have any links to Lipton, their corporate sponsor?

[chiefqc]

She's still short, fat and stupid.

[sticker]

Yes,Natalie you stupid slut you have the right to say what you want to. BUT, people have the right to say what they think of you. This includes not wanting to listen to you on the radio or by not buying your "music".

[lsee]

Some have suggested, however, that the Cumulus decision violates Maines' First Amendment rights.

ROFLOL!!!!! (sniff, giggle) Thanks, I needed a good laugh!

[legman]

"I thought one of our rights as Americans was to speak our minds," one Tennessean lamented.

In the words of Steve Martin, "Excuuuuuse me!"

I thought that's what the stations and fans were doing -- exercising their rights to free speech.

[Delta 21]

Tastes like chicken........

[em2vn]

One has the right speak, not the right to be heard. It is a privilege to be heard or read. I choose to not extend that privilege to that group, dare I say it, from Texas. May they soon be far from Texas. How about the people's republic of Denver,Colorado for their new home?

[unixfox]

"I thought one of our rights as Americans was to speak our minds,"

You can speak your mind, just don't yell fire in a crowded theater.

[MaggieMay]

Are they back from their overseas tour? If so did the Iraq Ambassador greet them at the airport with a autographed picture request from their Baghdad Daddy,Saddam?

[Cincinatus]

No kidding. I seem to recall a very similar discussion over the recent cancellation of Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect. He whined that he too was being "censored." Nope -- just market forces at work.

[CyberAnt]

This is such an important point ... the Dixie Chicks are still able to say anything they want ... but that doesn't mean we have to listen. We have just as much right to NOT listen to their tripe, as they do to say it.

They think because of Free Speech, that I'm obligated to listen to them - I'm not! I can also NOT attend concerts, I can also NOT attend movies, I can also NOT buy their CD's, or DVD's. Free Speech must work both ways, or it's not free speech.

[spirit_free]

This message cannot be emphasized enough ... over and over if need be.

There are three chicks here. One just has a bigger mouth and fewer brain cells than the other two. These three were also in the middle of a PETA campaign. So, are these girls really country? I think not and it seems ever so painfully clear the chicks have no values that are important to this country and the everyday people who make this all work. They have no respect for our service people, or our President. They will never receive, now or ever, any support from me. Let them go back to Europe or the Middle East and rot.