Lipton responds to Dixie Chicks furor...

Corporate e-mail in response to my complaint. | March 27, 2003 | WorkingClassFilth

[WorkingClassFilth]

Dear Consumer,

Thank you for your recent note regarding remarks made by Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks. It is important for us to hear from our consumers and listen to their concerns.

As you can imagine, we did not expect a political controversy to arise when Lipton became a sponsor of the Dixie Chicks upcoming "Top of the World" concert tour. In this time of national crisis, we believe it is important for Americans to come together behind the values of freedom, democracy and tolerance that have made the United States of America into the country it is today.

We have every reason to believe the Dixie Chicks sincerely regret the distress Ms. Maine's comment has caused. In a subsequent statement, she said, "As a concerned American citizen, I apologize to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect. We are currently in Europe and witnessing a huge anti-American sentiment as a result of the perceived rush to war. While war may remain a viable option, as a mother, I just want to see every possible alternative exhausted before children and American soldiers' lives are lost. I love my country. I am a proud American."

The Dixie Chicks have in the past shown their love of America in very public ways, such as by singing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl in January, for an audience of 930 million people worldwide. The strong bond they have forged with the public - country and popular music fans alike - is reflected in part by the People's Choice award they won for "Favorite Musical Group," and the fact that their upcoming tour sold out in record time. The band's popularity and success were further recognized when the Recording Academy awarded the Dixie Chicks four Grammy Awards.

While we respect the right to free speech for all Americans, we believe it is important for artists such as the Dixie Chicks to recognize the impact their points of view can have on their fans, especially in these uncertain times.

We value your comments, and equally, the constructive spirit in which they were offered. Thanks again for your time and for allowing us to clarify the situation. We'll be certain to share your thoughts with the Dixie Chicks.

Sincerely,

Linnea Johnson Director, Consumer Services

[mommadooo3]

Well, time for Lipton to do a Kmart.

While they do the 'k-mart thang', they need to 'remember'... Smith & Wesson, rosie o'cownell, etc.

Her 'apology' is nothing more than a pc lie. 'Utmost respect' is a heart thing, a way of living and believing and treating others. If your heart has 'utmost respect' or just PLAIN respect, it prevents your MOUTH from saying OTHERWISE. ANY form of respect causes one to 'bite their tongue' before they say anything against someone they TRULY respect.

At least, that's the way it WAS for us 'old-timers'.

[JavaJumpy]

Yup, I was wondering that myself....

[WorkingClassFilth]

That is the way it is for everyone - and always was. This tripe about being 'sincere' and 'sorry' and the 'lapses in judgement' are all a part of the legacy of the left. Anyone recall Marion Barry and his run for the Washington DC Mayor slot again after he was caught smoking crack with the ho's? His campaign strength? He had learned from his mistakes and was a better man for them. Krinton took note and elevated treason and every other dispicable act to an artform with the same kind of duplicitous lying.

It won't stop until somebody stops it, because the liars have no interest in stopping what they are doing to us.

[Hildy]

I agree with you. I just thing that at this point Lipton is between a rock and hard place. Corporate Sponsorship these days just isn't putting a sign up. They guarantee the Dixie Chicks a certain amount of money, and they THEY get the sales of tickets. To pull out now would be a terrible financial decision which would effect their business enormously, not to mention probably a huge lawsuit that the Dixie Chicks would win. I hope that Corporations will think differently about who they hire as their spokespeople from here on in.

[BADROTOFINGER]

If you like Earl Grey, Safeway's 'Select' brand is actually pretty good. I drink it hot and make it iced too. About as good as Stash, and considerably better (believe it or not) than the imported Twinnings...JFK

[WorkingClassFilth]

Your words:

It's the soldier not the reporter who gives you the freedom of the press.
It's the soldier not the poet who gives you the freedom of speech.
It's the soldier not the campus organizer who allows you to demonstrate.
It's the soldier who salutes the flag, serves the flag, whose coffin is draped with the flag that allows the protester to burn the flag!!!

I can't help but contrast these ideas and the thoughts of those kids we have sent overseas to defend our freedoms. When I hear the blithe rubbish silly women like the DC's mouth-off, I wonder what they would be like if they were watching friends and family being lowered into acid vats or industrial shredders? What would they say if they were 19 years old and dying from wounds in a far off land to stop more of the terror that came to our country on 911? What would they feel if they were on the 100th floor of the WTC and had to make a choice between jumping over 1,000 feet to their deaths or being burned alive?

Do you think they might sing their anthems with awe and respect for those who make their incredibly wealthy lifestyles possible?

I doubt it.

[MaggieMay]

I received the same letter from them. I emailed them back that after 9/11 going to foreign soil to condemn and slam President Bush went beyond the pale. Al Gore and Lipton believe the Dixie Chicks have a monetary entitlement coming from Americans. Lipton backed the wrong horse, it's time for them to cut their losses. Besides Lipton is forever going to be associated with the Dixie Chicks is they do not backout of this tour of shame. Remember birds of a feather flock togeather.

[WorkingClassFilth]

The point of all this is to help corporations make the right choices. Whatever the outcome, somebody will lose something. there is no win-win solution. Every step of the process to reshape society will have a cost. For me, in this, it is giving up Lipton tea and typing endless posts. For Lipton it is a kick in the debit column and a long-overdue wake-up call. For the DC's, I hope it is a quick road to nowhere and touring state fairs. For America, I hope it is partial restoration of our social fabric.

[BnBlFlag]

I bought Luzianne yesterday! To Hell with Lipton.

[YankeeReb]

Just a rhetorical question , If the Vichy Chix had made some anti-ReligionOfPeace comment, how quick do you think Lipton would go running for the tall grass?

[WorkingClassFilth]

Well, I'll give you a earnest opinion to your rhetorical question.

I think Lipton would shelve these ding-bats faster than socialist librarians stock your local library with 'Heather has Two Mommies.' You KNOW the double standard exists, but it is the conservative patriots that are forced to make their case. This is because much of the world's social structure is taken for granted to be anti-American. Furthermore, Lipton's global market is heavily entrenched in South Asia and anti-Moslem sentiments would NOT be tolerated.

But that's the point. She can say whatever the hell she feels and piss in our faces solely because the stupid cow was raised in nation of tolerance to the point of self-destruction in the face of foreign hostility. If she were raised in Iraq and had the same kind of flippant mouth, in addition to being a much thinner woman, she would have her insolence soundly beaten out of her. As it is, she is apparently too stupid to realize this.

If you want an insight into the kind of self-pitying, blind and narcissistic stupidity that this dolt actually believes, check out this 'woe-is-me' whine from the first page at her website:

---

"Sheryl Crow wore a white t-shirt emblazoned with "War Is Not The Answer" when she accepted her American Music Award in January. Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst was received with cheers when he said "This war has got to go away as soon as possible" during the Grammy telecast. But when Natalie Maines of the country music trio the Dixie Chicks said from a London stage that she was "ashamed" that President Bush was from Texas, the result was quite different.

No one is mad at Sheryl Crow. No one is burning Limp Bizkit posters. It appears that San Diego, Nashville and Dallas care not at all about the opinion of America's rock stars. But apparently country music and it's idols have a duty to be patriotic.

While rock music has it's roots in rebellion, country music comes from a storytelling tradition. Considered to be white Anglo-Celtic ethnic music, country was born in the southern Appalachians during the late 19th century; its role was to depict rural life stemmed from the fact that people there lived off the fruit of the land; America was feeding them.

While the northern part of the United States continued to industrialize during the early 20th century, the South remained agricultural and politically conservative. Country music then became a reflection of Southerners' desire to preserve their culture and core values: love your country, love God, love your family.

The easy argument to make is that country music fans are patriotic because they're uneducated, poor, white rednecks and hillbillies who don't know any better. This stereotype is justified for some, but not all.

Being patriotic is also an identity, a badge that country music devotees wear proudly. The more patriotic the better.

Sadly, those who shun the Dixie Chicks have become exactly what they say they are not: anti-American. By burning CDs and posters and throwing verbal stones at Maines, they are violating her most important right and the foundation of this country - her freedom of speech."

---

Yep, that's me. An uneducated, poor, white redneck who doesn't know any better than to believe in America, it's Constitution and the actions on behalf of all humanity that it is undertaking at this time.

Apparently she is unable to recognize that the difference between her and other celebrity fools is that her freight has been paid by people who actually care more about America than their next pipe full of crack.

She's wrong, though, about my desire to violate her free speech. She's free to stupidly spout off in whatever foolish manner she chooses. I am also free to say that she is an ignorant, spoiled brat that apparently failed to learn the basic lesson of respecting your betters, your elders and your benefactors.

How's that for an answer?

[Happy2BMe]

"I can't help but contrast these ideas and the thoughts of those kids we have sent overseas to defend our freedoms. When I hear the blithe rubbish silly women like the DC's mouth-off, I wonder what they would be like if they were watching friends and family being lowered into acid vats or industrial shredders? What would they say if they were 19 years old and dying from wounds in a far off land to stop more of the terror that came to our country on 911? What would they feel if they were on the 100th floor of the WTC and had to make a choice between jumping over 1,000 feet to their deaths or being burned alive?

Do you think they might sing their anthems with awe and respect for those who make their incredibly wealthy lifestyles possible?"

I doubt it.

WCF . . those were the words of a USMC Chaplian.

Your words were every bit as meaningful as his.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

OK, so out of that list, I only have to find substitutes for three items in my boycotting efforts!

These three:
Lipton Tea (which isn't gonna kill me 'cause I love Constant Comment a LOT better anyway ;-)
I Can't Believe Its Not Butter
Mentadent

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

BUY BIGELOW TEA - family-owned company based in CT

[griffin]

Dear Lipton;

You no dropa the peace-nic dixie chicks sponsorship, I no buya your products no more. Capeesh? Buh-bye.

[Grampa Dave]

Yes buy BUY BIGELOW TEA - family-owned company based in CT. We like it better than Liptons. Any company sponsoring the Dixie Chicks needs to be boycotted.

[NewsFlash]

I don't think Unilever/Lipton can afford the PR damage the Dixie Chicks anti-American remarks can bring down on them:

1,200 Unilever Products Up For Sale

Just to name a few Unilever Products:

Wisk, Sunlight, Snuggle, All, Surf, Ponds, Hellmans, Ragu, Shedds Country Crock, I can't Believe It's not Butter, Wish Bone Salad Dressing, Knorr, Bertolli, Skippy Peanut Butter, Sauve, Lawry's, Slim-Fast, Ben & Jerry's, Breyer's, Good Humor, Lever 2000, Caress, Dove, Degree, Vaseline Skin Care, Q-Tips, Mentadent, Finesse, Thermasilk, Calvin Klein, Nautica, Lagerfeld, Helene Curtis, Elizabeth Arden, Golden Griddle, Salon Selectives, Lux, Close-up, Life Buoy, Mazola Oil...............

[Whey]

Luzianne is better than Lipton ANY day. Lipton is bitter and most people buy it out of habit. I am a little sad that I can no longer use my Dove soap. I will however get over it.

Whey

[Whey]

Isn't Ozarka water a part of Unilever too?

Whey

[WorkingClassFilth]

This is a good article and a nice insight. Thanks for the post. I would agree that it looks like these guys are consolidating and their dogs are draining them, but then, I'm no business wonk so I don't really know. Still, selling off the pigs and sheep to do a better job with the chickens and cattle seems to be what is going on. Kick 'em where it hurts in their remaining operations and magnify the effect. Thanks again, NewsFlash.