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Why take it out on Lipton. They had no idea what would happen. They have millions and millions invested in this. Why should Lipton and their employees suffer because of a stupid girl. It's not like it was in their contract to say anti-American things overseas. Let the people make their decision whether or not they want to go to the concert. If we don't let people make the decision, then it is a form of blacklisting, and I don't go for it. The good that will come from this is that in the future, Corporations will write a hush clause into performer's contracts. And that will be a good thing.

"Why take it out on Lipton. They had no idea what would happen."

I agree that Lipton never signed a pact with the devil to affront Americans when they took on the DC's. The issue is that with the DC's as their paid advertising image, their corporation is now connected, for better or worse, to the remarks and actions of a fairly anti-American group of Lefty nitwits.

The result is that they have, indeed, made a choice by continuing to use these people for their business benefit. That is called a bad business decision. If they decided to invest millions in marketing a brand of tea that was flavored with pond-scum and people rejected it, they would pull back, stop their losses and redirect their efforts.

The same can be said for this arrangement.

The market choices we make are legitimate tools and, in fact, they could increase their market share by appealing to the same segement they are courting right now with the DC's. That is, expanding the sale of tea with Country-Western singers from America they seem to be after a segment that might be considered more traditional than, oh say, a segment that listens to grunge and heavy metal. If they were to dump the DC's and take the hit, I believe that segment would respond by showing allegiance to a corporation that:

A) Showed cajones to take a hit for principle.
B) Showed respect for the armies of freedom (let's not forget Thomas Lipton's early start under the protection of the British Colonial Army in Asia and South Asia).
C) Showed the backbone to take spoiled brats in hand and deal with them in a fashion that reinforced respect.

In my world, these principle put into practice are reason alone to support a business with my dollars. Likewise, trashing these principles will forever lose my market share.

Market boycott is a far cry from blacklisting and, BTW, those who did the blacklisting were Hollywood people themselves. In adition, much of what HUAAC did and stood for was right on the money then as we know from the archives of the Soviet Union.

Let people make their choices - I just believe it is valid to persuade consumers and producers alike of the negatives of choices like the Dixie Chicks.