Dixie Chicken Out

Laura's Weekly E-Blast | 17 March 03 | Laura Ingraham

[thetruckster]

" . . . but one cannot oppose an active war without harming the troops who are fighting it. The two are tightly tied together and cannot be separated."

Sort of like laws and the police. A good policeman will enforce a bad law. Like 55 mph. A good person does not hold the policeman responsible for a stupid law.

[Mamzelle]

It's pretty much useless to try to boycott the likes of Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, etc., but it just might be effective as a gesture to go after the Ditsy Chicks. Usually I think boycotting won't work, but maybe this time, this case, these PR circumstances...

[thetruckster]

"When war is ineveitable one cannot just support the troops and not ones country, period."

When 55 mph is inevitable, one cannot just support one's policemen and not one's government, period.

[tuna_battle_slight_return]

I was driving on I-75 N. in Toledo this morning and saw that a clean finger had scribbled these words into the dirty backside of the semi-truck:

DIXIE CHICKS ARE UN-AMERICAN

Glad the word has been out and be seen by millions of fellow drivers (without having to vandalize the semi)

[SerpentDove]

[techcor]

Pretty good. I asked DFU if he'd do a parody song with that title but I'll save yours.

[southern rock]

PC rules, whether tagged left-wing or right-wing, break up the bundle.

To paraphrase an Andre the Giant line from the movie "Princess Bride" -

You keep using this word PC, but I don't think it means what you think it means.

[thetruckster]

"You keep using this word PC, but I don't think it means what you think it means."

I didn't see "Princess Bride." The only PC I was referring to is the common meaning--politically correct--which I belive has arbitrary assignment depending on one's view based on any number of factors. Have you another meaning to which you refer?

[Gopher Broke]

Letter from Navy pilot to Dixie Chicks

Letter from radio station website in Lubbock, home of the Dixie Chick that spewed forth about our president:

Name: LT Layne McDowell

Date: 03/15/03
Time: 01:54:49 PM

Comment

An open letter to the Dixie Chicks: Earlier this week, while performing in London, you stated that you were ashamed that our President is from your home state. I wonder if you realized how many Americans would be listening.

This American was listening. This Texan is ashamed that you come from my state. I serve my country as an officer in the United States Navy.

Specifically, I fly F-14 Tomcats off carriers around the world, executing the missions that preserve the very freedom you claim to exercise.

I have proudly fought for my country in the skies over Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan without regret. Though I may disagree wholeheartedly with your comments, I will defend to the death your right to say them, in America.

But for you to travel to a foreign land and publicly criticize our Commander in Chief is cowardice behavior. Would you have so willingly made those comments while performing for a patriotic, flag-waving crowd of Texans in Lubbock. I would imagine not. How dare you pocket
profits off songs about soldiers, their deaths and patriotism while criticizing their Commander in Chief abroad, even while they prepare to give their lives to ensure your own freedom of speech. Please ask yourself, what
have you done to deserve that sacrifice?

Do not try to justify your comments by claiming that you made them only because you care about innocent lives. Never once in our history have we committed troops to war for the purpose of taking innocent lives. We do it to protect innocent lives, even yours.

If the world leaders of the late 1930's had the vision and
courage of our present Commander in Chief, perhaps the evil men who caused the death of millions in WWII would have never had the opportunity to harm a soul. The potential loss of millions of lives in the future at the hands of
today's evil men necessitate action.

In a separate correspondence, I am returning to you each and
every Dixie Chicks CD and cassette that I have ever purchased. Never again will I allow my funds to support your behavior. All you have done is to add your name to a growing list of American "Celebrities" who have failed
to realize that they have obtained their successes on the backs of the American blue-collar workers such as our servicemen and women.

To Natalie Maines: This Texan? This American will continue to risk his life to guarantee your freedoms. What will you do to deserve it?

[Cogadh na Sith]

There are mothers everywhere who would rather have their courageous sons and daughters deployed in peace times.

Of course they would. Unfortunately, to turn away from a war when it is brought you you will guarantee that more mothers will grieve in the future.

Obviously, ignoring the war we were embroiled in for the past 12 years isn't saving any lives right now.

Thusly, not to support a just war is to actively support the deaths of more troops in the future.

[thetruckster]

I got that in an email early last week. Thanks.

[lilmsdangrus]

ROFLMAO!!!!

[thetruckster]

"Obviously, ignoring the war we were embroiled in for the past 12 years isn't saving any lives right now."

This statement has too much spin for me, especially that we were "embroiled" in war for the last 12 years. I think the Iraqi people previously chose to allow Saddam to embroil them.

And the word "ignoring." I don't think many Americans ignored Saddam, nor do I think they perceived that the U.S. continued to be "at war" after the first engagement, but I certainly have no handy reference for you to look it up.

And I sure don't believe the war was "brought to" us. Some people in the U.S. might benefit by having an increased sense of safety, perhaps. Others will benefit by fat pockets. Sorry, life has taught me to be skeptical about government spin on government motives--any government.

And an on-point quote one of my favorite Republican presidents of all time regarding the Dixie Chicks' supreme lack of judgment:

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
-- Theodore Roosevelt speaking against Wilson's crackdown on dissent after the U.S. entered WWI.

I still believe that many Americans feel they can support the troops and not support the war. One military father explained it in effect as follows:

I would try to prevent my son from getting into a car with a drunk driver. If he did get into a car with that drunk driver, I would still try to stop the car.

[Cogadh na Sith]

I would try to prevent my son from getting into a car with a drunk driver. If he did get into a car with that drunk driver, I would still try to stop the car.

You advocate stopping it by throwing someone elses kid under it.

I don't ask people to stand by their president and nation right or wrong. Standing by him when he is right is good enough.

BTW, don't try to pull any 'chickenhawk' arguments on me. I am a soldier, I just haven't been deployed in this....

[VOA]

bump

[lilmsdangrus]

You go Boy!! I was sitting here fuming so much after reading those posts I couldn't even write a reply. Yours said it all, and much better than I could have. Well said, friend!

[thetruckster]

"You advocate stopping it by throwing someone elses kid under it."

No, I don't. Especially, when it might be one of my two kids who I am very proud to say are United States Marines. Or it might be my nephew, a Navy Medic who is serving those Marines in the field. None of us feel that we are chickenhawks. A mistake many make is to think that pacifism means a lack of courage. Not so in our case by any measure.

And obviously, I disagree about what you feel is right. War is always the poorest option. I feel America needs to lead in a different direction, and I had a lot more hope in Bush's ability to do this before now.

Do I agree with the Dixie Chicks? No. Will I fight for their right to say what they think? Yes. And so will every other soldier. America is bigger than Bush, although I'm not sure now that he would agree.