... Did anyone else watch the interview?

At first it seemed like they were gonna wimp out... but the Chicks redeemed themselves in my eyes. The true telling point was when Natalie was asked if she wanted the Country Music fans to forgive her...

Forgive? She said no... she does not need forgiveness, and she asked for acceptance - we all have the right to express our views. That is one of the things that all Americans should cherish.

I'm gonna go out and buy a couple more Dixie Chick cds today!

We taped the interview and will watch it at first chance. Glad to hear that Natalie stood her ground.

This came to me via email, please forgive all the '>'.
I think when and if the rest of America wakes up they will find that we are no longer allowed to "Speak our minds" publicly. Our reward for Freedom of Speech will be humiliation and censorship.
I want my FREEDOM back, Don't you?
HomerJ for Prez

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>> Today Show Goes Dark on Tim Robbins
>>
>> From Rock and Rap Confidential
>> Date: 4/18/2003 11:06:32 AM Pacific Daylight Time
>>
>> Steve Rosenbaum, a NYC television producer.
>>
>> TODAY SHOW GOES DARK ON TIM ROBBINS
>>
>> Today Show goes black on Tim Robbins
>>
>> At 8:15 Monday Morning Today Show host Mat Lauer
>> introduced the controversy that has been kicked up by
>> the cancellation of the 15th anniversary of Bull Durham
>> at the Baseball Hall of Fame.
>>
>> In a letter made public on Wednesday - Dale Petroskey,
>> the President of the Hall suggested that his venue was
>> not the appropriate venue for a highly charged political
>> expression.
>>
>> Lauer then introduced Tim Robbins, who along with his
>> wife Susan Sarandon, had had their initiations revoked.
>>
>> Lauer quizzed Robbins on free speech, and pointedly
>> asked Robbins if he had planned to use the Hall of Fame
>> event as a platform for a political statement. Robbins
>> said 'of course not.'
>>
>> The discussion went back in forth for a few minutes,
>> with Lauer being neither accommodating nor
>> confrontational. And Robbins' responses were equally
>> measured. But Robbins did end up saying things that have
>> hardly been heard before since the war began. "The
>> message is if you speak out against this administration
>> you can and will be punished" Robbins explained.
>>
>> "We're sending out messages on an almost daily basis
>> that they have no right to protest against this
>> President" said Robbins. To which Lauer responded with a
>> question about the Dixie Chicks and their controversial
>> comments against the President. Robbins responded -
>> pointing to the fact that the protest and banning of the
>> Dixie Chicks was by Clear Channel Radio and it's
>> connection with the Bush Administration. This
>> conversation was unheard of in the current environment.
> > Robins was talking serious politics on a morning chat
> > show - and clearly hackles went up. By 8:24 Robins was
> > explaining "We're fighting for freedom for the Iraqi
>> people right now so that they can have freedom of
>> speech, yet we're telling our own citizens they have to
>> be quiet"
>>
>> Lauer could have called it quits there -but he went on
>> "When you see pictures of Iraqi's dancing and
>> celebrating -does it change your mind?" "No" Said
>> Robbins - "I'm ecstatic that they feel this freedom, I
>> hope we have the resolve to get in there and make it
>> work."
>>
>> It was at this point that something happened that has
>> perhaps never happened before in the history of morning
>> television.
>>
>> The music swelled under Robbins... Mid-sentence
>> answering a question that had been asked just 10 seconds
>> earlier... "We have a terrible track record" said
>> Robbins, clearly not able to hear that music was coming
>> up to literally 'play him off the stage'.
>>
>> The camera cut to a wide shot. Lauer was leaning in and
>> very much in conversation. Either Lauer was ignoring
>> what must have been the deluge of invectives in his
>> earpiece, or he just determined that he wasn't finished
>> with this line of questioning.
>>
>> But the music ended. The bumper music ended and the
>> studio was in the two shot as Robbins said..."It's for
>> some reason not in our best interest to keep it going
>> and pursue it to the next level." Lauer nodded, and the
>> camera faded to black as Robbins - mid sentence - had
>> his microphone turned down.
>>
>> A conversation about free speech. An anchor asking
>> reasonable questions. A guest responding in equally
>> reasonable tones. No attempt to close out the discussion
>> - to say "Well thank you Tim". This was not a
>> filibuster. Robbins was not hogging the spotlight.
>> Someone in the control room simply decided that it was
>> time to pull the plug. And without grace or ceremony, or
>> even the face saving of letting Lauer say "We're out of
>> time" as morning shows do on so many occasions.
> >
>> A conversation about free speech and free expression was
>> cut off mid sentence as the network went to black.
>>
>> Television history was made, as million of Americans got
>> to watch in real time just how powerful and inescapable
>> censorship can be. Robbins wasn't revealing troop
>> locations, or giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
>> Remember the war has been won - by all accounts. He was
>> discussing freedom, free speech, and why his appearance
>> has been canceled at the Baseball Hall of Fame. NBC
>> should invite him back and let him finish his thought -
>> or admit at least who was on the phone to master control
>> demanding that they pull the plug.
>>

I saw that & it was interesting. I did notice Natalie said one thing & then later contradicted herself...

I mean how much more proof do you need when you got blonde chicks from Texas calling George W. Bush dumb? <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/confused.gif" width=15 height=22><img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif" width=15 height=15>

Buy CDs, what a novel idea! Now that I've deposited my tax refund, I'm headin' on over to my favorite hangout, Amazon.com and order me up a few.

Ironic, huh? Use my tax refund to pay for an "unpatriotic" person's CDs?

I was very impressed when Natalie stood her ground. No one should ever (in this "free" country) have to apologize for a comment professing dislike/distrust of any government leader. To "have to" do so is unconstitutional.

What surprised me was that with all the examples of recent similar statements being made by other "public" figures, no one ever mentioned the Jane Fonda debacle of the VietNam era.

Personally, IMHO, what I think may have helped motivate Natatie in feeling "free" enough to have made that comment was that she was overseas (in Europe) where anti-American sentiment is rampant (not to mention most of the world at large). I think part of her was being sympathetic to her audience's frustrations at being dragged into an "American" war they neither wanted nor supported. I think she wanted to show her audience that she was "with them in spirit" seeing's how their own leader was in cahoots with Bush over the WMDs supposedly in Iraq.

I was stunned to see images of mothers leading their children to destroy DC CDs and hearing some of the absolutely horrendous comments made by callers to radio stations. But what upset and angered me the most was that these radio stations have given in to these short-sighted people by removing DC songs from their air-time lineups. That gives the naysayers more rights than those who do want to hear the music!

For those who wish to bash Natalie for exercising her RIGHT to free speech I say: "YOU have the RIGHT to turn the sound down for 3.5 minutes when you hear a DC song being aired. But you do NOT have the RIGHT to prevent me from hearing what I have an American RIGHT to hear!

I think I have more venom to spew, but I can't remember now LOL.. so I'm stepping down from my soapbox in order to visit Amazon and make a few purchases.

Terrie

I missed that interview. Did they come out of the closet, or just slam the war???

In anycase, I'm one for both. The latter I'll stay away from. The first is much more interesting. Love Artist. Especially Gay Artist.

What would music be without Lou Reed????

As Baldwinville and Cliffite know, I'm a long-time fan of Emily and Martie, but I couldn't say the same about Natalie. Never could stand her. Until that interview. She said she was sorry about the way she said it, but did not back down on her feeling or her right to disagree publicly with Bush and his administration's actions. And note, Larry, they had all shed the 'blonde' for closer to their natural colors. I'm proud that all three Dixie Chicks are <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/cool.gif" width=15 height=15>tough Texas women.

Diane Sawyer's indecorous performance with the Dixie Chicks.
http://slate.msn.com/id/2082054/

It appeared to me that Diane was feeling a little bit Judge Judy and a little bit Bill O'Reilly that night.

Bruce Springsteen has spoken out in suppport of the Dixie Chicks calling their critics un-American. In his statement he says "The Dixie Chicks have taken a big hit lately for excersing their basic right to express themselves. To me, they're terrific American artists expressing American values by using their American right to free speech. For them to be banished wholesale from radio stations, and even entire radio networks for speaking out is un-American.
Springsteen says the anti-Dixie Chicks wave goes against American's right to freedom. "The pressure coming from the government and big business to enforce conformity of thought concerning the war and politics goes against everything this country is about - namely freedom. Right now, we are supposedly fighting to create freedom in Iraq, at the same time that some are trying to intimidate and punish people for using that same freedom here at home."
The Bosses parting words were "I don't know what happens next, but I do want to add my voice to those who think that the Dixie Chicks are getting a raw deal, and an un-American one to boot. I send them my support. - Bruce Springsteen."

And Cheryl, who knows more about contradicting themselves than your good buddy Dubya.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ceashel:

And note, Larry, they had all shed the 'blonde' for closer to their natural colors. I'm proud that all three Dixie Chicks are <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/cool.gif" width=15 height=15>tough Texas women.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

hey, it was only a blonde joke! <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15>

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Larry:

hey, it was only a blonde joke! <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I know, and I was only jerking your chain!<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif" width=15 height=15>