Don Henley Talks Dixie Chicks and Double Standards

Natalie Maines comments in London came right after 9/11 and ten days before the start of the Iraq war. At that time the American people were at a patriotic high because they were still reeling from the 9/11 events. In addition (whether or not true) the American public had been pretty much convinced by the President Bush and his advisors that Iraq's leader was partnering with those who had attacked our country and was also developing WMD's. In addition, George Bush, as President, was at or near his high in popularity among Americans because we, the American people wanted some sort of reprisal against the terrorists.
Given that background, for anyone to get on stage in a foreign country and say disrespectful things about the President of The United States was going to bring exactly the response, here at home, that it did, regardless of whether the statements are true or false.
All of that being said, it is my opinion that when we have issues with our political leaders that we have both the right and responsibility to say something, at home, in our country, the USA. However, when we leave our borders, travel overseas, and badmouth the leaders of our country, (or our country in general, as some have done) we have no idea of the unintended consequences, especially when done in a highly public forum such as a concert. There is a big difference between disagreeing with our country's leaders and giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Saying things at home is disagreeing, saying the same thing in a foreign country could easily be giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
My opinion as stated above does not apply only to private citizens like Natalie Maines, but also to our political leaders themselves. For President Obama to travel around the world apologizing to those who have been and in some cases still are considered the enemy, is in fact giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Whether or not I like President Obama, his apologies and conciliatory remarks while in other countries and while talking with high level leaders of other nations were totally inappropriate and put America at risk.
Here, in the United States of America, our words of protest can, and do make a difference. We owe it to our country to express our feelings on matters of national importance. But when we travel abroad we need to use great caution in what we say and how we say it. Because no American has, or can possibly have a complete understanding of any foreign culture, we can never be sure what the unintended consequences of our remarks may be when stated while abroad. That is especially true when made in huge public forums, and especially when the media, both domestic and foreign, are present.

True, country is dying. The only "newer" life left in it, traditional or progressive, comes from Dierks, Urban, and Paisley. Other than that, it's been sold out to the highest bidder and we lose the art form that it was/is. Give me Waylon any day.
And from a Patriot and core conservative, I say look it up yourself and open your eyes...who gets shunned for speaking out? Patriots do. Political left or right mean nothing now. The wars, the economy, anything...seek the truth, and make no mistake about it...9/11 was an inside job.

Why does everything need to be labeled, Country music like every type of music is evolving and changing. It's pretty close to seventies soft rock at the moment . So i believe country music is beginning to sound like the Eagles not the other way around. But that is just one of the many styles of music the Eagles can playand are in no way limited to that type of music. And after traveling the world a 100 times over and seeing first hand how Mr George Bush and his clan are hated for their policies, he has a right to speak about it. Don't let anyone fool you, speaking out against you're government when they do something wrong is the best democratic right that we have and when we speak out and people call us unpatriotic, they sound like dictators to me. This fear mongering has to stop, is anyone trying to say the feel safer now with Bush then they felt when Clinton was in power.

"The Eagles, who are not country musicians unless the word means nothing anymore, hail from California"

Don Henley is from Texas, Glenn Frey is from Michigan, Joe walsh is from Kansas and Timothy B Schmit is the only Californian.

It's really simple. The Dixie chicks (or Natalie) are free to say whatever they like. End of story. Except for the one annoying factor that the fans are free to like it or not, and to vote with their dollars. Nothing guarantees that if you say anything unpopular that you will continue to be liked.

No one really considers the Eagles as country performers, even though they may be accepted by country fans. Fans don't boycott the Eagles, or movies by left-coast wackos. But country music fans have a "God and Country" expectation of their performers. If you bash this country, or it's president, don't expect to be loved by country music fans. And I'm really glad that it's that way.

Oh, please...Have any of you who justify the Dixie Chicks saying something in a foreign country BEEN to a foreign country? I travel the world for business, and while people (for the most part are kind to me as an individual) their respect for this country politically is next to zero. One of our most valued freedoms as citizens of the USA is the ability to speak freely...here or abroad. I'm from Texas (like Ms. Maines) and I'm ashamed that our soon-to-be-departed president (not soon enough) is from my home state, too. So please don't rationalize your support for an unjust invasion of a soveriegn nation on a pack-of-DOCUMENTED-lies under the veil that it wasn't so much that the Dixie Chicks made an off-the-cuff statement about the invasion in another country as your reason for dislikeing them--that's called freedom of speech. No, your dislike of them is that you got suckered in by Bush's lie, period. I'm constatntly reassuring my friends around the world that what this administration has done to our respect, AND our Constitution, are acts of the most criminal and treasonous kind--they blatently lied to us, people.

Natalie Maines' comment about "being embarrassed that George Bush was "from(sic!) Texas" was a completely honest, heartfelt, and PERSONAL OPINION about a man that deserves neither respect nor apologies. Saying it on a stage in London has NOTHING to do with anything. Should we Americans hold our tongues and stay mute and STUPID when we avidly disagree with our leaders just because we are in another country? The rest of the world is well aware of the idiocy of the Bush Administration. It hardly comes as NEWS that there are people who think going into a war unprovoked and without benefit of meticulous planning or thoughtful debate is a pretty bone-headed thing to do and is, quite frankly, EMBARRASSING. If "Country & Western" fans were so horribly OFFENDED by her statements, they had the right to avoid purchasing or listening to her music. What they didn't have the right to do is to keep the rest of us from listening to or purchasing her music. Destroying cd's and DEMANDING boycotts of radio stations and music stores who might otherwise play the 'Chicks' is a facist approach to being "offended" by someone's opinion. And besides...everything she said about 'W' in the following months and years after the "scandal" has all come to fruition...he IS an embarrassment, is NOT a Texan, though he claims to BE one (and I'm a Texan by BIRTH, not affect), and the fact that her words have been proven true just makes it that much more painful for the CWA "rednecks" to admit she was right. Will they apologize for trying to destroy the 'Chicks' careers? Will they take back calling them "un-American" and "whores"? Not likely. It is VERY American to exercise one's right to speak their mind...Yes, even in a foreign country. We do it all the time. Get over yourselves. Stop being so outraged by remarks that you dislike. The next time you are "offended" by comments someone makes that you disagree with, instead of throwing childish tantrums and setting out to destroy their careers, may I suggest you turn off your radio or t.v. No one is FORCING you to listen...

I actually think a lot less of Don Henley after reading his words.

I think one of the things that turned people off against the Dixie Chicks so much is that it was uncool, in a redneck sort of way, to bash your country's leader in another country. Really tastless.

They've also been disrespectful to country music, in general, as well to its fans. I have little use for them or him at this point.

And, no, Henley, country music isn't headed to the far left no matter how much you'd like to see it happen.

big daddy has it right country music ain't country anymore ,it is bad pop music sung by people[male or female] who are more pretty than they are talented. The end of country was back in the late 90's when Johnnie Cash could not get a recording contract The problem is that it is manufactured rather than created.....if Hank was alive he would probably puke if he heard the swill that is passed off as country

Country music is dead, folks. Has been for a while. Half the crap you see on CMT today belongs on MTV. It's a disgrace that the Country Music Association didn't stay true to their kind. Now country sounds like everything else. You've got Bon Jovi on CMT right now promoting a new "country album". "Country stars" such as Keith Urban, Rascal Flatt are simply not country. Granted, they have some good songs, but the music simply is not country. CMT doesn't do much for the true country singers anymore. Neither does radio. You rarely hear a new Merle Haggard or George Jones cd on the radio, and yes, both guys are still putting cds out. Merle Haggard has released a pile of cds in the past couple years. Thankfully, there are still guys out there like Hank Williams Jr, Toby Keith and George Strait, but it's a shame the music of the legends before them can't be passed on to the younger generations.