November 10, 2006An Alarming Wake Up Call?
I was surprised by the response I got to last week’s Dixie Chicks post. I wasn’t surprised that I lost a few subscribers or that several people mentioned the choices they made to end their support of the Chick’s music. I wasn’t surprised that many readers were highly critical of what the Chicks did, or that many were highly critical of me for using the example. I wasn’t surprised by the names I was called.
What I was surprised by is that even though I described how the campaign against them included blacklisting their music from radio, CD crushing events, media refusal to accept ads for their concerts, hate mail and death threats, not one person wrote of having a problem with it, and several said “The Dixie Chicks weren’t targeted” and “the Dixie Chicks got exactly what they deserved. While I was happy that one person did mention not liking what the Chicks said but respecting their right to say it, I had incorrectly anticipated that even those who disapproved of their comment would object to the treatment they received. It appears I was wrong.
Either those who condone the campaign against the Chicks did not read the list and/or check the link to understand how extreme the measures were before expressing strong opposition to my post, or they sincerely believe that expressing dissent on foreign soil justifies the intensity of the response the Chicks experienced.
I’m not sure which possibility disturbs me more – the idea that people might react so strongly without checking details or that they might think dissent should be punished so severely.
A few years ago I wrote about the student of a friend of mine in China who was impressed that Michael Moore spoke out against the Iraq war at the Oscars without being killed for it. In China dissenters are disappeared. The tolerance of Moore’s dissent gave this student a favorable impression of the US. I am inclined to believe that the reaction against the Chicks was more damaging to the US image than their remarks were.
This experience left me with many questions. It left me wondering what it would take for the people who think the Chicks deserved what they got to conclude the response was overdone. If one of their death threats had been carried out, would they still be suggesting the Chicks got what they deserved?
It also left me wondering if I am I the only one who thinks the backlash against the Chicks is a travesty and an alarming wake-up call about how far people will go to silence others. I hope not. I truly believe that every voice we help to silence makes it harder for us to speak our own truth.
I write about politics sometimes because they shine a bright light on our personal communication dynamics. This week, check to see if you fire back heated responses without checking the details, or if you believe that people in your life who say things that offend you should be “taken out to the woodshed” and punished. Check to see if your communication reflects the principle of saying what you mean and meaning what you say without being mean when you say it. And while you’re at it, check to see if you allow others the same freedoms.
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Meryl, you are my hero. I agree with you 100%. Please continue to Speak Strong.
Comment by Ann Makohon — November 10, 2006 @ 7:46 pm
I posted a comment last week regarding the Dixie Chicks and I stand by my stance on the subject of how I feel. Now, I never made threats, called names, etc. and NEVER would. I don’t even know anyone or associate with anyone who would ever do that. I simply choose to exercise my freedoms by deciding to never listen to their music again…..and no, I didn’t participate in any record burnings, hate rallies either.
Not only did I NOT participate in these activities, I DON’T condone these activities. Death threats are extreme and anyone who goes to that level should be punished by law. But, it also doesn’t make me sympathetic to a group of people who have fame, fortune, and quite frankly a voice that most Americans simply don’t have and then misuse it. The Dixie Chicks used their “stage” in life to tell the world how they felt. Most of us are lucky if we get our friends, family, and co-workers to listen to what we believe. Isn’t it a tiny bit possible that maybe the “message” and “words” that the Chicks used weren’t exactly “Power phrases”???? The Chicks meant to be mean…..they did, it was, and the world responded. Now, again, please don’t twist my words here to say that I think they should have received the “EXTREME” treatment of death threats. Because, only insane people would be believe that someone should be killed because of something they said.
I guess, the bottomline for me and the reason I felt so compelled to spend a few minutes out of my day to respond to this post, is I believe there are SO MANY other more worthy people who have tried to actually stand up for what is right WITHOUT being mean and maybe one of these many people deserved to have our outrage over the way they have been treated more than the Chicks that were mean spirited in their comments to begin with.
So, one last time, I do not support death threats nor do I believe that the Chicks deserved to receive them….but I also do not have sympathy for a group of people who were mean spirited in their words that caused such a backlash to begin with.
Comment by Janet — November 10, 2006 @ 8:02 pm
This is the type of US I protested against in the 60s and it’s circled back around. I’m not in a financial situation today to speakup so thank you for doing it for me. Keep speaking strongly.
Comment by Peggi — November 11, 2006 @ 10:05 am
Meryl, I am with you 100%. How can a democratic political system function if people who disagree with policy decisions are silenced by threats and intimidation, or indeed, if they are silenced by anything?
Comment by Rebecca — November 11, 2006 @ 3:28 pm
I am not surprised that you received the response that you did. The same group of people that present themselves as victims of the “far left” and “activist judges” are those that are fine as long as you agree with them and out to get you when you don’t. Nothing that the Chicks did warrented the response that they got.
One reason that Democrats won is the realization on the part of many people that unless one can reasonably disagree and work together nothing will get done and democracy itself will disappear. I am in California and a registered Green but voted for Arnold, why? Because he learned from his mistakes and is willing to listen and work with those who don’t agree with him.
Comment by Vicky Baugh — November 12, 2006 @ 3:33 pm
I completely agree with Meryl when she notes that it is possible that the reaction against the Chicks is more damaging to the American image than what the Chicks originally said.
I am Australian. In my regional area, coverage of American activism and political news is underrepresented in our media. The backlash against the Dixie Chicks did make news here. It sparked conversation amongst my friends - the topic was mainly that Americans seem all for “Freedom of Speech” right up until what someone else says contravenes their own beliefs.
The manner in which the Chicks were targetted gives these girls more power. They spoke up about what they believed. The people who tried to stamp them down brought more attention to this issue, ultimately spreading the word and causing more discussion and attention than would otherwise have occurred. It has also given the Chicks underdog status. Whether by accident or design, I think the Chicks have come out the moral victors in this debate, and their attackers are bullies and terrorists.
Comment by Anthea Curtis — November 12, 2006 @ 6:45 pm
Hi Meryl,
I read your article about the response to the Dixie Chicks and their treatment after voicing their opinion about the Iraq War and President Bush. I had the opionion that you would be bombarded with mail condeming the treatment and what it stands for. I was shocked to read that that was not the case.
People do not seem to understand that the treatment of the Dixie Chicks is a treatment that sets out to silence the voice of those who dissent. A society where you are silenced when you dissent is not a society of the free and the brave but a society of the muffled and the scared. The freedom to speak against what we see is one that has shaped this country. Without it we actually begin to lose the power to choose.
Do any of your readers remember the McCarthy era where talented writers, directors and actors were blacklisted for their supposed beliefs during the “Red Scare” of the fifties? Even the slightest hint of an association with Communism lead to the end of talented careers and the destruction of people’s lives. The treatment of the Dixie Chicks is akin to that. I for one now want to listen to and will buy the Dixie Chicks cd’s in order to support them in their talent which is amazing as well as to say I support a world where you can say what you think without fear of being destroyed because of it.
Thank you Meryl for asking the questions you do to stimulate conversations and debate in order to help us grow and learn and hopefully expand.
Love and light,Nora
Comment by Nora Hooper — November 13, 2006 @ 7:43 am
I believe what happened to the Dixie Chicks was wrong and should not have happen. Anyone should have the right to say what they want no matter if they are in the public or not. Everyone has the right to say what they believe and should not be punished in any way for stating that belief.
We have fought wars to give us the right to speak what we want without punishment. Many have died and to take a group of 3 people and punish them because they spoke out against something they believed in is wrong. If you disagree with what they have to say is one thing but to punish them or tell them they don’t have the right to say it would then mean you don’t have the right to disagree with them. It is one thing to disagree and not buy their CD’s or attend their concerts but to blacklist them and persecute them for stating their views is wrong.
Comment by Diane — November 13, 2006 @ 9:12 am
If no one responded as you anticipated, perhaps the failure lies with the way you expressed yourself.
Comment by Rose — November 13, 2006 @ 9:14 am
Hi Meryl -
Personally I find it sad that people can’t tolerate hearing (or reading) a point of view that disagrees with their own. I also find it heartening that those who are intolerant of opposing views have the right to express that with any anger or superiority they may choose to feel. Their reactions are not your responsibility. I’m sure you know this.
I dream of the day when we as a world society dream to be creators of the world we desire rather than reactors to the world we don’t want. Look at these too words — REACTOR and CREATOR. They are made up of the same letters in slightly different arrangement.
I appreciate you teaching the world how to rearrange their words to step away from the REACTOR life and into the life of a CREATOR. Thanks for continuing to do this!
Comment by Brent Sprunger — November 13, 2006 @ 10:29 am
By the way, it is insulting to those of us who don’t lean to the left or the right to insinuate that all of the backlash against the Chicks is political. HELLO!!! They were MEAN in their comments. They didn’t express a point of view that showed any relevance to their political point of view. They said they were ashamed that Bush was from their home state.
And just for the record, my point of view would be the same if Clinton or Kerry had been in office (read a Democrat instead of a Republican). For those of you who want to make the whole thing about politics, well you’re just leaving out a large portion of people who just thought that the Chicks comments were MEAN SPIRITED.
Also consider that not every person who disagreed with what they said and how they said it posed extreme measures. Please consider that the MEDIA has hyped this beyond belief as they do everything that has a political slant. I make decisions everyday to support or not support any given person or product. I’m sure every American does the same everyday. I made the decision to not ever support Tom Cruise again because of his strong opposition to anti-depressants and criticism of Brooke Shields for needing help with post partum depression. When I made this decision, the 5 o’clock news didn’t show up. This is one tiny example of how we all make decisions to give our support (and money).
One other thing for those of you on the left side of this discussion, if the Chicks were from Arkansas and said they were ashamed that Clinton was from their home state, would your lack of disregard for their MEAN spirited comment still resonate with you the same way?
And Meryl, I have loved your articles and think you have incredible things to say and share. I appreciate you and the work you do to help us all be better in how we communicate. I just ask, please take the extreme measures out of the backlash that the Chicks have faced and see a point of view that follows exactly what Speak Strong says. They were MEAN in their comments. Isn’t it a tiny bit possible that they could have communicated their feelings in a different way and maybe would have received a different response? Couldn’t they have used their influence and voice to Speak Strong about why they don’t support the war and President Bush? And Meryl, one last question, aren’t there so many people who do Speak Strong and aren’t MEAN that you could use as examples for our support?
Comment by Janet — November 13, 2006 @ 11:21 am
All right, enough already with the sympathy for the Chicks. There are consequences for what you say and do. That is why there is such a phrase as “an alarming wake up call”.
Meryl, you talk about improving our communication skills. You should not lump hate mail and death threats in with a legitimate shunning of their music by blacklisting their music from radio, CD crushing events, and the media’s refusal to accept ads for their concerts. There is nothing wrong with me taking offense to what they said and there is nothing wrong with me not wanting to buy their records or to hear them on the radio. Unlike the Chicks, I don’t have a microphone. They voiced their opinion and I will voice my opinion with my dollars.
Any threat they received is illegal and stupid. But telling them strongly that you disagree and even telling them they are wrong and backing that up with our dollars is not censorship, it is a consequence of our freedom of speech. Life has consequences and apparently the Chicks are willing to pay the price. At least they didn’t flip flop.
You have said many times there is an appropriate time and place for speaking strong. If anyone, not just the Chicks, expresses their dissent on foreign soil (like Al Gore or Hanoi Jane), they have to expect us to see them a traitors. Yes that is a strong word and there are consequences for that too. We all have rights and responsibilities, but do not forget the consequences.
Americans are a very generous and forgiving people. I do believe the severity of the punishment was equal to the dissent. Most people have forgiven the Germans and the Japanese and most people will forgive the Chicks, Al Gore, and Hanoi Jane. It just takes time.
You asked the question about the death threats being carried out and I was shocked at the absurdity of the hypothetical. What reasonable person would say they got what they deserved if they were killed? Not buying their records or not airing them on the radio is not even close to the same thing. They could always say they are sorry or find another occupation. That is what many people have to do when they get fired from a job. Start over. It is up to them to choose their words and to bear the consequences.
And please don’t assume your readers did not check the details. Most of us heard their comments first hand and individually made the choice to stop listening to them. America was even better when we had a few more woodsheds.
Like all of our freedoms, the freedom of speech is not free. There are costs and consequences.
Comment by David — November 13, 2006 @ 10:39 pm
I am so thankful that my dad and every man and many of the women in my family has been willing to lay down and die for the freedom WE ALL enjoy. Say what you will Chicks, Meryll, and bloggers. Say what you are moved to share with the masses, but at the end, thank my dad and the men and women like him, who secure that right for you.
Comment by Connie M — November 14, 2006 @ 11:11 am