Robert Parry: Washington Post Disses the Dixie Chicks

[seafan]

WPost Disses the Dixie Chicks

By Robert Parry
February 12, 2007

The smug Washington Post smirked its way through an article about the Dixie Chicks winning five Grammy Awards for the group’s heroic album “Taking the Long Way” and the defiant song “Not Ready to Make Nice.”

The Post, which has editorially supported George W. Bush’s Iraq War and joined in smear campaigns against war critics like Joseph Wilson, treated the Dixie Chicks with the usual disdain.
In the lead story of the Post’s “Style” section, Bush’s winking-and-nodding role in the boycott of the Dixie Chicks music disappears. Instead the Post puts most of the blame for the troubles on the three-woman band.

The Dixie Chicks are “the polarizing group” whose lead singer Natalie Maines “popped off about President Bush and the war in Iraq,” according to the article by Post staff writer J. Freedom du Lac, who adds:

“Upon bouncing to the podium after the result was announced, Maines … closed her gaping mouth just long enough to grin mischievously, then said, ‘Well, to quote the great Simpsons, ‘HA, HA!’”
The Post article portrayed the boycott dispute as one between the Dixie Chicks and their country-music fans, ignoring the extraordinary role played by Bush who in 2003 seemed to relish the punishments meted out by his supporters to Americans who dissented.

So, in recognition of the Dixie Chicks’s five Grammy Awards – and in honor of the other brave Americans who stood up and questioned the Iraq War when standing up meant paying a price – we are republishing a story from May 16, 2006, entitled “Dixie Chicks, Valerie Plame & Bush.”

.....

The common thread linking the Plame case to the attacks on the Dixie Chicks and other anti-war celebrities is Bush’s all-consuming intolerance of dissent.
Rather than welcome contrary opinions and use them to refine his own thinking, Bush operates from the premise that his “gut” judgments are right and all they require is that the American people get in line behind him.

Bush then views any continued criticism as evidence of disloyalty. While Bush will tolerate people voicing disagreement, he feels they should pay a steep price, exacted by Bush’s loyalists inside and outside the government.
So, when Bush’s supporters malign his critics as “traitors” and spit out other hate-filled expressions bordering on exhortations to violence, Bush sees no obligation to rein in the intimidating rhetoric.
Instead, Bush almost seems to relish the punishments meted out to Americans who dissent.

[AndyA]

1. The Dixie Chicks album has been certified DOUBLE PLATINUM by RIAA.

So the right wing talking points aren't really working, are they? Oh sure the country stations owned by right wing corporate conglomerates won't play their music, but it doesn't matter.

The right wing is losing its ability to spin. DOUBLE PLATINUM! Hard for any artist even without controversy. People are sick of the right wing bullshit. Your smear campaign is a FAILURE, just like YOUR PRESIDENT IS A FAILURE.

Take that and stick it up your bloviated propaganda hole, Washington Post.

[rinsd]

2. Parry is upset about that article?

Talk about moutains and molehills, the article praised the Dixie Chicks and was about the Grammy's not just the Chicks.

What a crank.

[Joe Chi Minh]

3. Didn't sound like praise, judging from the quotes by Robert Parry

in the thread header.

Who needs enemies with friends like the WP.

[rinsd]

5. Which is why one shouldn't read out of context quotes.

This really reflect poorly on Parry as he obviously had his story written before the WP did.

Here's the article

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/11/AR2007021101680.html

The Texas trio also won for best country group vocal and best country album. The latter award was especially surprising, since they were excommunicated from the church of country music in 2003 after singer Natalie Maines popped off about President Bush and the war in Iraq. Upon bouncing to the podium after the result was announced, Maines said what just about everybody inside Staples Center was probably thinking: "That's interesting." She closed her gaping mouth just long enough to grin mischievously, then said, "Well, to quote the great Simpsons, 'HA HA!' "

That is about as "damning" as the article got, the rest had praise from other artists for the Chicks and other stuff dealing with the Grammy's.

[tonkatoy57]

4. J. Freedom du Lac?

J. Freedom du Lac?

That's quite the moniker. No wonder he's a little snarky in his article. He must have been beaten up every day when he was a child. Hell, the other Post writers probably give him a wedgie every morning.

[FredScuttle]

6. He's good, but not as acerbic and witty as

H. Liberty Eau Claire.

[lyonn]

7. Wasn't able to read the WP article, but...

What Parry states at end of his article makes sense:

"Rather than welcome contrary opinions and use them to refine his own thinking, Bush operates from the premise that his “gut” judgments are right and all they require is that the American people get in line behind him.

Bush then views any continued criticism as evidence of disloyalty. While Bush will tolerate people voicing disagreement, he feels they should pay a steep price, exacted by Bush’s loyalists inside and outside the government."

What's to disagree with on these points? What was available from the Post wasn't exactly favorible, best I could tell. bush has bashed dissenters beginning when he took the oath of office. Remember O'Neil from Treasury and his views on the admin. from day one - bush had Iraq high on his agenda over all others. O'Neil, Clarke, and sooo many others got the bush "frog" treatment, blow them up and get rid of 'em.