In March 2003, the Dixie Chicks, an American country music band, got into major controversy and faced backlash after lead singer Natalie Maines criticized then-U.S. President George W. Bush’s plans to invade Iraq. Her comment, made during a concert in London, sparked intense reactions from the country music industry and fans, leading to boycotts of the Dixie Chicks’ music and public demonstrations where their albums were destroyed. The backlash highlighted the contrast between the patriotic, conservative image of country music and the band’s liberal leanings.
What Exactly Did The Dixie Chicks Say?
On March 10, 2003, during a concert at Shepherd’s Bush Empire theater in London, Natalie Maines addressed the audience and said: “Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas”.
This was a reference to the impending invasion of Iraq by U.S. forces, which President Bush had been actively advocating for in the months prior. By stating they were “ashamed” that Bush was from their home state of Texas, Maines was directly criticizing the President and his Iraq war policy. Her comment was met with approval from the London audience but caused an enormous backlash once it became known in the U.S.
Why Were The Dixie Chicks Criticizing President Bush?
In 2002 and early 2003, President Bush began making the case that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction and posed a threat to the United States. Bush ultimately sought Congressional approval for the use of military force against Iraq.
As war seemed imminent, there were massive protests against the invasion around the world and also some dissent within the U.S. The Dixie Chicks were opposed to a potential war in Iraq and Bush’s hawkish foreign policy in general. Maines’ comment reflected these broader anti-war sentiments being expressed at the time.
How Did People React to Maines’ Comment?
The reaction to Maines’ remark from the country music community and fans was swift and overwhelmingly negative. Many saw it as unpatriotic and disrespectful to President Bush during a time of heightened tensions amid preparations for war. There were calls for boycotts of Dixie Chicks albums and radio stations stopped playing their music.
The band received death threats and their singles plummeted down the Billboard country charts after having been No. 1 just weeks earlier. Concerts were cancelled due to poor ticket sales. Country stars including Toby Keith publicly denounced them. Some fans destroyed and defaced Dixie Chicks CDs during highly publicized protests. Many felt the band’s criticism of Bush betrayed country music’s patriotic, conservative-leaning fanbase.
How Did The Controversy Impact The Dixie Chicks’ Career?
The backlash severely damaged the Dixie Chicks’ country music career in the U.S. in both the short and long-term.
– Their 2002 album Home fell from No. 1 to No. 13 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart immediately after Maines’ comment.
– Their cover of the song “Landslide” went from No. 1 to No. 44 on Billboard’s country singles chart right after the controversy erupted.
– Their next album Taking the Long Way (2006) had significantly lower sales than past albums and won Grammys in pop categories after country radio stopped playing their music.
– They went on hiatus for several years during the peak backlash before tentatively returning to touring in 2010.
– Their albums and singles struggled to make the same impact on country charts as they had before 2003.
However, their crossover pop appeal allowed them to still sell out arenas and maintain a sizable fanbase over time. The Dixie Chicks also spoke out repeatedly against how they were ostracized by the country music community. Overall though, the damage to their country career was long-lasting.
How Did The Dixie Chicks Respond Publicly to the Controversy?
In the immediate aftermath, the band did not back down or apologize for Maines’ statement, though they expressed regret that their views came across as anti-American. Maines said she remained against the Iraq war but loved her country. They emphasized that President Bush deserved respect even if one disagreed with his policies.
During concerts in the weeks after the backlash began, Maines sometimes wore a shirt reading “F.U.T.K” (Freedom Undermines Tyranny in Korea). This referenced the Dixie Chicks being compared to anti-American Vietnam War protesters.
In 2006, they remained defiant and embraced their outsider status in the country genre with the release of the album Taking the Long Way. The hit single “Not Ready to Make Nice” directly addressed the backlash and their blacklisting by country radio. Overall the band stood their ground rather than issuing a major apology to appease critics.
Did The Dixie Chicks Issue an Apology?
In the heat of the immediate controversy during Spring 2003, the Dixie Chicks did not fully apologize or retract Maines’ statement criticizing Bush. However, they did issue qualified statements seeking to temper the criticism while defending their right to dissent.
– On March 12, 2003, Maines said: “I feel the President is ignoring the opinions of many in the U.S. and alienating the rest of the world…My comments were made in frustration and one of the privileges of being an American is you are free to voice your own point of view.”
– On March 14, they released a statement saying: “We’ve been overseas for several weeks and have been reading and following the news accounts of our government’s position. The anti-American sentiment that has unfolded here is astounding.”
– On April 24, they appeared nude on the cover of Entertainment Weekly with words from hate mail covering their bodies. Maines: “We wanted to just get naked because people refer to us with slang terms for female body parts.”
Overall, they offered some conciliatory remarks but did not outright apologize for criticizing Bush in the way critics demanded. Their defiance earned them respect but also fueled further backlash in country music circles.
How Did President Bush Respond to The Controversy?
For his part, President Bush aimed to tamp down public anger towards the Dixie Chicks over Maines’ comment. At a May 2006 press conference, Bush said:
“The Dixie Chicks are free to speak their mind…They shouldn’t have their feelings hurt just because some people don’t want to buy their records when they speak out…Freedom is a beautiful thing.”
While not supporting their criticism, Bush defended their right to dissent without facing boycotts or threats. Overall, he sought to calm rather than inflame tensions around the furor over Maines’ controversial political statement.
How Did The Controversy Fit Into Broader Anti-Iraq War Sentiment?
The intense backlash against the Dixie Chicks contrasted with strong anti-war sentiments expressed by millions of protestors globally at the time.
| Date | Anti-war Protest Details |
|---|---|
| February 15, 2003 | Approx 10-15 million people protest Iraq invasion plans in 600 cities worldwide, forming the largest protest in human history. |
| March 16, 2003 | 60,000 anti-war protestors march in Seattle. |
| March 22, 2003 | Over 100,000 people stage anti-war rally in New York City. |
While the Dixie Chicks faced boycotts for dissenting, their views were consistent with a major portion of public opinion, though less so among country music’s conservative-leaning fans. The band gave voice to anti-Bush/anti-war sentiments shared by millions but were penalized for it commercially.
How Did The Controversy Highlight Divisions in American Politics?
The severe backlash against the Dixie Chicks for criticizing Bush exemplified growing polarization and partisanship in American politics during this era.
– Dissent by major music stars was not well tolerated, especially in country music’s conservative political environment.
– Questioning or criticizing the President was viewed by many as unpatriotic and improper especially during war preparations.
– The country music industry and fanbase strongly leaned conservative and pro-Bush at the time.
– There was very little tolerance for mixing politics and popular music among key industry stakeholders.
– The Dixie Chicks were shunned and penalized commercially in country music circles for expressing opposing views.
The controversy demonstrated how the country music community and fans expected conformity with conservative politics, making the Dixie Chicks outsiders for adopting a critical position against Bush’s policies.
Conclusion
The intense backlash and boycott the Dixie Chicks faced for criticizing President Bush in 2003 highlighted just how commentary and dissent by major music artists was not tolerated, especially by the conservative-leaning country music industry and fans. Though their views reflected broader anti-Iraq war sentiments, the band was commercially penalized and threatened for Maines’ comment. The controversy underscored deep political divisions as opposing the Republican President was characterized as unpatriotic and traitorous. Ultimately, the furor derailed the Dixie Chicks’ country music career for many years even as they refused to disavow Maines’ statement or fully apologize. Their defiant stance earned them some respect but also permanently tarnished their standing in the country genre they called home.