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ORIGINAL: realmanfordomme

which brings me to another point , why is it that everyone in this country( and others) that makes a successfull movie or CD , thinks they need to become the polical spokesperson for our times! if they would have  just stuck to playing music , whish is what they are good at, they would not have had this problem, as i suspect i would have problems if i started preaching  law or medicine! Jody

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ORIGINAL: LaTigresse

I have 5 close members of my family that are either current or former military. Some of whom were and still are fans of the DC's.
What most of the narrow minded country music fans that have bashed this group, for being esentially American, do not realize is that by their very attitudes and behaviour THEY represent the United States in a much worse light not any celebrity or entertainer.
I have always been a fan of the Dixie Chicks and am even more one now.
If the day comes when ANY United States citizen cannot voice their opinion of ANY government official then everything my family members and all other soldiers that have served and continue to serve for turns into worthless rhetoric.
In this country we like to pretend to be oh so open minded and proud of our freedoms while our fears and narrow minded opinions are actually driving us backwards.
As an American I support anyone's right to voice their feelings and opinions wether I agree with them or not.

And BTW, Texas can take the Bushs back and keep them........[;)]

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ORIGINAL: darkinshadows

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ORIGINAL: feastie

I tossed my DC cd's.  I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion but I think that people of celebrity often take their celebrity too far and abuse it.  Natalie Maines did just that and lost any respect I personally had for her. 

I don't think music stars, movie stars, tv stars have any better opinions on the world and politics than the rest of us do.  I believe it is wrong for them to use their celebrity as a platform to push their personal beliefs and agendas on the rest of us.  I'm not gullible enough to fall for it, but there are many people that are, just because they've seen such and such in a movie or on tv.

I don't think celebrities should be allowed to make their voices louder than mine, as I have just as many beliefs, ideas and opinions about politics and the world at large as they do.  I just don't have the availability of a stage and a microphone.

I avoid the movies, music, etc., of celebrities who have political agendas they present in public. 

I don't really care what Natalie Maines thinks of George Bush.  What I do care about is that she maligned the President (it could have been Kerry, or Ronald McDonald, it wouldn't have mattered), on foreign soil in a very public way.

This is the type of thing that makes our country weaker, not stronger.  It makes us appear weak to the very people who wish to do us harm.  Thanks for opening that door a little wider, Natalie, ya idiot.

So celebreties do not have any freedom of speech?

Lets just stop them supporting charities and lending their support to aid agencies then.  That will put an end to it all.

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Celebrities have a right to state their opinions just as well as anyone else. They should not have to watch their words because of their "Celebrity Edge" just because the truth and/or their opinion may hurt the country or it's current adminstration's reputation.
 
*Brightspot

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What's a litmus test for me is, if a person is incensed about a celebrity using his or her fame for some cause that they object to, do they equally object to celebrities using fame to support a cause they agree with?  If their ire is side sensitive, that comes across as a hypocrite to me.

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ORIGINAL: Level


And andrea, I like your hat [;)].

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ORIGINAL: WayWardSoul

I believe they have every right to state there opinion, but on the same note they have to expect what backlash comes from that. Not the stupid death threats, but the burning of there products and boycotts of there work if people don't like it. If thay can't handle it, they shouldn't of went for the role of celebrity to start with.

Being a celebrity is that much more reason to watch your words, there is going to be more people for and against what you say with them. Where I see they was wrong in what they said was the when and where. They was paid by each fan to intertain not rant about there polilical agenda. If thats what they want to do, go campain for someone, vote or even run for an office to do that, but do it on there own time. That goes for any of them for or against. 

WWS

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ORIGINAL: subvalena

I am new here, so bear with me.  I do not know every detail of the Natalie Maines saga.  I do know that alot of my friends were hurt by what Jane Fonda had done.  They were only doing what they were ordered to do.  I feel that Natalie had every right to speak her mind, but I think it should have been on American soil that she made her remark.  This does not refer to just her, but so much for the united front.  It doesn't matter if I think what we are doing is right or wrong.  It doesn't matter what I think of the president.  As an American I feel that I have a duty to support our troops no matter what.

Thank you for letting me speak my mind.

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ORIGINAL: subvalena

I am new here, so bear with me.  I do not know every detail of the Natalie Maines saga.  I do know that alot of my friends were hurt by what Jane Fonda had done.  They were only doing what they were ordered to do.  I feel that Natalie had every right to speak her mind, but I think it should have been on American soil that she made her remark.  This does not refer to just her, but so much for the united front.  It doesn't matter if I think what we are doing is right or wrong.  It doesn't matter what I think of the president.  As an American I feel that I have a duty to support our troops no matter what.

Thank you for letting me speak my mind.

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ORIGINAL: MadameDahlia

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ORIGINAL: WayWardSoul

I believe they have every right to state there opinion, but on the same note they have to expect what backlash comes from that. Not the stupid death threats, but the burning of there products and boycotts of there work if people don't like it. If thay can't handle it, they shouldn't of went for the role of celebrity to start with.

Being a celebrity is that much more reason to watch your words, there is going to be more people for and against what you say with them. Where I see they was wrong in what they said was the when and where. They was paid by each fan to intertain not rant about there polilical agenda. If thats what they want to do, go campain for someone, vote or even run for an office to do that, but do it on there own time. That goes for any of them for or against. 

WWS

They weren't paid by fans to entertain them. Many musicians sing for themselves... for their own pleasure. Perhaps just as much, or more, sing for sales. None of that makes any difference. They're at liberty to sing about cookies and gumdrops just as much as they're free to sing against the current President and his actions.

If I went out and bought a CD by someone I enjoyed listening to... that'd be my choice and my money. The musician hasn't forced me, in some fashion or another, to purchase their CD. If they held a gun to my head and made me buy their CD but I thought it - or perhaps its message - was a bunch of rubbish I'd have a reason to complain.

But until I'm being manipulated or forced into buying something I have no desire or use for I shouldn't complain about having bought it in the first place. That was my action and I ought to assume responsibility for it. At any rate, complaining about it is pathetic and quite frankly gets me nowhere fast.

If I buy a CD by a favorite artist and come to find enough songs repugnant or distasteful as to desire to get rid of the CD... that's also my choice. I can burn it, chuck it into a trash compactor or toss it into the air and use it for target practice. That'd be my right.

As for those who have complained about celebrities having a louder voice... get on the bleedin' horn. Go to rallies. Picket. Write to your congress(wo)man about whatever it is you're interested in seeing change. Start a grassroots movement.

But don't whine that celebrities are "abusing their rights". They have every right to be just as loudly heard as you'd like to be - and it just so happens they're in a place to do so... sometimes to their detriment. (Tom Cruise anyone?) Just because you've got journalists on your tail doesn't mean you stop having opinions. And just because people don't always agree with them doesn't mean that celebrities have to censor themselves. They are people first, for good or bad. And that means they've got the same right to free speech that the rest of us have. Deal with it.

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I tossed my DC cd's.  I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion but I think that people of celebrity often take their celebrity too far and abuse it.  Natalie Maines did just that and lost any respect I personally had for her. 

I don't think music stars, movie stars, tv stars have any better opinions on the world and politics than the rest of us do.  I believe it is wrong for them to use their celebrity as a platform to push their personal beliefs and agendas on the rest of us.  I'm not gullible enough to fall for it, but there are many people that are, just because they've seen such and such in a movie or on tv.

I don't think celebrities should be allowed to make their voices louder than mine, as I have just as many beliefs, ideas and opinions about politics and the world at large as they do.  I just don't have the availability of a stage and a microphone.

I avoid the movies, music, etc., of celebrities who have political agendas they present in public.