This serviceman says it all. ____________________________________________________ A letter from a radio station website in Lubbock, Texas, home of the Dixie Chick who bad-mouthed our President: Name: LT. Layne McDowell Date: 03/15/03 Time: 01:54:49 PM An open letter to the Dixie Chicks: Earlier this week, while performing in London, you stated that you were ashamed that our President is from your home state. I wonder if you realized how many Americans would be listening. This American was listening. This Texan is ashamed that you come from my state. I serve my country as an officer in the United States Navy. Specifically, I fly F-14 Tomcats off carriers around the world, executing the missions that preserve the very freedom you claim to exercise. I have proudly fought for my country in the skies over Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan without regret. Though I may disagree wholeheartedly with your comments, I will defend to the death your right to say them, in America. But for you to travel to a foreign land and publicly criticize our Commander in Chief is cowardice behavior. Would you have so willingly made those comments while performing for a patriotic, flag-waving crowd of Texans in Lubbock? I would imagine not. How dare you pocket profits off songs about soldiers, their deaths and patriotism while criticizing their Commander in Chief abroad, even while they prepare to give their lives to ensure your own freedom of speech. Please ask yourself, what have you done to deserve that sacrifice? Do not try to justify your comments by claiming that you made them only because you care about innocent lives. Never once in our history have we committed troops to war for the purpose of taking innocent lives. We do it to protect innocent lives, even yours. If the world leaders of the late 1930s had the vision and courage of our present Commander in Chief, perhaps the evil men who caused the death of millions in WWII would have never had the opportunity to harm a soul. The potential loss of millions of lives in the future at the hands of today's evil men necessitate action. In a separate correspondence, I am returning to you each and every Dixie Chicks CD and cassette that I have ever purchased. Never again will I allow my funds to support your behavior. All you have done is to add your name to a growing list of American "Celebrities" who have failed to realize that they have obtained their successes on the backs of the American blue-collar workers such as our servicemen and women. To Natalie Maines: This Texan, this American, will continue to risk his life to guarantee your freedoms. What will you do to deserve it? _________________________________________________ Everyone should read this letter, I am glad he is fighting on our side. DD
Can we have a Dixie Chick thread moratorium, please? We get it, celebrities with different opinions than us, bad. Don't give me the excuse of where they said it...he used it, then went on to bash other celebrities (though not by name) who have different opinions. Also, I'm not big on Dixie Chick music, but do they have any songs talking about the troops? Also, there is a huge difference between supporting this President and supporting the troops.
RM95, It is not necessarily the letter to the Dixie chicks, just that it is from a serviceman. I think it puts a lot of this in perspective. I like reading things from the troops viewpoint, makes me proud that they are there protecting my freedoms. DD
they have a song called Traveling Soldier that's about the Vietnam war. one could see the lyrics as anti-war since the subject dies at the end. http://www.coquetshack.com/lyrics/Lyrics_T/Traveling_soldier_0320.htm Two days past eighteen, He was waitin' for the bus in his army greens. Sat down in a booth, in a cafe there, Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair. He's a little shy but she give him a smile, So he said: "Would you mind sittin' down for a while? "And talkin' to me. I'm feelin' a little low." She said: "I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go." So they went down and they sat on the pier, He said: "I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't care, "I got no one to send a letter to. "Would you mind if I sent one back here to you?" I cried: "Never gonna hold the hand of another guy." "Too young for him," they told her. Waitin' for the love of the travellin' soldier. "Our love will never end." Waitin' for the soldier to come back again Never more to be alone when the letter says, My soldier's comin' home. The letters came from an army camp, In California, then Vietnam. He told her of his heart, it might be love, And all of the things he was so scared of. He said: "When it's gettin' kinda rough over here, "I think of that day, sittin' down at the pier. "And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile. "Don't worry, but I won't be able to write for a while." I cried: "Never gonna hold the hand of another guy." "Too young for him," they told her. Waitin' for the love of the travellin' soldier. "Our love will never end." Waitin' for the soldier to come back again Never more to be alone when the letter says, My soldier's comin' home. One Friday night at a football game, The Lord's Prayer said, and the anthem sang, A man said: "Folks would you bow your head, "For the list of local Vietnam dead." Cryin' all alone under the stands, Was the piccolo player in the marching band. And one name read and nobody really cared, But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair. I cried: "Never gonna hold the hand of another guy." "Too young for him," they told her. Waitin' for the love of the travellin' soldier. "Our love will never end." Waitin' for the soldier to come back again Never more to be alone when the letter says, My soldier's comin' home
OK, now, have they said anything about not being supportive of the troops? I don't like our President, but I'm highly supportive of our troops.
Man, a lot of people have been saying this, most of them not even in the service. They make a half ass "I support your right to have an opinion" statement, then let you know damn well that if your opinion is counter to what they believe that they will do more than disagree. "I support your right to have an opinion, but since it's different than mine, I'm gonna set your CD's on fire. Nevermind that fact that I already paid for them, it's all in the message. Which will be forgotten sooner than later."
Oski, I think it is ok to voice an opinion, but to be in a foreign country, and say that you are embarresed by your president, is a bit much. I am not a big Bush fan, but I will support him now that we are at war. I probably won't vote for him again, unless this all turns out better then we could imagine. DD
Well, when I say "I support your right to have an opinion," I just mean I support your right to express yourself without being punished by the government. Any punishment brought by the American public is fair game...provided it's legal.
Fair enough, but we weren't at war yet when she said it. I don't know, I just ask for perspective. Since I know what DaDa does, I'll pick on him for my example. Just imagine you saying what your stance is on abortion one day. People who buy your videogames find out and the ones who disagree decide to destroy your games and call for a boycott. How does that make you feel? You make damn good games, people love them, but because your opinion on something is different, they are going ape ****. Now because of what you said, they are hitting you in the bank account because they are getting more people to not buy your games. It gets much worse. The othe 2 chicks didn't say anything, now they are taking heat as well. I doubt you want people dragging your family or coworkers/employes into this. I guess I'm just asking for people to ease up. Man, I wish I could come up with a better example. Maybe you could be at a convention in London and say "Screw it, from now on, all games should be cell shaded." Then all the people who don't want their games to look like cartoons get pissed and all the stuff I previously mentioned happens.
Here, I'll save them time Oski: "It's there right to do that" Even though you're not saying it isn't.
She didn't just say "I'm against the war" one day in passing. Do you REALLY think people would care if that's all she did? You should change your example above to be "imagine you saying one day in front of THOUSANDS of people what your stance on abortion is, and anyone who disagrees, you're ashamed to be from the same place as they are".
So basically, we should support their right to have an opinion, but depress our right to have an opinion of their opinion? It seems like a cut and dry issue to me, I don't understand the Pro Opinion/Anti-Reaction argument, it's not like their homes are being set aflame...
I'm not saying that at all, people can continue to do stupid things like this if they want. I'm just saying I think it's r****ded for someone to not like something that entertained them second before, just because of someone's opinion. I still love Bruce Willis the actor (well, maybe not so much after Tears of the Sun) even though he ranted against Al Gore (our Vice-President at the time) and called him the devil.
