It can be said that if one does not pay attention to history, then history will repeat itself. History repeated itself in the time period after 9/11. American’s let music influence them so much that it changed their basic thinking. Music at that time was being used to change the idea of what it is to be an American, much like it was used during the Nazi Germany era to change the idea of what it was to be a German.
After 9/11 it seemed that everyone in America was devastated. The citizens of the U.S. did not know what to do or feel. Many relied on music to help them get through the hard times, much like they did during the Civil Rights movement. Several Americans listened to country and popular music, specifically. Both genres of music were geared to be very pro war and encouraged Americans to be pro war. It became commonsensical to believe patriotism and pro war to be one in the same.
The Dixie Chicks, a very popular country group, were seen as pure, down home country girls. When the lead singer, Natalie Maines, uttered the statement "Just so you know ... we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas" disapproval of the trio in the United States spread like wild fire. The Dixie Chicks were banned from all country radio stations. People who had adored the Dixie Chicks threw out all of their CDs they owned. Natalie Maines even received death threats.
With this sprouted two groups of Americans. The group someone would be in depended on his or her answer to the question, “why was it that these artists were persecuted for practicing their right of free speech?” One group would say these women should not have criticized their country on foreign soil during wartime. Another group would say as Americans, it is their responsibility to hold their country accountable for its actions. Numerous Americans grew to believe as time went on that the war being fought then, and are still today is bogus. A war cannot be fought against an idea. The war on terrorism has no clear enemy in one defined area.
Nonetheless, it is important to focus on what made Americans so enraged that they felt they had the right to threaten to end someone’s life. To see the Dixie Chicks, three girls who were held up as good home grown American girls, speak badly of the President of the United States was intolerable to the people who had once supported them. So many country fans could not handle the thought of these girls taking a stand against something that was believed to be so patriotic.
American’s, again, were so distraught because they used music to build up the sense of community that they felt they had lost when the towers fell, and it was displeasing to them to see a music group that was not supporting the pro war hysteria. Another reason the statement was found to be so offensive is that women, especially women who were in the country music circuit, were expected to stay quiet about politics, so the fact that these girls were so bold to talk about politics in wartime made many American’s livid.
What happened to the Dixie Chicks affected the entire music industry. Many artists would not speak out against the war, like artists have done in wars past, because of what happened to the Dixie Chicks. Even artists who had once been very rebellious, especially towards war were now in support of President George W. Bush’s administration and its tactics.
Through this past decade, is has been evident that American’s were in a very disheartened state and it is easy to understand why. American’s felt before 9/11 that they were invincible, and that feeling was taken away from them in a swift and brutal attack. American’s were so vulnerable that they sought a feeling of community, and they found it in music. The manipulation of various forms of media led by those in favor of war led them astray, and taught them to follow the ideas of a corrupt plan.
Looking back on this event it is easy to say that it is absurd that these girls went through this. The reaction to the statement can certainly be called ridiculous. To threaten someone’s life over a free speech issue goes against everything America stands for. America is not about being a good, pure, down home country boy or girl; it is about practicing the rights that were given to all Americans. The moment that is forgotten is the moment that history repeats itself.
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