re: #340 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

snip

I was also a big fan of Dixie Chicks, but they bit the hand that fed them by offending the sensibilities of Middle America. Although I do not condone the death threats they received, their fall from grace was a matter of them not recognizing what makes a certain market (in this case Top 40 Country) such a powerful thing.

The band Dixie Chicks and lead singer Natalie Maines claim that Free Republic was instrumental in fueling a nationwide boycott of their music, which was organized by some former fans and radio stations after Maines made anti-Bush comments in 2003. In their 2006 documentary Shut Up and Sing as well as in interviews, the Dixie Chicks have often mentioned Free Republic in reference to the boycott, which sharply reduced sales of their CDs and concert tickets.

(google)

Dixie Chicks Boycott Coordination thread - Free Republic
www.freerepublic.com > focus > f-chat > posts
Mar 14, 2003 - 17 posts - ‎14 authors
This is a thread for people who want to support a nationwide boycott of the Dixie Chicks for their unbelievable statements in another country!

…it is important to note that many people were very turned off by the
way that the Dixie Chicks were being treated, including many of their female supporters. However, these voices were not prioritized throughout this controversy. Rather, it was a vocal group of misogynists whose voices were highlighted. Specifically, an organization called the Free Republic which organized to ban the Dixie Chicks from country radio gained attention while many women’s voices remained silenced.

The Dixie Chicks: A Case Study in the Racial and
Gendered History of Country Music repository.wellesley.edu