When Did this Stop Being a Free Country?

So, just like most people who work in an office, I listen to music while I'm at work. Yesterday a song by the Dixie Chicks came on entitled "Not Ready to Make Nice" Most of you have probably heard this song. After listening to the lyrics I realized what this song was actually about. I had my ideas, but I decided to ask a friend what they thought first.

So I did. Her response? "Talking sh*t about the president."

WHAT? Yeah, that's not what I thought.But I did think it was about the incident a while back, which made many stores and radio stations ban the Dixie Chicks from their airwaves and shelves. Natalie Maines, I think that's her name, made a comment while in London quite a while ago, stating that she was embarrassed to be from the same state as her President. I don't know if that's exactly what she said, but that's the idea behind it. And ofcourse, the media went into a frenzy stating that she was "unsupportive" of her president, and should be ashamed to be so "un-american".

Un-American? Isn't one of the freedoms that we American's enjoy, our Freedom of Speech? So how is it that when expressing her opinion, she became un-American? People speak out about the War, about our President, about anything and everything that they want to speak out about, at award shows, news broadcasts, newspaper articles and in protests. But Natalie Maines, makes one comment, and all of the sudden SHE'S the Un-American one?

Note:Though I'm not a fan of our President, or the war, I am willing to recognize that I have no idea what it's liking being him. And since I am smart enough to know that what the media broadcasts is greatly skewed, I'm not going to start ranting about the truth. My only opinion about the whole subject, is it would be awfully hard to just pull out and send everyone home after all that has happened. But then again that's only an opinion, not gospel.

Aaaaaaaaand we're back...

Why is it speaking your opinion is so blatantly untollerable? Granted, this IS a free country, so Walmart has every right to take any actions they feel, just because the rotation of the earth throws them in that direction. But the outwardly hatred towards someone because of their opinion, and stating that speaking their opinion is a travesty, is just plain ridiculous if you ask me.

Guess what people? Natalie Maines is HUMAN. Therefore she has feelings and emotions, and just because she makes more money than everyone I know combined, doesn't mean that she has forfeited her right to express those feelings. No one attacks Eminem for talking about killing Kim. Though people do say that they don't like it, I don't know a single radio station that has banned "Smack That" because of it.

Maybe there's a big part of the picture that I'm not seeing. Someone told me that it wasn't so much that they were against her saying that, but that she wasn't supporting her country while she was abroad. SHE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HER COUNTRY! She said something about the President! She, along with half this country, does not like the president! Who cares? That's her God AND Constitutionally given right!

But like I said, since this is a free country and we all DO enjoy our freedom of speech, go ahead and hate her for it, and publically denounce her because of it. And I, in return, will enjoy MY freedom of speech and tell YOU that you're an idiot.

But I happen to have lots of idiot friends, so no worries, we can still hang out.