Way back in 2003, Natalie Maines made a comment that should've been met with indifference. But because of American media and a nameless frothing fanbase, The Dixie Chicks were swiftly excoriated and became reluctant culture warriors. Obviously, such a firestorm should never have happened, but the early 2000s were strange days indeed.
"Shut Up and Sing" follows the Dixie Chicks as they weather the fallout and mount a comeback. It's a revealing look at their personal lives and the toll that such a scandal can take on a person's family. I have to give the filmmakers credit for making this a story ultimately about perseverance rather than some perceived transgression.
So what started all of it? Something negative was said about the president in another country. That's it. Cue the mouth-foaming and the pitchforks. You don't have to be partisan to see how recklessly authoritarian this reaction is, and the fact that corporate radio and talking heads lined up to support it is nauseating to this day.
One of the protesters in the film actually says this: "Keep playin', keep makin' music, and keep your mouth shut!" That one line epitomizes the overall sentiment of the snowflake mob, and should put all Americans on notice.
"Shut Up and Sing" follows the Dixie Chicks as they weather the fallout and mount a comeback. It's a revealing look at their personal lives and the toll that such a scandal can take on a person's family. I have to give the filmmakers credit for making this a story ultimately about perseverance rather than some perceived transgression.
So what started all of it? Something negative was said about the president in another country. That's it. Cue the mouth-foaming and the pitchforks. You don't have to be partisan to see how recklessly authoritarian this reaction is, and the fact that corporate radio and talking heads lined up to support it is nauseating to this day.
One of the protesters in the film actually says this: "Keep playin', keep makin' music, and keep your mouth shut!" That one line epitomizes the overall sentiment of the snowflake mob, and should put all Americans on notice.