Not Ready to Make Nice

Okay, since I’ve broken up with the radio, I've been a little bit slow on the news of the popular. I just listened to the interview of the Dixie Chicks by Terry Gross on Fresh Air. The Fresh Air web site linked to a version of "I'm Not Ready to Make Nice," a song that the Chicks wrote about the "situation" where Natalie Maines said that she was ashamed that the president of the United States was from Texas, thier home state, and the world of country music backlashed against the Dixie Chicks for this psuedo-political reason.

Now, I really like this song. I like that they're bracingly, bitterly angry. I've listened to it for almost two hours straight now. But I don't understand the message they are trying to send.

I'm not ready to make nice
I'm not ready to back down
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round

Good. I get it. You're mad. Screw the people who send you death threats, burn your CDs, and teach their children hatred and intolerance. Fine. I totally understand. But then...

It turned my whole world around
And I kind of like it
I made by bed, and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets

Okay, what? You're mad, but you're glad it happened? You like what it did to your life? I mean, maybe you like the outcome - you claim the bandmates are closer to each other than ever, but are you hapy about the death threats? Happy about the people who hate you? Happy about people burning CDs, radio stations banning your music, country music sliding into backwardness?

In the interview, the Dixie Chicks spoke about how back in the day, country music was on the cutting edge of current events and cultural changes (Loretta Lynn singing about "The Pill," for instance), but now it's just the last bastion of the narrow-minded, backwards, God-loving rednecks. Well, why don't they write a song that doesn't have mixed messages then? Just say, "Look, I'm pissed. It hurt me. and then write a song about why this war is bad? Why don't they take some responsibility?

I agree with the Dixie Chicks. They have a right to say whatever they want. If they are anti-war, they should be able to say so. But I wish they would back themselves up. Don't get mad at Toby Keith. If he can write a shitty song about America as a beast (or rabid dog or whatever the hell it is) in support of the war, you can write a better song about why it's bad. Get equal airtime. Take responsibility. Don't just write songs like this, songs that leave your listeners completed confused and with no solid foundation with which to defend you.

Look, I know this feeling. I've behaved badly, been upset, said things I shouldn't have. Later, I apologized, but the apology wasn't accepted. It was hard for me. I was upset that someone wouldn't take my apology. But I worked. For YEARS, I worked hard to get back in the esteem and respect of the person whom I had hurt. I understand, I think, what they want to say. They want to say, "we aren't sorry, but it's made us stronger," but it really just makes them seem weak and uncertain.

Fight back, sisters. You have talent. Use it well.