Al Gore is defending the Dixie Chicks, who made some comments about the Prez overseas a few weeks back. They were made to feel un-American and risked economic retaliation because of what was said," Yahoo’s Launch music site quotes the erstwhile veep as saying. Our democracy has taken a hit. Our best protection is free and open debate."
So Gore’s position is that the Dixie Chicks have the right to say whatever they want, but those who express their disagreement, either verbally or through their choice of music to purchase, are a threat to democracy.
I think you’ve missed this one. I believe (and I have been channelling Al a bit lately, so I think I have some status to say this) that when people feel they can’t express their opinions without feeling economically threatened, our democracy takes a hit. I don’t think he was saying that what the Dixie Chicks said was bad, just people’s reactions to it.
I think Gore and others are completely missing something (c.f. Tim Robbins)
Our democracy is not about being able to freely express your opinions without fear of reprisal, but about not having to fear GOVERNMENT reprisal.
You can put a sign on the door of your business that says "I hate George Bush, His policies, and the War, Piss on them all! "
I believe that no one in the GOVERNMENT has the right to make you remove a sign like that from your business or private property.
But when you find that business has dropped dramatically, it’s not George Bush’s fault, or a right wing conspiracy, it’s your own fault.
Al Gore is defending the Dixie Chicks, who made some comments about the Prez overseas a few weeks back. They were made to feel un-American and risked economic retaliation because of what was said," Yahoo’s Launch music site quotes the erstwhile veep as saying. Our democracy has taken a hit. Our best protection is free and open debate."
So Gore’s position is that the Dixie Chicks have the right to say whatever they want, but those who express their disagreement, either verbally or through their choice of music to purchase, are a threat to democracy.
Link to Launch:
http://launch.yahoo.com/read/news.asp?contentID=212841
It’s so sad when you can’t spell your insults correctly. 🙂
The fact that the chinese have been doing this for some time shouldn’t really bother me, but this bothers me:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=1503&e=18&u=/afp/iraq_war_us_politics
and so does this:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=615&e=18&u=/nm/life_protests_dc
I think you’ve missed this one. I believe (and I have been channelling Al a bit lately, so I think I have some status to say this) that when people feel they can’t express their opinions without feeling economically threatened, our democracy takes a hit. I don’t think he was saying that what the Dixie Chicks said was bad, just people’s reactions to it.
I think Gore and others are completely missing something (c.f. Tim Robbins)
Our democracy is not about being able to freely express your opinions without fear of reprisal, but about not having to fear GOVERNMENT reprisal.
You can put a sign on the door of your business that says "I hate George Bush, His policies, and the War, Piss on them all! "
I believe that no one in the GOVERNMENT has the right to make you remove a sign like that from your business or private property.
But when you find that business has dropped dramatically, it’s not George Bush’s fault, or a right wing conspiracy, it’s your own fault.