Guardian on the Dixie Chicks story....Unbelievable.

I CAN'T BELIEVE that the American Red Cross turned down a $1m donation from the Dixie Chicks because Bush is one of their patrons.

Does anyone know anything about this? If it's true it is sickening....

"The Dixie Chicks backlash hits us almost as soon as we touch down on American soil. Standing in line at Cincinnati airport, an immigration officer asks the purpose of our visit. When we tell him we're here to interview the Texan trio, he refrains from spitting on federal property. But you can hear the sound of phlegm gathering in the back of his throat. "They should string those girls up," he snarls.

Before we know it, we've been hauled off to have our bags searched and we miss our connecting flight to Memphis, where the Chicks are playing the following night. Welcome to America....

At several venues, demonstrations have been staged. In Little Rock, Arkansas, a few days earlier, a local radio station handed out anti-Chicks T-shirts. More ludicrously, the American Red Cross turned down the group's offer of a $1m donation from the tour proceeds because Bush is one of its patrons.

Barbara Boxer, a Democratic senator from California, likened the corporate radio ban to Nazi Germany and the McCarthyite witch-hunts of the 1950s and called it "a chilling message to people that they ought to shut up".

Full story:


http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/fridayreview/story/0,12102,1026475,00.html

I am stunned that this is happening in the Land of the Free....

P.

Why don't you post it in GD so more will see it? If this is true, then the Red Cross needs some emails.

Has anyone else heard of this?

Lots of stories about the Dixie Chicks asking fans to donate directly, but nothing about the Red Cross refusing to accept a donation.

I might mail the guy who wrote the article.

P.

kind of a grim irony in that.

She used it as her own personal soapbox, all the while fucking up blood supplies and educational programs! United Way, Red Cross, Baseball Hall of Fame are merely reich-wing tax dodges! On the plus side Dolly Parton stood up for the Chicks1

again get a nickel from me and the Baseball Hall of Fame can go to blue-blazes.

...information to immigration officers? That wasn't necessary. "We're here on business to interview a group of entertainers." That should have been enough. Of course they shouldn't have been harrassed because they were interviewing the Chicks, but sheesh, most reporters know you don't volunteer such specifics to "police" authorities unless the law or a court order demands it... and even then there are cases when you keep you lip buttoned.

Long time no hear...

I suspect that these reporters deliberately mentioned the Dixie Chicks to see what response they got.....

P.

All's well, thanks, now that temps have dropped. Hope things are good with you.

I think you're probably right about the reporters saying that to see what reaction they would get. But I've undergone several unwarranted and long-winded grillings from US immigration officers and I've learned my lesson. "You live in Europe? What do you do there? Why are you visiting the US? How long do you plan to stay? What are you carrying in your bags?" Uh, hey, Mac, I'm a friggin' US citizen! Take a gander at my passport, you bozo!

SNIP...."Thank you for contacting the American Red Cross with your concerns. There is much more to the story about the "donation" from the Dixie Chicks that the American Red Cross supposedly "turned down" referred to in a Friday, August 22, The Guardian news article entitled "Free the Dixie Three." Here are the facts:
" The American Red Cross is founded upon seven fundamental principles: Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity and Universality.
" The American Red Cross operates a National Celebrity Cabinet comprised of celebrities in all fields who are invited to assist the American Red Cross.
" The American Red Cross extended an invitation to the Dixie Chicks in November 2002 and again in January 2003 to be part of the American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet. The Dixie Chicks did not respond to these invitations.
" Three other country music entities agreed to be part of the Cabinet and help support the American Red Cross throughout the year.
" The Dixie Chicks controversy erupted in March.
" It was only after this controversy developed that the Dixie Chicks approached the American Red Cross.
" The Dixie Chicks wanted the American Red Cross to align itself with the Dixie Chicks summer concert tour and offered the American Red Cross a financial benefit in return for this alignment.
" Stated differently, the prospective financial benefit would be given by the Dixie Chicks only if the American Red Cross would embrace the band's summer tour.
" The Dixie Chicks controversy made it impossible for the American Red Cross to associate itself with the band because such association would have violated two of the founding principles: Impartiality and Neutrality. The Neutrality principle states that we "may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature."
" Should the Dixie Chicks like to make an unconditional financial donation to the American Red Cross, we will gladly accept it...."

I found this National Celebrity Cabinet at their website:
http://www.redcross.org/news/other/entertainment/natcelebcab/quotes.asp
There are not many taking advantage of it.
I wonder how much more to the story than this? I remember the Tampa incident with Susan Sarandon, and they spun it like cotton candy.
I appreciated their response, but there are so few celebrities here, it makes me wonder why there aren't more?

I almost abbreviated your sobriquet Mad Floridian to its initials, but that wouldnt have been a good idea now would it?

Sounds to me like some management type within the "Chicks" organisation proferred this and the Red Cross correctly refused...I personally like their music, defend Natalie Mains right to free speech, deplore that she apologised for it, or even had too. As a trucker I am required ;) to listen to country music...DOT regulations you know ( ok Im being silly) but I do not see any boycott of their music on the local country stations up here in Northern California, perhaps there may be in other more rabid parts of the country......

I got a very similar response from them today. At least I feel comfortable donating again...

In what specific ways would the Red Cross have had to "embrace" the Dixie Chicks on their tour?

My gut reaction to this is that the Red Cross is shoveling high toned BS here.