Outspoken musician and activist Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks once stated during a 2003 World Tour that she was basically ashamed to be from the same state as then-president George W. Bush. The backlash of her statement was incredible. The well-spun music of the multi-platinum Grammy winning trio was immediately pulled from most radio stations. The all-female band was lambasted by the media, conservative pundits, and disloyal country music fans. More horrendously, all three received death threats for practicing their American freedom of speech. The whole experience took a toll on the group, and years later they decided to take a hiatus from playing together.
Maines made her statement in 2003, just after the Bush/Cheney administration invaded Iraq causing the mass murder of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians and nearly 5,000 American troops. Maines and the Dixie Chicks were redeemed.
This experience did not silence the anti-war activist who today continues to speak her mind and truth as she continues her solo career. Her latest comment, via Twitter, lashes out at Texas senator and GOP presidential candidate, Ted Cruz. Ashley Iasimone with Billboard Magazine cites Maines:
“Just so you know....I'm ashamed Ted Cruz is from America,” Maines wrote on Twitter late Saturday night (Jan. 23). With her tweet she posted side-by-side images of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Cruz.
xJust so you know....I'm ashamed Ted Cruz is from America;) pic.twitter.com/QU39ERnAzN
— Natalie Maines (@1NatalieMaines) January 24, 2016Maines quotes President Eisenhower:
“I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity,” —President Eisenhower
Eisenhower’s quote is then compared with Ted Cruz statement:
“We will carpet bomb them into oblivion. I don’t know if sand can glow in the dark, but we’re going to find out.” —Ted Cruz
She makes her point well. Maines then tweets again jabbing Cruz further by questioning his national citizenship,
“I stand corrected...Just so you know, I'm ashamed Ted Cruz claims to be American,”
xI stand corrected...Just so you know, I'm ashamed Ted Cruz claims to be American. pic.twitter.com/JUltNImOXH
— Natalie Maines (@1NatalieMaines) January 24, 2016The main difference between Maine’s 2001 statement against Bush, and her 2016 tweets against Cruz is that the latter is being met with great applause now—instead of years later.
On a more pleasant topic: after 10 years, the Dixie Chicks (Maines, Emily Robison and Martie Maguire) will reunite for a new 2016 music tour that begins in June. Cheers to all of them for the courage, endurance, and incredible talent.
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