Double Standards

I know many of ya'll will probably laugh at me because I do like country music, and that is partially what this post is about. And after I'm done, I'm sure that there will be jokes about the lower intelligence of full time country listeners, and I won't deny that. Good thing I only listen to country part time, and my country season ended last week. I knew it was over when I woke up last Friday and was listening to country and I changed the station because it wasn't loud enough. I knew country season was over when I woke up in a Metallica sort of mood. But I still have a beef with full time country listeners/country devotees/rednecks.
Here's the rant: In 2003, right before the war in Iraq began, the Dixie Chicks made a statement while in concert in England. They stated that they were ashamed that the president of the USA was from their home state of Texas. That was it. That was the statement. After they made that statement, over 1000 country stations across the country BANNED the Dixie Chicks from radio play. To this day, those stations STILL have an informal ban on the Dixie Chicks. A large number of their listeners stopped listening to them.
My problems with this are: 1) What happened to freedom of speech? It seems like we've become more policed, less free, than most of us would be willing to admit. Big Brother IS watching. 2)Toby Keith and his launch of what I like to refer to as "boot in the ass country" because of the lyrics of his "Angry American" song. These songs are BLINDLY patriotic. Don't get me wrong... Generally patriotism has it's good points BUT when it comes to BLIND patriotism, it just demonstrates an inability to think for one's self. The blindly patriotic only know that they stand for America, and they regergitate all statements made by the president. They take the stand that the president is INFALLIBLE because he is, after all, the PRESIDENT. Once again, being supportive of the president, even if you don't always agree, is one thing... Just nodding and smiling and going along with whatever he says, giving the president the authority of GOD, is another thing all together... And that's what the blindly patriotic do.
Basically, it just ENRAGES me that the Dixie Chicks can be boycotted for saying that they are ashamed to be from the same state as our president--not saying that what they said is right or wrong, just that it's their RIGHT--but Toby Keith gets to hang around despite redneck, ignorant statements like "we'll put a boot in their ass, it's the American way." It's okay to make America come across as a bunch of bullies. AGHHHHHHHHH. Even worse, in concert, Toby Keith equated the Dixie Chicks with SADDAM HUSSEIN!!!!! It's one thing to be ignorant and think that America is supposed to be all about REVENGE, but to equate those who disagree with you as equally evil to a terrorist?! If you don't like the Dixie Chicks, just change the station... It's what I have to do every time Toby Keith comes on...
Sorry for the rant. I just really had to get that out after reading the article about the Dixie Chicks in Time Magazine this week. Most of it was old news. What was NEW news to me, was that they even received DEATH THREATS because of what they said. Things like this make me NOT proud to be an American. That's not to say that I don't appreciate it--I do--I am grateful everyday when I think about all of the other places I could have been born. But it makes me said that so often America conveys itself as a bully, as a biggot, rather than as a kind and protective society...