Merle Hasn’t Lost His Fightin’ Side
Dr BLT (c)2007
http://www.drblt.net/music/MerleVeryLast.mp3

somebody behind the Grammys scene was:

Playin’ Politics with the Dixie Chicks
Not Ready to Make Rice
Dr BLT (c) 2007
http://www.drblt.net/music/DixieChicks.mp3

and they’re

Not Ready to Make Rice
Dr BLT (c) 2007
http://www.drblt.net/music/MakeRice.mp3

rockerr: My only point, and it has nothing to do with their music, is that they stood their ground and came back after being wiped out by a music industry that seems to be unwilling to support folks who speak publicly about an administration that is destroying the country. The entertainment industry took it up the rear during the McCarthy era as well. You may be right, they might have been used (I really don’t know) but I do admire the fact that they’ve been publicly acknowledged for holding their ground in the face of ignorant neo-con adversity.

As you know, these awards were not given by the people. This was not the People’s Music Awards, rather less than 11,000 members of professionals in the music industry. One writer brought up the idea that the vote for the various catagories was so split, that the largest chunk of votes left were the politically active members who had the opportunity to “make a statement” with what amounts to a lackluster album and a really boring song.

First of all, there’s no way a song like that would take song of the year at the Grammys unless it had help, through collusion or other means, or jury nullification, just like the O.J. trial. And for them to win 5 awards if just not only improbable, but impossible! It looks like the Grammys jumped the shark last night, allowing politics to influence the outcome of not one but 5 awards and I personally could never look at them in any kind of positive light again, though that’s been coming for a long time now.

I’ve been a professional musician for over 35 years, a session player on albums and a touring sideman. I’m hearing nothing, and I repeat nothing, but disbelief at what happened last night. Some are asking for an investigation to see if there was indeed any wrong doing in the “winning” of these awards. And all along, Natalie and the world still actually think that they really won those awards.

Sad. Hope they never realize what really happened. They were used!

However, when even I notice an unsigned NYT editorial spelling out the proof of how the administration lied to get us into Iraq, then I think chances are increasing that we will finish waking up, rub the sleep out of our eyes, put the Fair Trade coffee on and get behind the brave and committed folks who are preparing the case against the Bush Administration. Cynically, I suspect that this process will flower either during primary season or in the fall of 2008.

The fact is, Americans elected this guy two times. The first time was close and the conservative Supreme Court annointed him. The second time he was elected by the people. He already had a dismal track record so it’s not just him, it’s us. We did it. And, now, the Democrats don’t have the balls to impeach him and take Cheney out at the same time. The entire administration are war criminals and need to be taken out of office and tried and put in jail. They’ve lied. They’ve killed a lot of people. They’ve messed with our human rights. They’re the worst administration in the history of the country.

Why it took so long for the country to wake up is beyond me. Thousands of people have now died for absolutely no good reason and the world is destabilized. Great. And, to top it all off, we’re working on going into Iran next.

Hey, you got a spare bedroom over there?

It just so happens that the far right is very well organized, better now than the left or far left. There are chinks in the armor like Christian fundamentalists becoming environmentalists because god doesn’t destroy the earth… but for the most part, the far right and Bush are a repeat of the Nixon years.

Nixon years: Love it or leave it.

Bush years: You’re either with us or you’re against us.

Either way, that’s not what democracy is all about. Bush should have been impeached long ago and the fact that he hasn’t been is an indicator of how low we’ve sunk.

Girl(friend): I’ve never been a fan of their music, just them and their style. I admire anyone or any group who gets rich and famous and uses (not abuses) their fame to do good in the world, including saying “fuck you” when it’s needed to important people. For instance, George Clooney, Steven Soderberg, Tim Robins, and Susan Sarandon. Even good old (Hanoi) Jane Fonda.