The only thing I take issue with in Tom Friedman’s latest column is the notion that Tom Daschle and the Dixie Chicks “have been savaged”.
Tom Daschle is a politician. Politicians are always being savaged left and right. It is their job to come out in support or against policies, etc. They expect to take the heat. (Unless they are completely clueless smiling idiots like Trent Lott whose whole reaction to his faux pas was: “Wha’ just happened??”)
But celebs are another issue: It is my feeling that once a celebrity decides to toss themselves into the political arena, then they should not be shocked if they are criticized for their views. Especially when celebrities are used to having whatever they say boiled down into sound-bites for E Online. Once celebrities start making political speeches, especially if they are impromptu, they dig their own graves. (This is why politicians have speech-writers.) Off-the cuff, the celebs can’t help but highlight their own deficiencies: in language-control, in expressing their thoughts and their feelings in an articulate manner, etc.
The Dixie Chicks have been savaged, but no worse than our top politicians have been. Top politicians can be voted out of office. We cannot vote the Dixie Chicks out of office, but we can refuse to buy their CDs. And that’s what hs happened. (I’ll still buy their CDs, but other people are free NOT to.)
Death threats, metal detectors, security details … the Dixie Chicks have now entered this world, the world which is business-as-usual for heads of state, politicians, public officials. But they stepped onto the world stage, they insisted their way into the debate, and so this is the consequence. Being in power is dangerous. You take your life into your own hands. Or you hire people to protect your life as a full-time job. This isn’t a joke, this isn’t a game.
The Dixie Chicks failed to understand the landscape. They felt safe. Feeling safe is a privileged status. They didn’t get that, but they do now.
