http://launch.yahoo.com/read/news.asp?contentID=212841 

(3/31/03, 7 a.m. ET) -- The Dixie Chicks controversy continues with the trio getting some support from former Vice President Al Gore. Gore spoke to a college audience last week on the subject of fewer companies owning more media outlets, and what he sees as the increasing lack of tolerance for opposing views.

According to the Tennessean, Gore used recent attacks on the Dixie Chicks that followed anti-war comments by Natalie Maines as an example. Gore told the audience, "They were made to feel un-American and risked economic retaliation because of what was said. Our democracy has taken a hit," Gore said. "Our best protection is free and open debate."

Record sales have fallen for the Chicks and radio stations across the country banned the trio's music after Maines told a London concert crowd that she was "ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas." Maines later released an apology.

-- Nancy Brooks, Nashville

let them do hip hop. They should sell like hot cakes...

They deserve each other!

As a former miltary guy I strongly support the right to free speech. I also strongly support the right of people to choose where they'll spend their money. The dixie chicks can voice whatever opinion they like and the government won't step in. It was the usually quiet majority that called their local radio stations and demanded that the songs not be played. The cost of freedom is high even for musician. It could cost them their income and their careers.

As soon as their music was boycotted they had an amazing change of heart and apologized. The apology was nothing more than a business decision. I guess there just aren't enough anti-war, anti-government country music fans to keep the chicks rolling in the money.

Ms. Maines can voice any opinion she likes as far as I'm concerned, but she should say it at home first, in Texas, not in a foreign country before an anti-American crowd. Smacks of cowardice. That's why the Dixie Chicks will never recover their audience. Al Gore and other defenders would like to equate the backlash with a new age of McCarthyism and intolerance. Not true, Dixie Chicks can go on talking ad infinitum, but a lot of folks choose not to listen.

Yeaup. Fingers in ears like Jim Carey in Dumb and Dumber... LELELELE LIE LIE LIE LIE LOW LOW LOW LOWMAN.

I guess to be considered "free speech" you have to shake the establishment and lie down in the road.

Apparently, the simple refusal to purchase a dixie **** album constitutes a blow to democracy.

Maybe Gore should join the band. Then they wouldnt have to change their name. He could even invent some new type of music they could sing.

Mag

i finally found out that the dixie chicks are country singers.

why would anyone care what gore thinks about anything. i remember listening to him and remember having a hard time listening, not so much to what he had to say, but how he spoke. kind of a flat monotone.

Algore should join the Dixie Chicks and become AliceGore...........I am sure he would then claim he invented country music.

Bye bye, Dixie Chicks and Algore!

Charlie