Okay, let’s set this straight: Sens win tonight. On a mailing list full of pastors — some who are mocking me and my commitment to my hockey team — I boldly predicted a 4–0 win by Ottawa over Toronto tonight. Don’t let me down boys! (I feel the need to put that last part in there in case the team reads this blog every morning … don’t you think they do?)‘Nuff said.
I watched an interesting documentary last night. It was called Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing. Very interesting video. If you watch it, be warned that there is swearing in it.
It follows the “Chicks” during their “On Top of The World” tour. The tour was taking place just as the U.S. went to war with Saddam. On the eve of the war, one of the girls made a short comment during a concert in England. She said something to the effect, “We don’t agree with this war. I am embarrassed that the President of the United States is from our home State of Texas.”
Well, the American press got a hold of it, and then a group known as “Free Republic” began a campaign against the Chicks. As I watched the documentary, I continually shook my head at the ferocity of the attacks against the girls. There were several death threats, and in one scene you have an inside look at the girls preparing for a concert. They have been warned that someone is planning on shooting one of them during that evening’s show. You can see the fear they have as they play with their kids and prepare to go onstage. They perform without incident, but still, I looked at Heather and said, “That must have been awful.“Of course the tide has turned in the last few years.
Most people are just as embarrassed of President Bush as the Chicks were back then. So, they are popular again and seem to be on an upswing. Good for them.I’m not much of a country music lover, but I think I’ll look into their music a little more … they really impressed me on how they handled things.
What’s my point? I hear Christian groups calling for boycotts all the time. In the case of the Chicks, many of the groups that were smashing CDs and protesting concerts were “Christian.” Over the years, I have probably seen a hundred “boycott this …” demands come across my desk.As a Christ follower, I’m not sure I’m called to boycott anything. Well, if you want to get really technical, I could join in with the song by Degarmo & Key called “Boycott Hell” (Yes, the D&G reference goes back to the 80’s … I realize most of you are going, “WHO?”)
I just wonder if we expend far too much energy talking about what we are against, what we don’t agree with, what we are upset about, instead of focusing on the positives? As I watched the documentary, all I could think was that I wish I could stand beside the Chicks and show support for them. Not because I necessarily agree with what they said (maybe I do, maybe I don’t — it’s not the point), but because no one deserves to have their life threatened simply because they shared how they feel about something.
Anyway … good documentary.
