An old post of mine on the Dixie Chicks seems to have attracted a response (I need to remember to start turning off comments on old posts).

It’s been a trying morning here so far, so my patience is stretched a bit thin.  Here’s the comment that was left:

I have to say that country music lecterns can’t and won’t stand by their own. We are all entitled to speak our minds and yes – that is a right that all Americans fight for everyday.

EVERY AMERICAN SUPPORTS THE TROOPS HOWEVER NOT EVERY AMERICAN SUPPORTS THE POLITICAL VIEW OF THE AMINSTRATION.

THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO AND EVERY SOUTHERNER AND COUNTRY MUSIC LISTERN SHOULD TAKE NOTICE.

DON’T HATE THE DIXIE CHICKS FOR STANDING THEIR GROUND.

Stand up to everyone who brings their children to CD bashings that local radio stations host. We should all be ashamed of parents who teach their children to hate others for not agreeing with their political beliefs.

That’s UN- AMERICAN.

Once again, this commenter demonstrates the fact that so many people don’t understand the true meaning of free speech.  Free speech does not mean that you can say whatever you want without consequences to your friendships or career. 

Free speech simply means that the government isn’t standing over your shoulder ready to haul you off to an acid bath or cut your tongue out if you say something the government doesn’t like.

As a free citizen, I have an absolute right to disagree with someone and to withhold support from them if I choose.

There seems to be this sentiment from some quarters that we should somehow ignore what others say and continue to support them no matter what they say.  This seems to include the idea that “standing your ground” is somehow such a noble act that it negates the content of the ideas expressed while standing that ground.  This is complete and utter crapola.

Of course, the commenter couldn’t make her point without resorting to that old canard about hate.  This has absolutely nothing to do with hate and if she’d be honest with herself, she’d realize that.  To compare it to hate is to unnecessarily polarize the debate.  Of course, that seems to be a standard tactic amongst those who don’t understand the debate or would like to focus attention away from it.

Let’s make this absolutely clear once again, just in case some people aren’t getting it:
   Free speech isn’t free of consequences.

Don’t expect me to continue to shell out my hard-earned money to support someone that I don’t like.  To demand that I do so out of some misguided respect for someone “standing their ground” is what is truly un-American.