he debate continues over Natalie Maines' remark about President Bush during the Dixie Chicks' European tour. She told a London audience, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas."
Her comment was first reported in a London newspaper, The Guardian. The Texas-based band later posted an explanation on its Web site outlining its opinions of a war with Iraq.
Despite Maines' written apology to President Bush, a radio boycott knocked the Chicks from the top of the Billboard country singles chart this week. "Travelin' Soldier" topped the chart tallied on March 10, the day Maines made her statement. On Monday the track fell to the No. 3 position.
The Chicks continue to suffer for Maines' remark. Listeners have made postings on Internet message boards and called radio stations expressing disgust.
When the news surfaced of Maines' remark, some radio stations immediately eliminated the band from the play lists. Large chains of stations initiated boycotts of the Chicks' songs over the weekend. Other stations are conducting polls and asking for additional comments on their Web sites.
Radio station KNFM in Bush's hometown of Midland, Texas, offers a direct link to The Guardian on its Web site. The station also quit playing the Chicks' songs in an on-air promotion named "Chicks-Free--Texas Pride Weekend." The station will continue to remain Chicks-free until further notice.
Some stations offered trash cans for angry Americans to throw out Dixie Chicks CDs. Former fans ripped up their concert tickets and burned copies of the band's CDs. The Top of the World tour started out promising by selling out 51 of its 59 concerts. With more than 687,000 tickets purchased, the tour has already generated more than $49 million. The London concert was the first of two European shows scheduled before the North American leg of the band's tour that starts May 1 in Greenville, S.C. The Chicks are scheduled to appear in Indianapolis at Conseco Fieldhouse on May 5. Tickets went on sale March 1. Row 8 tickets are still available online.
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