- Signatures: 16,183
- Goal: 500,000
- Deadline: 3-18-2004
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Support Freedom of Speech!
A new assault on free speech arose today in the South Carolina State Legislature. In what is clearly an attempt to curb our civil liberties, State Rep. Catherine Ceips wants the Dixie Chicks "to apologize" to South Carolina military families for anti-Bush sentiments expressed by the lead singer in London.
What is happening to America, if we cannot exercise our civil liberties and speak out when we disagree with our government?
Ceips said that she plans to introduce a resolution to condemn comments by Dixie's lead singer Natalie Maines who supposedly "told an audience at a London show that she was ashamed" that Pres. Bush "was from Texas, the group's home state."
Ceips said if the resolution "wins House approval," she'll "send the resolution to the Dixie Chicks."
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong,is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
-- Theodore Roosevelt speaking against Wilson's crackdown on dissent after the U.S. entered WWI.
Sign this petition to the Dixie Chicks letting them know you support their freedom of speech, and tell Rep. Ceips that you are concerned about her willingness to overlook and seriously undermine the principles on which the United States of America was founded.
A new assault on free speech arose today in the South Carolina State Legislature. In what is clearly an attempt to curb our civil liberties, State Rep. Catherine Ceips wants the Dixie Chicks "to apologize" to South Carolina military families for anti-Bush sentiments expressed by the lead singer in London.
What is happening to America, if we cannot exercise our civil liberties and speak out when we disagree with our government?
Ceips said that she plans to introduce a resolution to condemn comments by Dixie's lead singer Natalie Maines who supposedly "told an audience at a London show that she was ashamed" that Pres. Bush "was from Texas, the group's home state."
Ceips said if the resolution "wins House approval," she'll "send the resolution to the Dixie Chicks."
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong,is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
-- Theodore Roosevelt speaking against Wilson's crackdown on dissent after the U.S. entered WWI.
Sign this petition to the Dixie Chicks letting them know you support their freedom of speech, and tell Rep. Ceips that you are concerned about her willingness to overlook and seriously undermine the principles on which the United States of America was founded.
| Number | Date | Name | City | State | Why is this issue important to you? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16,212 | 2:40 am PST, Nov 30 | Richard Bruno | Phila | Pennsylvania | |
| 16,211 | 4:28 am PST, Nov 17 | Andre van Rensburg | Hermanus | A dumb arsehole like Bush should be shot in public. | |
| 16,210 | 12:31 pm PDT, May 20 | Elena Dragomir | Craiova | ||
| 16,209 | 6:59 am PDT, May 14 | Jean-Paul Lefaivre | New Liskeard | I agree with the Dixie Chics.We should be able to voice our opinions on things.It is about time that governments know how we feel.Too bad if Bush did not like it.It is time we stand for our rights.Maybe if more people voiced their opinions, we could make this world live in peace.Peace makes peace,war solves nothing but creats more war. | |
| 16,208 | 7:32 am PDT, Apr 3 | Todd Gurvis | Winnetka | California | |
| 16,207 | 10:37 am PDT, Mar 16 | Katherine Sorensen | Joelton | Tennessee | The freedom's that our country was founded for, is why I sign this petition. We are being pushed to become so bussy to survive, that we have little time for the bigger issues taking over our lives. Our voice is the only thing ready to inform those that are not in the mix of the civilian population. If they take away our voice, then the goverment and its supporters are telling us they do not care. If they do not care, then what is it that they will do in our best intests and in the intrests of our childrens future? Stand up for what you believe, no matter what. The minute they are not bothered by the voice, is the minute they take it away. Let's hold on to the few freedom's that we have left. |
| 16,206 | 12:41 am PST, Jan 23 | Victoria Mary Stong / Community Activist | Long Island City | New York | God bless Freedom of Speech! This is what makes a person and country so great! |
| 16,205 | 6:35 pm PST, Jan 15 | Jolyn Eggart | Helena | Montana | |
| 16,204 | 5:01 am PST, Dec 11 | Kristance Harlow | Mount Holly | Vermont | |
| 16,203 | 6:38 am PDT, Oct 24 | Anonymous | Denver | Colorado | |
| 16,202 | 10:23 am PDT, Oct 4 | O. Willis | Washington | Washington D.C. | I love a good piece of ass, and these chicks have terrific booty. |
| 16,201 | 10:46 am PDT, Aug 29 | Loreen Morgan | Fountain | Colorado | Whether the Dixie chicks' opinion is right or wrong, despite who it may have offended, they and every other American has not only a right, but a responsibility to express freedom of speech. This becomes especially true when someone is in a position to reach the general public.....lest we rely on the media to be the voice for us all. |
| 16,200 | 10:03 am PDT, Aug 5 | Steve Morris | Noblesville | Indiana | BUSH is wanting to be DICTATOR. He wants to be HILTER. He using chemtrails in the jet fuel. This, he(BUSH) is killing Americans. Bush is nothing but NAM deseter. TRATIOR TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE and the troops. |
| 16,199 | 7:07 pm PDT, Jul 3 | Geo Bush | Washington | Washington D.C. | The Dixie Chicks are free to speak their mind. They can say what they want to say ... They shouldn't have their feelings hurt just because some people don't want to buy their records when they speak out ... Freedom is a two-way street ... I don't really care what the Dixie Chicks said. I want to do what I think is right for the American people, and if some singers or Hollywood stars feel like speaking out, that's fine. That's the great thing about America. It stands in stark contrast to Iraq.. |
| 16,198 | 7:30 am PDT, May 7 | Anonymous | Anywhere | Virginia | |
| 16,197 | 6:49 pm PDT, Apr 17 | Katie Urtz | West Winfield | New York | I think that everyone should have a chance to speak for themselves, the dixie chicks have a right to say what they want. It deffinatly doesn't matter if your republican or democrat. If everyone is still upset about this and talk about them they are just hypocrites. |
| 16,196 | 1:01 pm PDT, Apr 12 | Marlee Watt | Hermitage | Arkansas | |
| 16,195 | 12:51 pm PDT, Apr 10 | anna ramey | kingsport | Tennessee | I believe in free speach for all. Toby Keith, Natalie Maines, anyone period. And when they start playing DCX again on the radio i will again listen to country music until then they have lost a fan. |
| 16,193 | 11:02 am PDT, Mar 29 | chet minetto | reno | Nevada | Bush should be impeached and put on trial for war crimes |
| 16,192 | 8:47 am PDT, Mar 25 | Richard Neunie | hollywood | Florida | The Government is abusing our rights every day and the problem is snowballing. What will they try to do next? We have to stop the bullshit right now. |
| 16,191 | 7:59 pm PDT, Mar 21 | Katherine Garvelink | Grand Rapids | Michigan | |
| 16,190 | 2:56 pm PDT, Mar 20 | kristofer spruell | house springs | Missouri | Media Control is unacceptable. |
| 16,189 | 6:28 pm PDT, Mar 13 | Jay Frantz | Raleigh | North Carolina | We, the people have the right to free speech and protection against reprisal for the same. |
| 16,188 | 10:24 pm PST, Mar 6 | Evan Howe | Indianapolis | Indiana | I am so angry that the media distorts and attracts so much scrutiny over a simple comment taken out of context. These three women (not to mention the other members of their entourage) have had to suffer emotionally, psychologically, and financially over such a trivial statement made against (perhaps) our country's worst president in the history of our nation. Shame on us all. If it were just a matter of a group of musicians being mistreated, it would be sad enough. But what concerns me (personally) the most is that as a species we can be so brilliant and yet so completely frigging ignorant at the same time. How can a human being be so stupid as to threaten another person's life over her opinion? After so much recorded history, how can we as a society give birth to so much intolerance. And I'm not even a country-western fan! But I admire these women and wish we all could be more like them. |
| 16,187 | 7:01 pm PST, Mar 6 | Anonymous | Olympia | Washington | Freedom of speech and the right to dissent from the officialdom position is the foundation of the democratic society |
| 16,186 | 6:14 pm PST, Feb 21 | TRACY HLADY | keswick, ontario | we love the dixie chicks, theres nothing wrong with speeking your mind its reality. and its bullshit that there being treated like this and judged. I have all your cds and keep making them. Im waiting for you to come to canada, Iv never been to a concert and Im excited to see you all. as for the bush ya the war has to stop!!! and bush has gone A wall. we stand behind you all the way. xox keep the good work up! I speak my mind. Tracyhlady | |
| 16,185 | 1:46 pm PST, Feb 14 | dana szemereta | Buxton | North Carolina | BUSH IS A PUSSY!!! |
| 16,184 | 12:36 pm PST, Feb 14 | Angela Spitz | Sanford | Florida | PRESIDENT BUSH IS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO OUR NATION. Any American has the right to "Freedom of Speech" and assaults such as this is ludicrious. We have criminals in our government system, FACT, just watch the news and read the news paper and the government keeps manipulating the media and the American people are ignorant. If we American's don't take a strong STAND we will be living like "Cuba" under a dictatorship. |
| 16,183 | 12:28 pm PST, Feb 14 | Angel Garcia | Debary | Florida | I despise President Bush and I HAVE NO PROBLEM MAKING THAT STATEMENT - HE IS A CRIMINAL AND NEEDS TO BE IMPEACHED. AND NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO ASSAULT OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Our current government officials are involved in horrid crimes and a cover up of the investigations is keeping the American people intentionally deceived. They are slowly but surely destroying our "freedom of pursuit of happiness" along with our entire constitution. THERE NEEDS TO BE A PUBLIC OUTRAGED - REVOLTING IN THE STREETS OF COMMUNITIES AGAINST THE ABUSE OF Officials we elect to have our best interest at heart AND THEY ONLY ACT ON THEIR OWN BEST INTEREST. Case in point, "The Abramoff whitehouse scandal that did go public AND they turned around and began manipulating the media" HELLO WAKE UP AMERICAN'S. |
| 16,182 | 11:30 am PST, Feb 12 | Philip Walker | Franklin | North Carolina | |
| 16,181 | 11:29 am PST, Feb 12 | Frank Armato | Franklin | North Carolina | |
| 16,179 | 11:05 am PST, Jan 28 | Peg Fikes | Chaumont | New York | |
| 16,178 | 2:07 am PST, Jan 20 | Anonymous | Saskatoon | ||
| 16,177 | 4:45 pm PST, Jan 10 | brittney hofmann | Glovervsville | New York | Because I believe they had every right to say what they said ...what did they do besides hurt our poor presidents feelings? |
| 16,175 | 5:45 pm PST, Dec 6 | Trish Shuman | Arlington | Virginia | |
| 16,174 | 7:30 am PST, Dec 3 | Emily Cathcart | Mississauga | Does anyone else find it interesting that The Dixie Chicks got so much flack for that comment and not long after it became cool to hate Bush? | |
| 16,173 | 6:06 am PST, Dec 2 | Kari Newman | Mount Vernon | Ohio | |
| 16,172 | 12:01 pm PST, Nov 22 | gary gott | saskatoon | The whole issue questions the whole purpose of the First Amendment. Is it a selective thing? Who really has the power to decide its legitemacy? Is it the gov't? is it the people, or is it the "Corporate Universe ie; the $$$ Money. Why are Skinheads and Neo-Nazi groups allowed to speak freely when such a woman as who we have here,is not? Isn't it for the people, by the people? | |
| 16,171 | 2:12 pm PST, Nov 16 | Denise Martin | Fresno | California | |
| 16,170 | 4:58 pm PST, Nov 15 | Jim Meyer | Fort Bragg | California | |
| 16,169 | 3:02 pm PST, Nov 11 | Kristina Wheeler | Calgary | Freedom of speech is something we are all entitled to and to now take away the right is wrong. If it was about anything else nobody would have cared. What Bush has done and is still doing is wrong. He continues this war to stay president and doesn't really care about his men that are over there fighting expecially Canadian troops. The Canadian government needs to stand up and tell Bush to F*CK OFF but there to scared cause Bush will then turn on us. If we all dont follow him then we suffer. Thats like being stuck in a war. We are all forced to something that we have no choice of. I dont support the war and i feel bad for all the troops over there. | |
| 16,168 | 2:05 pm PST, Nov 3 | Julie Callaway | victoria | I seems to me that while a lot of other famous people are "alowd" to publically discuss their beliefs( men), these women are being subjected to a obvious witch hunt, stop making them a target, it is against their Human Rights. | |
| 16,167 | 10:31 am PST, Oct 30 | jeremy banta | vancouver | Washington | threatens free speech |
| 16,166 | 5:03 am PDT, Oct 27 | Katherine Ressman | Fairfax | Virginia | |
| 16,165 | 9:49 am PDT, Oct 26 | Anonymous | North Hills | California | This issue is important to me because i do not agree with the censorsing of free speecha nd thought. The evils that The Bush Administration has committed needs to be addressed. Thank God for The Dixie Chicks!!!!!!! |
| 16,164 | 3:13 pm PDT, Oct 25 | a z | Bethlehem Twp | New Jersey | Because the Dixie chicks did nothing wrong and Natalie Maine has nothing to apologize for. God Bless America! |
| 16,163 | 4:58 am PDT, Oct 21 | Debbie Druitt | Broken Hill | ||
| 16,162 | 9:13 pm PDT, Oct 20 | Leah Crawford | Oak Grove | Missouri | I just think that it is wrong how you three are being treated we have a right to freedom of speech and your Opinion is your opinion. |
| 16,161 | 10:28 am PDT, Sep 30 | D White | Mooresville | Indiana | |
| 16,160 | 9:36 am PDT, Sep 25 | melissa jones | park city | Utah | |
| 16,159 | 7:22 am PDT, Sep 13 | Charlotte Hyer | Springfield | Virginia | I feel tyhat this is a freedom of speech issue. I am very proud of these young women for expressing themselves! |
| 16,158 | 10:19 pm PDT, Sep 3 | Rob Menne | Laurel Hill | North Carolina | |
| 16,157 | 7:10 pm PDT, Sep 2 | Jason Bowman | Placerville | California | |
| 16,156 | 1:45 pm PDT, Aug 31 | Anita Smith | O'Fallon | Missouri | |
| 16,155 | 9:54 am PDT, Aug 21 | Tammy Kerrivan | Lower SAckville | Because we should all be able to express our likes , dislikes and opinions. To be told what we are or are not allowed to say is just unacceptable. It will be a sad day if that ever changes.. The Dixie Chicks should be the ones who get the appology. We love you in Canada! | |
| 16,154 | 12:52 pm PDT, Aug 17 | Anonymous | Cary | Illinois | I believe our freedom of speech is being threatened. We have our right to speak out during wars. The war path that our nation is currently on is one with little reasoning. Apparently it was a war against terrorism. Do you the number of terriosts in Iraw increased after we went to war their? And as a response to 9-11, the terriosts are in Afganistan and the lime light has long shifted from their to IRaq. The United States gives aslyum to terrorists too. Im not saying that killing innocent people is right, its wrong but to kill more innocent people in response to that is wrong too. Our war isnt about the Weapons of Mass Destruction...We gave Iraq those weapons during the Iran-Iraq war, at the same time that the Iraqi goverment was commiting the genocide of innocent people. Seems a little hypocritical doesnt it? Family ties run deep dont they? Who tried to assasinate the current Bush's father? Oh, right that would be Saddam Hussein? Does anyone hear the ring of alternative motives, including economic. It's about oil, kinda like Vietnam was about stopping communist but also protecting the right of the leaders of our government to have their personaly buisness looked after and to allow as many markets for their goods as possible? War is waged by the rich, and those who fight are the middleclass and the poor. Without their freedom of speech war would never end. NOthing will stop without questiioning its purpose and its level of right first. |
| 16,153 | 10:32 am PDT, Aug 15 | Virginia Montoya | Chico | California | our freedom of speach should never be taken away and personally I feel we have a moron and a terroist for a president. Bush thinks he can just do whatever in the hell he wants to do. he is just as dangerous if not more than other terorists. because he is the president he can go to make up reasons to go to war with no concequences. |
| 16,152 | 11:52 am PDT, Aug 3 | KayLa Light | Roanoke | Virginia | |
| 16,151 | 3:55 am PDT, Aug 1 | Henrik Havn Thorup | Aalborg |
Dixie Chicks - Freedom of Speech Threatened!
In accordance with the principles on which this nation was founded, we the undersigned support the Dixie Chicks' First Amendment Right to Free Speech, including the freedom to express their disagreement with our President and Congress!
Forcing the Dixie Chicks to publicly apologize for their embarrassment over President Bush's behavior is just one step towards censoring free speech and denying US citizens the rightful and lawful ability to oppose our leaders' policies.
If we start chipping away at free speech now, how long will it be before everything we say must pass through a censor? How long will it be before everything we hear is controlled by Congress and the government?
We might disagree, but the great thing about the United States, UNLIKE many countries that President Bush has named in his Axis of Evil, is that we are supposed to be able speak publicly, without fear of government intervention. Why must we fear before we speak? Are we still a democracy, or should US citizens become silent and fearful, threatened by the actions of their own government?
Forcing the Dixie Chicks to publicly apologize for their embarrassment over President Bush's behavior is just one step towards censoring free speech and denying US citizens the rightful and lawful ability to oppose our leaders' policies.
If we start chipping away at free speech now, how long will it be before everything we say must pass through a censor? How long will it be before everything we hear is controlled by Congress and the government?
We might disagree, but the great thing about the United States, UNLIKE many countries that President Bush has named in his Axis of Evil, is that we are supposed to be able speak publicly, without fear of government intervention. Why must we fear before we speak? Are we still a democracy, or should US citizens become silent and fearful, threatened by the actions of their own government?
Note: This Dixie Chicks - Freedom of Speech Threatened! petition was submitted by Tyler Andrew. ThePetitionSite.com is a free service provided to help concerned citizens rally support for issues they believe in. The opinions expressed by this petition do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of ThePetitionSite.com or Care2.com. There is no express or implied endorsement of this petition nor any newsletter offers (except those from Care2.com) by Care2.com, Inc, ThePetitionSite.com, or our sponsors. If you believe this system is being abused, please contact customer support.
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