The Dixie Chicks are sorry for making an anti-Bush statement–but not that sorry.
In an interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, country singing sensations Martie Maguire, Emily Robison and Natalie Maines–aka The Dixie Chicks–talked about how they fear for their lives amid criticism they’ve received from Maines’ comment in March, where she said she was ashamed President Bush came from Texas. The interview will air on ABC’s Primetime Thursday.
“At that moment, on the eve of war, I had a lot of questions that I felt were unanswered,” Reuters reports Maines said in the transcript released by ABC Wednesday. “I think the way I said it was disrespectful. The wording I used, the way I said it, that was disrespectful. I feel regret for, you know, the choice of words. Am I sorry that I asked questions and that I don’t just follow? No.
“No, I’m not truly embarrassed that, you know, President Bush is from my state, that’s not really what I care about,” Maines continued. “I felt like there was a lack of compassion every time I saw Bush talking about this. I honestly felt a lack of compassion for people that are questioning this [war], for the people that are about to die for this on both sides.”
Reuters also reports bandmate Maguire said she understood why some fans would be upset by the remark but found much of the reaction to be disproportionate and “out of control.”
As a way to further express their views about the backlash against them, Reuters reports the Dixie Chicks posed nude for an upcoming issue of Entertainment Weekly, wearing only contradictory slogans painted on their bodies, including “Opinionated,” “Traitors,” “Saddam’s Angels,” “Dixie Sluts,” and “Proud Americans.”
