By now you may all know that NBC has refused to air national ads for the new Barbara Kopple documentary on the Dixie Chicks, Shut Up & Sing, which looks at the aftermath of the Dixie Chicks’ lead singer Natalie Maines’s now notorious remark during a concert in 2003 that the Chicks are ashamed that President Bush is from their home state of Texas.



To me, this is about free speech. This is about not having one’s political views censored — in this case by a private broadcaster that is acting as a political censor. Indeed, this is about everything America is supposed to stand for.



Over at The Reaction, I have a long post up that includes links to the ad in question, links to various Chicks-related sites, and two YouTube clips (one of the theatrical trailer for Shut Up & Sing, one of the Clicks on Letterman singing “Not Ready to Make Nice,” their courageous response to the controversy.



See here.