Taking The Long Way

This morning on the way to work, I treated myself to a coffee and a new CD. The Dixie Chicks just released their new album, Taking The Long Way, on Tuesday, and they included a song response to the controversy they created three years ago.

In the song “Not Ready To Make Nice”, the girls take on the criticisms they’ve received for expressing their political views. They confront the hypocrisy of their adversaries – who disagreed with their opinion so much they sent in death threats against lead singer Natalie Maines.

The funny thing is, I’m willing to bet that most of the people who were so angry at the band three years ago are now part of the 60+ percent of the people across the country who disapprove of how George W. Bush is doing his job.

The Dixie Chicks aren’t ready to make nice. They don’t want to back down. They’re ready to take the long way.

As Democrats in a red state, we know what taking the long way means. It means staying the fight, no matter how long it takes, because it is the right thing to do.

We know that it’s often hard to stay the ethical path, but someone has to do it! Someone has to stand up for the freedom of speech, someone has to fight the culture of corruption in the White House, and someone has to combat the scandals that are rocking our own state house.

Republican politicians have failed us. As Democrats, we have to stand up against corruption, and we’re not ready to make nice.