I disagree, country music left them. In our home city, the local country station simply stopped playing their music. They shouldn't have to change their message because country music in general doesn't like that. One could say that country music should stick to country music instead of worrying about what was said. Heck, there was plenty of good old boy country hick music about sticking your boot up someones but for messing with the US. No, they didn't leave country music, country music left them for stepping outside the lines.
Not a Dixie Chicks fan. I don't like any of their songs but I do find it sad that saying that they were embarassed to come from the same state as President Bush would be considered such slander that most US radio stations would refuse to play songs by them anymore. Granted, I get the whole music vs mantra idea. I could care less what any one of them thinks about politics. If you like their music, you like it and suddenly disliking them for some comments that were "heat of the moment" seems petty to me.
Case in point, Toby Keith. He has a problem with Canadians apparently. He was performing in North Dakota and refused to play until Canadians were removed from the audience. That is petty. Just because people have different political views from you hardly gives you the right to kick someone out of your concert. Yet I still enjoy some of his older songs. His politics, I dislike. But I enjoy the music so whatever.
The Dixie Chicks are talented but I don't get their involvement with politics. I think everyone has a right to side with whatever political view they want but I wouldn't mix it with 'entertainment'.