So... Who "Gets" It?

I guess that I don't. I guess I am not enlightened enough to "get" disrespecting the President, no matter how much you disagree with him. (And I must admit that I have been disagreeing with him lately) But I don't "get" Natalie Maines, either.

NEW YORK -- The Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines apologized for disrespecting President Bush during a London concert in 2003. But now, she's taking it back. "I don't feel that way anymore," she told Time magazine for its issue hitting newsstands Monday. "I don't feel he is owed any respect whatsoever."

As war in Iraq loomed, Maines told the London audience: "Just so you know, we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas."

The remarks led to death threats and a backlash from other country stars, including a high-profile spat with Toby Keith. It also stalled what until then had been the group's smashingly successful career.

Bandmate Emily Robinson said she knew right away the remark wouldn't be taken lightly and got "hot from my head to my toes."

"It wasn't that I didn't agree with her 100 percent; it was just, 'Oh, this is going to stir something up,'" she told Time.

For band member Martie Maguire, the controversy was a blessing in disguise.

"I'd rather have a small following of really cool people who get it, who will grow with us as we grow and are fans for life, than people that have us in their five-disc changer with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith," Maguire said. "We don't want those kinds of fans. They limit what you can do."

The Chicks' hits include "Landslide," "Goodbye Earl" and "Wide Open Spaces." Their new album, "Taking the Long Way," is due out May 23. The first single is "Not Ready to Make Nice."

Now I thought that, as a recoriding artist, you wanted people- any people- to buy your music and put it in rotation. I guess I was wrong.

Here's hoping there are no "really cool" DJs out there who "get it" and the Dixie Chicks have their desired "small following". Maybe so small that their label drops them for (mistakenly) believing that people want to hear their politics and not their music.