"Not ready to make nice" Dixie Chicks

1. How effective is the headline? I feel that the headline “Chicks in the Line of Fire” is a very effective headline as it informs the reader that the people in the article are in trouble, and using Chicks is clever, as it shows that women are in trouble, but because the article also relates to the Dixie Chicks.
2. The Journalist has chosen not to include an extensive byline. Do you think this is a good decision? Explain your answer. No, I do not feel that the journalist’s decision to exclude an extensive byline is a good idea, because the byline usually expands on the headline and what will be included in the article, however, the byline the journalist used was just informing that even as a baby, Natalie Maines is a rude person.
3. How does the introductory paragraph help your understanding of what the article will be about? The introductory paragraph helps me understand what the article is about because of how it mentions who this article is about, what it is about, and why the person had done what they did. The introductory paragraph introduces Natalie Maines and how she had joined the Dixie Chicks. It then goes onto what she had said about President Bush, and how she doesn’t feel as though he deserves any respect for sending over troops to Iraq.
4. What kind of tone do you think the journalist is trying to achieve? Provide examples to explain your answer. I feel that the journalist is trying to achieve a tone of sympathy for the Dixie Chicks as though they have done nothing wrong and people shouldn’t be harsh towards them. “…group received death threats and was banned by thousands of country radio stations, many of which still have informal bans in place.” I feel that by mentioning the Dixie Chicks had received numerous death threats and their songs banned from country radio stations, this makes the reader feel sorry for them.
5. What do you think the journalist’s purpose was in writing this article? Provide examples to help prove your answer. I believe the journalist’s purpose to write this article was to try and get the readers to connect with the Dixie Chicks and really feel for them and be empathetic for all the criticism and controversy they have received. “…was to appear nude on the cover of ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY with slurs (SADDAM'S ANGELS) scrawled on their naked bodies.” This gives the reader a message that they have been ‘targeted’ just for saying what was on their mind about them feeling ashamed that the President was from Texas. The journalist’s purpose was probably to show how much criticism the Dixie Chicks had received, and that with the use of direct quotations (see below) she has been trying to dial down the hatred they have received.
6. The journalist makes considerable use of direct quotations throughout the article. How does this affect your understanding of the article and influence your opinion of the band members? Use evidence to support your claims. The use of numerous direct quotations affects my understanding massively as it is coming from their own personal views and you can learn a lot more from the person than from someone just explaining how they feel. "If people are going to ask me to apologize based on who I am," says Maines, "I don't know what to do about that. I can't change who I am." This direct quotation teaches me that Maines is a strong fighter for what she believes in and she would never back down if she is passionate for the cause; I feel that is a great characteristic for someone.
7. How effective do you think this article is in achieving the journalist’s purpose? Explain your answer in full please. I feel that this article “Chicks in the Line of Fire” has been very successful in achieving the purpose of showing sympathy towards the Dixie Chicks. With using various direct quotations, an effective introduction paragraph and using the tone of sympathy for writing, the journalist has effectively represented the message of the Dixie Chicks across, and how we should feel sympathy for them and what they have gone through.