Two days past 18 . He was waiting for the bus in his Army green ... Those are the first two lines from one of the most powerful songs I have ever heard , `` Traveling Soldier . '' If you do n't know it , I encourage you to look it up -- unless you 're one of those folks who still hates the group that made the song popular , in which case , its beauty might be lost on you . It was 10 years ago this week -- as the country was barreling toward war with Iraq -- that Natalie Maines , lead singer of the Dixie Chicks , stood in front of a packed house in London and said : . `` Just so you know , we 're on the good side with y'all . We do not want this war , this violence . And we 're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas . '' It did n't matter that the evidence to invade Iraq was questionable or that Maines later apologized . The damage was done , and one of the most popular acts in the country became its most hated . Its music was banned from radio , CDs were trashed by bulldozers , and one band member 's home was vandalized . Maines introduced `` Soldier '' with a call for peace , but she would soon find that the group needed metal detectors installed at entrances to shows on its stateside tour because of death threats . It was a classic case of freedom of speech meeting the irrational repercussions of that speech . `` Soldier '' is not only their last No . 1 , it 's still their last single to chart in the top 30 . Officially , they 've been on hiatus since 2006 , but Maines , who is planning on releasing a solo CD in May , recently said , `` I just do n't feel like it 's the Dixie Chicks ' time . '' For anyone who appreciates great music , this admission should be vexing . Prior to Maines ' 2003 comments , the group 's previous two CDs had sold at least 10 million copies each , and they were singing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl . In two years , they had won eight Academy of Country Music Awards , including the male-dominated Entertainer of the Year category in 2000 . But they did n't reach that level of popularity because of sexy outfits and Auto-Tuned vocals . They are immensely talented . If anything , Maines and company should be viewed as prophets , not pariahs , considering that the weapons of mass destruction the Bush administration led the country to believe Saddam Hussein was housing were never found . Or that since 2006 , the majority of Americans have felt the invasion was a mistake to begin with . And yet , despite all that we now know , the Chicks remain ostracized in the world they came from , as if they were the ones who presented false information to the United Nations Security Council ; as if they waged a war Tony Blair 's right-hand man now says `` can not be justified '' ; as if the misguided attack were their fault . Before the group was set to do an interview with Diane Sawyer in late April 2003 -- with hopes of stopping the public relations bleeding -- they questioned why they needed to grovel and beg for Bush 's forgiveness . In a scene from the 2006 documentary `` Dixie Chicks : Shut Up and Sing , '' their own PR rep explains , `` he 's got sky-high approval . The war could n't be going better . By the time this interview airs ... the looting will be done ; the rebuilding of Iraq will be started . ... Two weeks from now , it 's going to be even a more positive situation . '' Soon after , Bush delivered a victory speech on the deck of an aircraft carrier , underneath a banner that read `` Mission Accomplished . '' The war was n't declared over until eight years later . And somehow , folks remain mad at the Chicks . Last week , in marking the 10-year anniversary of Maines ' comments , Country Music Television asked fans whether the Chicks should be forgiven , and more than a third of responders said `` no . '' Which probably explains why their next performances are in Canada .
LZ Granderson : 10 years ago , Dixie Chicks ' comments on Iraq war drew denunciations . He says history vindicated them . Many decry Iraq war ; weapons of mass destruction not found . He says many still denounce them , as though they were responsible for war mistake .