The Case for Chick Equality: Why I am Looking Forward to Mike Huckabee's Dixie Chick Appreciation Day

Supporters of Chick-fil-A are all a-twitter over the backlash over Dan Cathy's statements against marriage equality.

Radio host and on-again-off-again fast food aficionado Mike Huckabee has been particularly vocal in his support, even organizing a Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.

"It's really not about just even saying you support the position of Chick-fil-A's president," he said. "It's about supporting the idea that a person who runs a company has a right to free speech."

Fair enough. But what about what about people who are in bands? Do they have the same right to free speech, too?

If so, as soon as Huckabee polishes off his chicken sandwich and puts down that milkshake, he should get to work on organizing and promoting the long-overdue Dixie Chick Appreciation Day. That band faced a huge backlash for remarks made by Natalie Maines in a London concert in 2003 in the days leading up to the invasion of Iraq.

In response to Maines' off-the-cuff statement opposing President Bush and the impending invasion of Iraq, radio stations across the U.S. organized boycotts of the Dixie Chicks' music. And conservative talk show hosts went after the Chicks so viciously it was as if they were trying to turn them into a hacked chicken salad and serve them up for lunch. (A new "healthy hateful" menu item at Chick-fil-A, maybe?)

The common sentiment was the Dixie Chicks should stick to making music; and unless they were singing one of their popular songs, they should just keep their pretty little mouths shut.

Given Huckabee's strong feelings in favor of everyone's right to free speech, I am sure that criticism of the Dixie Chicks has been burning him up for the past nine years like a slow roasting rotisserie.

If the reaction to Dan Cathy's statements is what it took for Huckabee to finally come to the Dixie Chicks' defense, then I consider it a silver lining to this ugly, dark cloud.

It may have taken almost a full decade, but it looks like all of Huckabee's chickens have finally come home to roost.