Billy Bragg: long statement re: Morrissey on Facebook (7 July, 2019)




"Last Sunday, while much of the British media were lauding Stormzy’s Glastonbury headline show as epoch defining, Morrissey posted a white supremacist video on his website, accompanied by the comment ‘Nothing But Blue Skies for Stormzy...The Gallows for Morrissey’. The nine minute clip lifted footage from the grime star’s Pyramid Stage performance while arguing that the British establishment are using him to promote multiculturalism at the expense of white culture.

The YouTube channel of the video’s author contains other clips expressing , among other things, homophobia, racism and misogyny - left wing women of colour are a favourite target for his ire. There are also clips expounding the Great Replacement Theory, a far right conspiracy trope which holds that there is a plot of obliterate the white populations of Europe and North America through mass immigration and cultural warfare.

My first thought was to wonder what kind of websites Morrissey must be trawling in order to be able to find and repost this clip on the same day that it appeared online? I came home from Glastonbury expecting to see some angry responses to his endorsement of white supremacism. Instead, the NME published an interview with Brandon Flowers in which the Killers lead singer proclaimed that Morrissey was still “a king”, despite being in what Flowers recognised was “hot water” over his bigoted comments.

As the week progressed, I kept waiting for some reaction to the white supremacist video, yet none was forthcoming. Every time I googled Morrissey, up would pop another article from a music website echoing the NME’s original headline: ‘The Killers Brandon Flowers on Morrissey: ‘He’s Still A King’. I’m well aware from personal experience how easy it is for an artist to find something you’ve said in the context of a longer discourse turned into an inflammatory headline that doesn’t reflect your genuine views on the subject at hand, but I have to wonder if Flowers really understands the ramifications of Morrissey’s expressions of support for the far right For Britain Party?

As the writer of the powerful Killers song ‘Land of the Free’, does he know that For Britain wants to build the kind of barriers to immigration that Flowers condemns in that lyric?
Party leader Anne Marie Walters maintains ties with Generation Identity, the group who both inspired and received funds from the gunman who murdered 50 worshippers at a Christchurch mosque. How does that sit with the condemnation of mass murder by lone gunman in ‘Land of the Free’?

As an explicitly anti-Muslim party, For Britain opposes the religious slaughter of animals without the use of a stun gun, a policy that has given Morrissey a fig leaf of respectability, allowing him to claim he supports them on animal welfare grounds. Yet if that is his primary concern, why does he not support the UK’s Animal Welfare Party, which stood candidates in the recent European elections?

Among their policies, the AWF also aim to prohibit non-stun slaughter. If his only interest was to end this practice, he could have achieved this without the taint of Islamophobia by endorsing them. They are a tiny party, but Morrissey’s vocal support would have given the animal rights movement a huge boost of publicity ahead of the polls.

Instead, he expresses support for anti-Muslim provocateurs, posts white supremacist videos and, when challenged, clutches his pearls and cries “Infamy, infamy, they’ve all got it in for me”. His recent claim that “as a so-called entertainer, I have no rights” is a ridiculous position made all the more troubling by the fact that it is a common trope among right-wing reactionaries.

The notion that certain individuals are not allowed to say certain things is spurious, not least because it is most often invoked after they’ve made their offensive comments. Look closely at their claims and you’ll find that what they are actually complaining about is the fact that they have been challenged.

The concept of freedom pushed by the new generation of free speech warriors maintains that the individual has the right to say whatever they want, whenever they want, to whoever they want, with no comeback. If that is the definition of freedom, then one need look no further than Donald Trump’s Twitter feed as our generation’s beacon of liberty. Perhaps Lady Liberty should be replaced in New York Harbour with a colossal sculpture of the Donald, wearing a toga, holding a gaslight.

Worryingly, Morrissey’s reaction to being challenged over his support of For Britain, his willingness to double down rather than apologise for any offence caused, suggests a commitment to a bigotry that tarnishes his persona as the champion of the outsider. Where once he offered solace to the victims of a cruel and unjust world, he now seems to have joined the bullies waiting outside the school gates.

As an activist, I’m appalled by this transformation, but as a Smiths fan, I’m heartbroken.

It was Johnny Marr’s amazing guitar that drew me to the band, but I grasped that Morrissey was an exceptional lyricist when I heard ‘Reel Around the Fountain’. Ironically, it was a line that he had stolen that won my affections. “I dreamt about you last night and I fell out of bed twice” is spoken by Jimmy, the black sailor, to his white teenage lover, Jo, in Sheila Delaney’s play ‘A Taste of Honey’.

The 1961 movie, starring Rita Tushingham was an early example of a post-war British society that would embrace multi-racial relationships (and homosexuality too). By pilfering that particular line for the song, Morrissey was placing the Smiths in the great tradition of northern working class culture that may have been in the gutter, but was looking at the stars. Yet, by posting a white supremacist video in which he is quoted as saying “Everyone prefers their own race”, Morrissey undermines that line, erasing Jo and Jimmy and all those misfit lovers to whom the Smiths once gave so much encouragement.

A week has passed since the video appeared on Morrissey’s website and nothing has been written in the media to challenge his position. Today it was reported that research by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a UK based anti-extremist organisation, reveals that the Great Replacement Theory is being promoted so effectively by the far right that it is entering mainstream political discourse.

That Morrissey is helping to spread this idea - which inspired the Christchurch mosque murderer - is beyond doubt. Those who claim that this has no relevance to his stature as an artist should ask themselves if, by demanding that we separate the singer from the song, they too are helping to propagate this racist creed."


Regards,
FWD.

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The other school of thought is Moz sold himself to the not very clever Mexican audience, then decided to aim low for the UK and Europe.

Why would you call Mexicans ‘not very clever’?
 
Church going Christians are not blowing up half of Europe. Christians are not destroying Sweden as we speak.

Although I think what you're saying is an exaggeration of the reality, I need to point out again that I'm not a fan of Islam. My post was only referring to the mentality that many right-wingers have (although the poster I was responding says he is a liberal) that Islam is somehow more "anti-gay" than Christianity, which it objectively is not. Anybody who thinks that hasn't been paying attention.
 
Although I think what you're saying is an exaggeration of the reality, I need to point out again that I'm not a fan of Islam. My post was only referring to the mentality that many conservatives have (although the poster I was responding to is a liberal) that Islam is somehow more "anti-gay" than Christianity, which it objectively is not. Anybody who thinks that hasn't been paying attention.

Christianity is highly tolerant of homosexuality these days. Some may say, too far. What they are not doing is advocating violence against anyone. You don't see Mavis from her Dorset church wanting to chuck anyone off a high building.
 
Kinda racist that. Send the thought police over.

I’m not calling for the anons words to be censored, just making the point.

Talking shit about Morrissey but don’t even realize the shit they’re spouting.
 
As an ACTIVIST, Billy Bragg should have his hands full with ACTIVITIES helping the poor and the most marginalized in our society so I have no idea why the f*** he would invest energy into concern trolling his former friend, Morrissey. If he wants to shit stir, he should consider a career in BAKING for British bakery chain GREGGS. I'm sure they could accommodate him with with a position whereby he'd be able to STIR, then POUND GMO ingredients procured from the evil multinational food monopolies into PASTY DOUGH. Frankly, if Billy were a real ACTIVIST, with a spine and had a proud conviction of his cause, he would travel to Leverkusen, Germany and lock his body to front door of Bayer HQ. And he''d stay there and chant: " What do we want? Organic LOAVES!"

People are dying in Britain, Billy. Please shut the f*** up about Steve already.
Clearly, you know zip about Billy as an activist, or as a human being. ...but here you are ball-washing Melvis again. Not a single untruth in Bragg’s entire statement. ...and it’s broken down clearly and succinctly - so that even a half-baked rube would have the wherewithal to understand its importance.

I don’t think Billy is addressing weak, lost souls like you. He’s talking to the many who haven’t already descended the rabbit hole, beyond the point of a return to reality.

When you’re done reading this and leaving a baseless, flippant retort about the brown people you see in memes and wing-but media- kind take your fear and loathing with you, whilst you return to the warmth of your dwelling up Morrissey’s asshole.

You should have ended your post at “I have no idea”.
 
Church going Christians are not blowing up half of Europe. Christians are not destroying Sweden as we speak.
So THERE it is! The elusive answer to my question.

...and you’re right! Christians aren’t blowing up half of Europe. They’ve already invested centuries in shitting all over foreign countries, women’s rights, torturing and raping, plundering and burning temples. ...but that was then, right?

Now Christians rest on their success and stick to blowing-up government buildings, abortion clinics, mosques and the like.

You really are an insufferable, ignorant little twat, aren’t you shitstain?

No brains. No balls. No f***ing game.
 
Morgoth's Review's Stormzy video has just been banned from Youtube.

EDIT: Nevermind, Morgoth just told me he privated it. It's still on Bitchute.

Morgoth: "Bragg's Facebook post has a ton of responses and it'll end in my channel being mass reported"

 
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As always, we look too deeply for meaning the isn’t there.

Stormy got plaudits for his Union Jack and Moz got pelters for his.

Moz wants all the adulation and it’s just not fair and they’re all out to get him.

Moz doesn’t care about whites and blacks. He cares about Moz so will say anything to get attention.

While the world reacts, he’s delighted to be denigrated, it feeds his persecution complex a treat.
 
Church going Christians are not blowing up half of Europe. Christians are not destroying Sweden as we speak.

Aren't they? Haven't they? You're right, of course. Christianity has no blood on it's hands whatsoever.

You are an arse.
 
Morgoth's Review's Stormzy video has just been banned from Youtube.

EDIT: Nevermind, Morgoth just told me he privated it. It's still on Bitchute.

Morgoth: "Bragg's Facebook post has a ton of responses and it'll end in my channel being mass reported"



Did he make it private and if so why? Seems a strange time for such an action.
I'm smelling shite.
 
Morgoth's Review's Stormzy video has just been banned from Youtube.

EDIT: Nevermind, Morgoth just told me he privated it. It's still on Bitchute.

Morgoth: "Bragg's Facebook post has a ton of responses and it'll end in my channel being mass reported"




Amazing. Youtube and Facebook truly are the neo-liberal wet dream.
 
Morgoth's Review's Stormzy video has just been banned from Youtube.

EDIT: Nevermind, Morgoth just told me he privated it. It's still on Bitchute.

Morgoth: "Bragg's Facebook post has a ton of responses and it'll end in my channel being mass reported"



Very soon we will get to the point where any criticism of mass immigration is just not allowed - in Germany and Sweden this is pretty much the case already, and Britain will follow. Scary.
 
Greetings to the new virtue signaller
 
Morgoth's Review's Stormzy video has just been banned from Youtube.

EDIT: Nevermind, Morgoth just told me he privated it. It's still on Bitchute.

Morgoth: "Bragg's Facebook post has a ton of responses and it'll end in my channel being mass reported"



So this bastion of freedoms hides his own video? What a f***ing cowardly turd. He's ok when the racists in here could view but when the world could view he bolted. What a sad coward.
 
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‘‘and, when challenged, clutches his pearls and cries “Infamy, infamy, they’ve all got it in for me”.

Oh is that how Billy sees it? And if true, what’s wrong with a man ‘clutching his pearls’?
Yes Billy you may not agree with him, but that’s no reason to compare him to the great Kenneth Williams in the derogatory way that you did. What a failed attempt at humor on your part Billy, and a bit.... homophobic, to say the least.




:cool:
 

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