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.

172730_10150091526872471_8291732_o.jpg



Media coverage:
Related items:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I wonder how Morrissey is going to come out of this majestic mess he has put himself into. He's loosing many good loyal fans and gaining some wrong ones. Can we really separate the art from the artist? Internet is dangerous... The things you find, the things you see, the things you listen and the things you read. What a world, what a world! What a shame! There's a light that never goes out? Really? Well, it seems like it is finally consuming like a candle in the wind!
 
Obviously nothing matters to the left and the likes of Billy Bragg and the 80's indie fraternity because their response to most of the major crisies facing this country are literally tumbleweed. The'll rant happily about the evils of Brexit and in Bragg's case, even write patronizing songs that describe how the vast majority of the country feel but they won't talk about Pakistani rape gangs or terrorism or the predominantly black knife crime our cities and increasinginly our towns face.

Troll me down Skinny because I know you can't argue with me.

Come back to this forum for first time in years and finding all this weird racism, not surprising I guess. Oh Morrissey, so much to answer for.

On black knife crime pretty east to disprove the racial argument here. If the problem is supposedly about Black why was there a knife crime epidemic in Glasgow ten years ago with murder rates highest in Europe, but weirdly no black people involved there. So knife crime is not about race. Maybe its to do with poorer communities (amongst other factors), would make sense as many poor white kids involved too.
 
I wonder how Morrissey is going to come out of this majestic mess he has put himself into. He's loosing many good loyal fans and gaining some wrong ones. Can we really separate the art from the artist? Internet is dangerous... The things you find, the things you see, the things you listen and the things you read. What a world, what a world! What a shame! There's a light that never goes out? Really? Well, it seems like it is finally consuming like a candle in the wind!
I actually think the fans he has lost, probably needed losing, they had gone stale, hence little crowd reaction at numerous gigs. I think a new fan base is just a little bit round the corner, probably younger, with much more idea of 2019, and more idea of what they want for their future.
 
I wonder how Morrissey is going to come out of this majestic mess he has put himself into. He's loosing many good loyal fans and gaining some wrong ones.

The fans Morrissey is losing have already bought all his entire discography while many of his new fans are just now hearing about him for the first time. Some will then go back and buy his entire discography.
 
Shall we laugh or shall we cry? Shall we speak or shall we silence? Shall we panic or shall we ignore?
moz song.jpg
 
I always felt Bragg looked like some endangered species bird or something wanting to be a flamingo but ending up a magpie. Couldn't sing or write songs for his life but that's alright when lefties and unions paid him to release songs and tour.

Lefties in the music business have it far too easy. If they spread the right words around there is no need for talent at all.

c55a15940da893527a797abfe9cf94d5.jpg
 
No, 'James' I don't think all cultures or belief systems are the same. The cultures and beliefs systems I find challenging are those that use race, sexuality and religion etc. as weapons: that deftly describes all alt-right organisations no matter where they sit on the spectrum. Hate is not a place from which you step forward. I also find 'dog whistling' challenging. If a group or organisation believes in something - say it and say it clearly. Why do alt-right groups go out of their way to suggest? Do they not have enough faith in what they're selling that they have feel they must build in an escape route? It certainly seems like it. The entryists in this forum have used Morrissey as a vehicle for their hatred. Morrissey, no stranger to controversy, is currently caught in a racist shitestorm of his own making. He has been castigated and I have no problem with that at all. My problem is that enryist have used this situation to spread all manner of hatred in this forum. It never was a happy-clappy type of place but it was never like this - ever. There is hatred pouring out of every thread. There is not ist, no ism that has not been latched upon. This new level of hatred does not come from Morrissey fans or ex-fans but from a small vocal cabal of haters. It has changed a community, albeit a quarrelsome and at times unhealthy community, into a myre of hatred.

This is what "challenging multiculturism"' has brought to this forum and I want no part of it.

Hi, I appreciate the regret you feel the site is changing into something you are very uncomfortable with - I AM a big Morrissey and Smiths fan but I am also new here. This is a thread on Billy Bragg's comments and again I appreciate he has the rights to express his opinion, but people have a right to express opinions back too.
There is definitely real hate, yes, but it is a very disturbing, very undemocratic trend to call anything the Left disagrees with "hate" - what about dislike? Uncomfortable with? A free people are allowed to dislike things or feel uncomfortable with things and the Left are trying to take away that democratic right. The Left are creating a climate of fear by accusing anyone who disagrees with multiculturalism of "hate". It is the height of intolerance, in fact of "hate". "Religion Without a God" comments on these matters because, no matter what your opinions, it is important to be tolerant of people who disagree, and to point out how intolerant and leftwing society is becoming. I certainly don't intend to offend. I want everyone to get along, but I'm afraid that is not happening these days...
 
The most conspicuous characteristic of Leftists on this board is their utter lack of curiosity. Has it ever occurred to anyone that maybe Morrissey has heard some really f***ing persuasive arguments? Aren't you a little curious as to what those might be?

Whenever I hear a crazy theory, I get curious. I'm like "OK, I wanna hear this. Gimme your best argument."
If anything, the crazier the theory, the more curious I get. Flat Earth? Sure, I will listen to your arguments. I want to understand how someone gets into something like that.

Liberals have no such curiosity about different ways of thinking. In fact, they act as though curiosity itself is a character defect.
 
I totally agree with him. Many fans that followed Morrissey since The Smiths times are heartbroken seeing what he has become, and seeing that now he is on the side of the ones who want to break the balance of society. And also, listening to his very toxic and insulting political views that are just helping to populists to aim more voice and presence. Morrissey, the one who always was proud of being against the system and not voting or supporting politicians, now he is selling himself cheap and rubbing shoulders with Tommy Robinson, Nigel Farage and Anne Marie Waters. Morrissey, who prohibited David Cameron to like/listen to The Smiths, has gone even more far to the right. They say history repeats itself and we are seeing how far-right parties are growing. Very slowly, they are making their way not only in Europe, also in USA. People, like Morrissey, are helping them by giving them publicity and asking fans to give them a chance. Those who support Morrissey (like Interpol, LP or Brandon Flowers) arguing they separate the art from the artist, are indirectly supporting those parties too. The way we go, it will be OK to wear a swastika on the jacket as an expression of freedom of opinion.
The Nazi regime committed atrocities that are beyond credulity - and for those that consider supporting them, remember that Hitler planned long term to deliberately kill off many tens of millions of - incidentally white - Eastern Europeans to clear the room for Germanic settlement. NOBODY should admire the Nazi regime considering how far it went along the road of evil, especially its crimes against Jewish people.
However, Morrissey's opinions are probably no different from Winston Churchill's or Franklin D Roosevelt's (look them up) or the vast majority of soldiers fighting against Hitler, who were fighting for nationalism and not for a leftwing anti-fascist crusade. For the Left to stick the evil of Adolf Hitler on to anyone who objects to mulitculturalism is a complete and utter misreprersentation of history. Please be fair.
 
The most conspicuous characteristic of Leftists on this board is their utter lack of curiosity. Has it ever occurred to anyone that maybe Morrissey has heard some really f***ing persuasive arguments? Aren't you a little curious as to what those might be?

Whenever I hear a crazy theory, I get curious. I'm like "OK, I wanna hear this. Gimme your best argument."
If anything, the crazier the theory, the more curious I get. Flat Earth? Sure, I will listen to your arguments. I want to understand how someone gets into something like that.

Liberals have no such curiosity about different ways of thinking. In fact, they act as though curiosity itself is a character defect.
They think within a tight rigid ideological box. When thy're confronted with any ideas outside of it they reflexively scream weaponised labels like the programmed automatons they are.
 
My favorite is when they tell me that I am the one who is living in a box. It's like "Gentile, please. Every time I go to the movies or watch a TV show, I am bombarded with what you believe."
Very true. We get bombarded with one side only. I only ever joined this site because occasionally when I'd read the comments they were always so one sided. Nobody understood Morrissey's political viewpoints at all. Somebody they supposedly loved and they hadn't a clue about where the man was coming from! I hate to say this but most of Morrissey's fans are actually clueless about the real world and seem to only recognise the fantasy version presented to them by the media.
 
I totally agree with him. Many fans that followed Morrissey since The Smiths times are heartbroken seeing what he has become, and seeing that now he is on the side of the ones who want to break the balance of society. And also, listening to his very toxic and insulting political views that are just helping to populists to aim more voice and presence. Morrissey, the one who always was proud of being against the system and not voting or supporting politicians, now he is selling himself cheap and rubbing shoulders with Tommy Robinson, Nigel Farage and Anne Marie Waters. Morrissey, who prohibited David Cameron to like/listen to The Smiths, has gone even more far to the right. They say history repeats itself and we are seeing how far-right parties are growing. Very slowly, they are making their way not only in Europe, also in USA. People, like Morrissey, are helping them by giving them publicity and asking fans to give them a chance. Those who support Morrissey (like Interpol, LP or Brandon Flowers) arguing they separate the art from the artist, are indirectly supporting those parties too. The way we go, it will be OK to wear a swastika on the jacket as an expression of freedom of opinion.
I'm sure Morrissey and those other people rejects the murderous regime that killed so many people in WWII, like we all hopefully do. My last attempt to reply an hour and a half ago named the regime and its leader so I assume those words are not allowed? Anyway my point is Morrissey's opinions are likely to be much closer to the people who defeated that regime - Churchill, Roosevelt and the vast majority of ordinary soldiers who fought for nationalism and not for a leftwing political crusade. The victors of that war would be considered far right now. Except the Soviet leader (I won't name him in case that stops my comment), but he was just as bad as the regime they thankfully defeated, so many millions of murders between them. So its not history repeating - unless it is make believe leftwing history. The views of most people back in the 30s and 40s are now treated as hate. Democracy is falling.
 
No, 'James' I don't think all cultures or belief systems are the same. The cultures and beliefs systems I find challenging are those that use race, sexuality and religion etc. as weapons: that deftly describes all alt-right organisations no matter where they sit on the spectrum. Hate is not a place from which you step forward.

Umm..................radical Islam?? Or even mainstream Islam when it comes to homosexuality.
 

Trending Threads

Back
Top Bottom