Bloc Party's Kele Okereke: “I’ve never experienced such widespread public racism” - NME

Kele Okereke: “I’ve never experienced such widespread public racism” - NME
Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke opens up about Brexit Britain, Brandon Flowers' comments on Morrissey, the artists failing to fight far right rhetoric, and his ambitious new album '2042'

Excerpt:

“This idea of a multi-cultural Britain, that there is now somehow resistance towards it, is something that I’ve never experienced in my life [until] now,” he continues. “And it’s not just the politicians and the media. It’s the artists too.” With the exception, he says, of artists like Slowthai, Idles and Billy Bragg who are continually questioning and holding discrimination to account, too many are complicit – many more, he says, are even encouraging it.

“I think of the comments that Morrissey recently made and his support for Britain First. It’s clear to me that there is an idea of Britain and Britishness that is supposed to exclude people who are non-white and this idea is becoming more and more prominent.

“As a black musician who was born in the UK and who lives in the UK, I found it very disheartening that none of my peers really came out to publicly counter Morrissey’s recent comments and behaviour. I found that personally quite dispiriting and even worse, the only comments by musicians seemed to be in support of him – like Brandon Flowers.” Ahead of The Killers headline set at Glastonbury, Flowers told NME that Morrissey was “still a king” despite his problematic political views.

“Brandon Flowers is basically saying it doesn’t matter what Morrissey says, he’s still a revered icon,” Okereke tells us. “I think that’s bullshit and I think Brandon Flowers is bullshit. It does matter. It absolutely matters what people say and the fact that no one is willing to challenge him on this to me is quite disgusting. Shame on him and shame on Morrissey.”

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Thought I'd read the comments here. Wish I hadn't. In the UK's recent history many have stood up against racism and extremism when the country is in a fraught state. It does appear that at this moment in time nobody plans to.

How DavidT allows this website to continue to be a refuge for dog-whistling racists is nearly as baffling.

How DavidT allows this website to continue to be a platform for Skinny & his many clones is equally as baffling. Favours for mates I guess.
 
I totally agree with Kele Okereke. I would also ad that racism is not only towards non-white people, also to non British people. Curiously, this is happening mainly in England and not so much in Scotland or Wales.

Morrissey's tone here is almost the one of a dictator. He can insult and do very hard comments on others, but when it comes to him... Well...

Jamaican Proverb:- "Pit inna de sky, it fall inna yuh y'eye" Translation- (If you spit into the sky, it falls into your eye.) Meaning:- What you do to, or wish for others, could eventually be the cause of your own downfall. Be careful of how you treat others.

 
I totally agree with Kele Okereke. I would also ad that racism is not only towards non-white people, also to non British people. Curiously, this is happening mainly in England and not so much in Scotland or Wales.

Morrissey's tone here is almost the one of a dictator. He can insult and do very hard comments on others, but when it comes to him... Well...

Jamaican Proverb:- "Pit inna de sky, it fall inna yuh y'eye" Translation- (If you spit into the sky, it falls into your eye.) Meaning:- What you do to, or wish for others, could eventually be the cause of your own downfall. Be careful of how you treat others.



Hmmm, guess you're black, as you're citing Jamaican proverbs? No problem with that.

In your vid clip, did you notice as that female 'protester' is leaving the venue, there's a black guy there in the audience (red jacket or jumper)? You can see him quite clearly. He's obviously a fan of Moz, & clearly doesn't share the view that Moz is racist, by virtue of him being there in the crowd. Also, other clips you'll see Chinese, Asians, Mexicans et al...people of all races from all walks of life.

If Moz was a racist then no, [zero] 'non-white people' wouldn't go & support him, would they?

Moz is for all races & that's well documented, & understood by the 'many', not the unintelligent, & uninformed, 'few'.

Kele Okereke should go & read a bit more widely, then make some sensible comment, rather than coming across as a 'hard done by juvenile' with an axe to grind. He's not really done himself, or his cause, any favours in that 'article'.

Racism is in the ear of the listener; if they want to hear it, they will.

Luckily most people, be they black, white, yellow, pink, or green, are able to differentiate between comments which are racist, and those which are actually not.

I know black people who are racist...in the main against Asians, but also against Whites.
Similarly, I know Asians who are racist against blacks, & also against Whites.
I'll let you work out why they're racist yourself...
It happens, so don't go calling out Whites-only with regards racism, because that is not a true reflection of how things actually are in society, instead of in some utopian, ideal, state.

Talking of proverbs, here's another for you: Birds of a feather stick together...there's a lot of truth in this, & it will always be the case, no matter how may press articles are written by the aggrieved; it's nature, which is unstoppable I'm afraid...
 
The backlash against multiculturalism is a reality, so Kele's remark that he has never experienced such widespread public racism before only is just a reflection on these developments. I have no issues with this article, although I think that he underrates the backlash that there has been against Morrissey.

And whatever your view on multiculturalism, posts like "f*** off, go back to Africa" directed at a person who has been a decent example of integration into British culture are really disheartening. Those familiar with the music of Bloc Party would know that their music incorporates plenty of influences from the British new wave, that is white music.
 
You cannot support Spurs. You suffer them. I doubt the stadium was a dump though compared to your version of the worlds biggest kindergarten pub.

"If our club cannot win anything we might as well force the fans to stay and waste the rest of their money as well after we've lost again"

Brighton 3 Spurs 0

The worlds smallest keeper broke his elbow. Kane and Pochettino will be poached by United.

Obviously the stadium is lovely. I was talking about the surrounding area.
 
The backlash against multiculturalism is a reality, so Kele's remark that he has never experienced such widespread public racism before only is just a reflection on these developments. I have no issues with this article, although I think that he underrates the backlash that there has been against Morrissey.

And whatever your view on multiculturalism, posts like "f*** off, go back to Africa" directed at a person who has been a decent example of integration into British culture are really disheartening. Those familiar with the music of Bloc Party would know that their music incorporates plenty of influences from the British new wave, that is white music.

Integration? He was born and raised in Liverpool. Would you say that about a non-black person?
 
The backlash against multiculturalism is a reality

  • Why do you think this is the case?
  • Have you even thought about it?
  • What's your conclusion?
That would probably make for a more meaningful post rather than just sucking up like the other non-intelligentsia, wouldn't it?

Give me reliable data: without it, this is just your limited opinion.
 
Thought I'd read the comments here. Wish I hadn't. In the UK's recent history many have stood up against racism and extremism when the country is in a fraught state. It does appear that at this moment in time nobody plans to.

How DavidT allows this website to continue to be a refuge for dog-whistling racists is nearly as baffling.

Skinny Moz already said we dont need you. This is a Moz site. So why you and the c*** Ukulele move to the Malvina Islands and fish for anchovies.

if your idol :handpointright::guardsman::handpointleft: were to take over this site,then it would close right away. Jr and the Missus posting 24/7 wont save it for lack of interest.:bow:
 
I still love “I still remember”. The line I kept your tie is the one that sticks with me. I liked that album a lot but not much else. The first one was big with the Gang of Four loving crowd but that’s just not my thing
 
Skinny dont be thick he was born in Liverpool because of immigration.
Notice Bluebirds and Trill your 2 usernames of the day.
Rotation.

Add 'Gejo' to that list...using 'patois' apparently & spouting Jamaican proverbs ...Skinny sighted in Bratford this morning, heavily tanned, having borrowed Trudeau's make-up.
 
Yes I almost chocked on my vegan food when I read Skinny making Jamaican proverbs.:lbf:
 
There's a song by bloc party called 'I Still Remember' which I find painful to listen to. It's a coming of age song about having feelings for a friend that were never manifested. It conjures up such sad and nostalgic images in my head. It takes me right back. I think one of the lines goes 'if you'd asked, I would have been brave for you, I wouldn't have said no' Or something like that.
Sounds like he ripped off "Ask" almost word for word.
 
I see the racists on this thread are denying being racists by being racist.

It's like how a straight man who is comfortable in his sexuality can say that another man is handsome in full confidence that doing so does not make him gay whereas a sexually confused person might be paranoid as to how they are perceived.

Likewise, a person who is totally confident that they are not racist can make unflattering observations about other races safe in the knowledge that it does not come from a place of hate whereas someone with repressed racial animosity will steer clear from anything that might be deemed racist even if it means self-censoring or saying things that they don't actually believe.
 
I read somewhere once that Thatcher solved 80s football hooliganism (as it was very embarrassing for her government) by getting the secret service to spread Ecstasy.

It is true that E played a big role in the decline of hooliganism. Irvine Welsh of Trainspotting fame wrote a few stories about the effects of ecstasy on hooliganism. Whether there was a government conspiracy behind it, I dunno. It is weird that the drug had been invented decades before but only emerged in the 80's.

Well at least morrissey is being judged on facts and that people view claims of racism so seriously and want to defeat the problems of racial bias so sincerely that they give there arguments the scrutiny they deserve

Except that they are not. I have not seen anyone give any facts, statistics, and arguments as to why white people should agree to become minorities in their own homeland. I've seen people call him an evil racist and a white supremacist but these are neither arguments nor facts.

In your vid clip, did you notice as that female 'protester' is leaving the venue, there's a black guy there in the audience (red jacket or jumper)? You can see him quite clearly. He's obviously a fan of Moz, & clearly doesn't share the view that Moz is racist, by virtue of him being there in the crowd. Also, other clips you'll see Chinese, Asians, Mexicans et al...people of all races from all walks of life.

If Moz was a racist then no, [zero] 'non-white people' wouldn't go & support him, would they?

Moz is for all races & that's well documented, & understood by the 'many', not the unintelligent, & uninformed, 'few'.

There is a subset of people who believe that white nationalism is illegitimate in an American context but legitimate in a European context on the grounds that whites are the indigenous inhabitants of Europe whereas America is land that whites conquered.
This, I suspect, is Morrissey's view and why he can support For Britain on one hand while adamantly opposing Trump and praising Malcolm X on the other.

The backlash against multiculturalism is a reality, so Kele's remark that he has never experienced such widespread public racism before only is just a reflection on these developments.

Yes and I could just as easily say that I had never experienced anti-whiteness until recently.

Integration? He was born and raised in Liverpool. Would you say that about a non-black person?

Blacks have been in America for hundreds of years and there are large swaths of them who are still not "integrated". You could say the same thing about certain gypsie communities in Europe who have been there for centuries and still are not "integrated".
 
Skinny dont be thick he was born in Liverpool because of immigration.
Notice Bluebirds and Trill your 2 usernames of the day.
Rotation.

I can assure you I am not Uncle Skinny. I did briefly meet him once - before Morrissey's 50th birthday gig. Happier times for everyone.
 
It is true that E played a big role in the decline of hooliganism. Irvine Welsh of Trainspotting fame wrote a few stories about the effects of ecstasy on hooliganism. Whether there was a government conspiracy behind it, I dunno. It is weird that the drug had been invented decades before but only emerged in the 80's.



Except that they are not. I have not seen anyone give any facts, statistics, and arguments as to why white people should agree to become minorities in their own homeland. I've seen people call him an evil racist and a white supremacist but these are neither arguments nor facts.



There is a subset of people who believe that white nationalism is illegitimate in an American context but legitimate in a European context on the grounds that whites are the indigenous inhabitants of Europe whereas America is land that whites conquered.
This, I suspect, is Morrissey's view and why he can support For Britain on one hand while adamantly opposing Trump and praising Malcolm X on the other.



Yes and I could just as easily say that I had never experienced anti-whiteness until recently.



Blacks have been in America for hundreds of years and there are large swaths of them who are still not "integrated". You could say the same thing about certain gypsie communities in Europe who have been there for centuries and still are not "integrated".


Go on Twitter sometime and read the anti-white comments. It's astounding.
 

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