Stigma against hispanic Morrissey Fans

[Your Arsenal]

So, I'm only bringing this up, because I had a really "frank and vulgar" argument about this with a so called Smiths fan today. Although the guy is a complete douche, ignorant racist bastard, it actually really bothered me. I guess I'm more surprised at how much it bothered me, because it usually doesn't, I tend to just ignore anything, as Morrissey would put it, that is beyond reason.

Anyway, he pretty much said he's only a Smiths fan, and not a Morrissey fan because Morrissey 'only' has Mexican fans at his concerts. And he pretty much called me a 'latin follower.'

Now first of all, I don't see what's wrong with Morrissey having hispanic fans.
Second of all, I live in Los Angeles, where hispanics are pretty much a majority, so it is no surprise that there is a big presence when he comes to LA.

As to why there is more hispanic MOZ fans, than Smiths fans. Well, I think it simply has to do with the fact that the Smiths had a late presence in the U.S in their career. With the tour, and radio play coming in kinda late, close to the break up....I'm sure Los Angeles was no exception, and got the shorter end of the Smiths glory.

So there's that. As for me personaly, yes, I'm hispanic, I'm columbian and mexican....and I happen to like Morrissey. I actually stumbled upon him by accident. I used to do the Columbia house thing back then, where u could get the 10 free CD's thing the cover and small summary of Bona Drag looked intersting, so I bought it, and fell in love with it. So it had nothing to do with me "following" like a flock of obsessed Latin MOZ followers.

So I guess what I'm left wondering is......why the Stigma? New fans, of any kind, wether they be white, black, hispanic, or wether they joined the Morrissey boat in early Smiths life, or even today...fans are a good thing. And of course, having Morrissey openly embrace his followers all over the world, why even bring it up?


ok, I think I just vented
Thanks for listening.

[Vauxhall95]

It looks like you bumped into a real asshole. I'm Caucasian. I live in Phoenix, and the last time Morrissey came through the crowd was all ages, all races, and everyone seemed to get on well. Too bad that ignorant fuck can't see that Morrissey brings people together. Anyways, fuck him. It's his loss for not listening to Morrissey's solo work.

(Pardon the language but I hate racist shits.)

[Your Arsenal]

Yeh, What's funny is that this dude is half white, half mexican.
Its almost like he's ashamed of his hispanic half, which to me, is pretty sad.
I mean, he lives in Orange County, no wonder right?

[troubleluvsme]

Is there really a stigma against Hispanic Morrissey fans?

IMO, there's kind of a stigma against Morrissey fans period.
I've been a fan for a long time; but I still get, "You like Morrissey? You don't seem depressed or suicidal."

I think there is more of a curiosity....what is it about Morrissey that seemed to suddenly attract so many Hispanic fans. Personally, I've never lost any sleep over it though.

[Chico]

Some of these fans can be a little 'over-eager' and this might be a little disconcerting to traditional Moz/Smiths fans. Some of these people are the same LA Dodgers or Raiders fans who will stab you while 6 or 7 of their friends kick and beat you if you say you don't like their sports teams. Yet if you ask them to name a player on those teams, most wouldn't be able to. They treat everything as though it were a neighborhood gang they've got to defend.

Much like with their Morrissey fandom. They'll tell you all day long that Morrissey is the greatest ("Morrissey is the fucken shit, homes!"), yet you ask them to name more than a couple song titles, or an album that isn't his most recent and they wouldn't be able to.

So when you see massive throngs of these 'boisterous' (for lack of a better word) types at Morrissey events, I could see where it may cause someone to renounce their Morrissey fandom.


I mean, look at this picture...would you walk through the middle of this group without suspecting you were going to be assaulted or robbed?

[Vauxhall95]

Is there really a stigma against Hispanic Morrissey fans?

IMO, there's kind of a stigma against Morrissey fans period.
I've been a fan for a long time; but I still get, "You like Morrissey? You don't seem depressed or suicidal."

I think there is more of a curiosity....what is it about Morrissey that seemed to suddenly attract so many Hispanic fans. Personally, I've never lost any sleep over it though.

As a guy, if I have a picture of Morrissey at work; I'm immediately suspected of being gay! It's actually funny to me as I've been married for over ten years and have two children. I'm like, "Yeah, it's all an elaborate ruse: the wife, kids, etc."

[Danny_]

He sounds like an idiot, just ignore him. I find a lot of know it all old Smiths fans will dismiss Morrissey without bothering to listen to him, they are idiots who follow the crowd.

I think the hispanic Morrissey fan thing has been hyped too much by racist journalists. All the "why are they Morrissey fans?" thing is very dodgy. Why shouldn't they be? They are fans for the same reasons as everyone else. They are all individuals who have their own reasons. There's no need to pick them out as if they are curios.

[Your Arsenal]

Some of these fans can be a little 'over-eager' and this might be a little disconcerting to traditional Moz/Smiths fans. Some of these people are the same LA Dodgers or Raiders fans who will stab you while 6 or 7 of their friends kick and beat you if you say you don't like their sports teams. Yet if you ask them to name a player on those teams, most wouldn't be able to. They treat everything as though it were a neighborhood gang they've got to defend.

Much like with their Morrissey fandom. They'll tell you all day long that Morrissey is the greatest ("Morrissey is the fucken shit, homes!), yet you ask them to name more than a couple song titles, or an album that isn't his most recent and they wouldn't be able to.

So when you see massive throngs of these 'boisterous' (for lack of a better word) types at Morrissey events, I could see where it may cause someone to renounce their Morrissey fandom.

Yes, but that's like saying that all white people are rich.

In the UK, you have all these "white" people show up at Morrissey shows, what of it? It doesn't bother me one bit. I'm sure not everyone that shows up at Morrissey show's is a morrissey "expert"

[Mr Smith]

I think that's a pretty accurate reason, as the Smith were only known on the local radio college circuit in the 80's, so I guess the fan base was much more narrow on a social demographic. I guess this filtered through to more diverse groups (whether that be racial, social, economical) as people got to know of the Smiths legacy in the 90's, plus with Morrissey performing more over there in the 90's.

I believe one reason many Hispanic people have attributed to Morrissey's following amongst its population is due to his lyrics of outsider-dom, which probably all his fans relate to, as they feel outside the priviledged mainstream in LA.

[troubleluvsme]

As a guy, if I have a picture of Morrissey at work; I'm immediately suspected of being gay! It's actually funny too me as I've been married for over ten years and have two children. I'm like, "Yeah, it's all an elaborate ruse: the wife, kids, etc."

You probably just haven't yet realized that you actually are gay.

(I'm just kidding...I tell my Moz-fan brother (also married w/a kid) the same thing.)

[Your Arsenal]

I mean, look at this picture...would you walk through the middle of this group without suspecting you were going to be assaulted or robbed?

Girls in 50s styled skirts, and hair do? and guys in slick overalls and funny hats? LOL
Sure[/QUOTE]

[Vauxhall95]

He sounds like an idiot, just ignore him. I find a lot of know it all old Smiths fans will dismiss Morrissey without bothering to listen to him, they are idiots who follow the crowd.

I think the hispanic Morrissey fan thing has been hyped too much by racist journalists. All the "why are they Morrissey fans?" thing is very dodgy. Why shouldn't they be? They are fans for the same reasons as everyone else. They are all individuals who have their own reasons. There's no need to pick them out as if they are curios.

Exactly! I read a review of YOR and there was a bit about "When I Last Saw Carol." The reviewer wrote that the song was written to appease Morrissey's Latino fanbase!

Yes, I'm sure Latino's all listen to flamenco guitar music.. WTF?!

[Vauxhall95]

You probably just haven't yet realized that you actually are gay.

(I'm just kidding...I tell my Moz-fan brother (also married w/a kid) the same thing.)

If I haven't realized it by now, I don't think it's ever going to happen!

[Chico]

Girls in 50s styled skirts, and hair do? and guys in slick overalls and funny hats? LOL
Sure

[/QUOTE]

Many of them have this in your face attitude and are loud and boisterous and crude at Morrissey events. Like, I said, they treat everything as though it were a neighborhood gang to defend, just like they do with their sports teams. Moz' shy, bookish, introvert fans may find this off-putting.

You asked for an explanation, and there it is.

And I have seen this first-hand at these events and I know some of these types.

I'm not saying all latin Morrissey fans are this way, but a substantial portion of them are. Especially the LA latin Morrissey fans.

[Your Arsenal]

Many of them have this in your face attitude and are loud and boisterous and crude at Morrissey events. Like, I said, they treat everything as though it were a neighborhood gang to defend, just like they do with their sports teams. Moz' shy, bookish, introvert fans may find this off-putting.

You asked for an explanation, and there it is.

And I have seen this first-hand at these events and I know some of these types.

I'm not saying all latin Morrissey fans are this way, but a substantial portion of them are. Especially the LA latin Morrissey fans.

hmmm you mean the same way Morrissey obsessed over British gangsters/Suedeheads, etc?
If that's the case, then I think we actually agree on something.

[Chico]

As a guy, if I have a picture of Morrissey at work; I'm immediately suspected of being gay! It's actually funny to me as I've been married for over ten years and have two children. I'm like, "Yeah, it's all an elaborate ruse: the wife, kids, etc."

Just curious....in what context would you have a picture of Morrissey at work? Do you carry him around in your wallet with the pictures of your family? lol.

[Vauxhall95]

[QUOTE=Chico;1061357][QUOTE=Vauxhall95;1061314]As a guy, if I have a picture of Morrissey at work; I'm immediately suspected of being gay!

Just curious....in what context would you have a picture of Morrissey at work? Do you carry him around in your wallet with the pictures of your family? lol.

Haha... No, I used to have this picture of Moz amongst pictures of family, friends, and all my other nick-nacks:

[troubleluvsme]

Just curious....in what context would you have a picture of Morrissey at work? Do you carry him around in your wallet with the pictures of your family? lol.

You DON'T have to answer that Vauxhall95.

There is nothing wrong with carrying around pics of Morrissey in your wallet.

[Chico]

no, I don't think Morrissey is into Chavs...

[JLA75]

Yeh, What's funny is that this dude is half white, half mexican.
Its almost like he's ashamed of his hispanic half, which to me, is pretty sad.
I mean, he lives in Orange County, no wonder right?

Funny how you're annoyed by someone lumping you as a particular type of fan but then you go and imply that everyone in Orange County is ignorant. I was with you up until that comment. Yes, I live in Orange County.

joey