By all means have a go at Morrissey for being unfair or for his overuse of hyperbole, but don’t reduce the impact of the word ‘racism’ any more than it already has been by the PC media.
If Morrissey is racist, it shouldn’t be difficult to prove.
Even if you accept as fact that the statement was racist, does this make Morrissey racist?
I’ve been in a mixed race relationship for 23 years and have children of mixed race. I know what racism looks like and what it feels like. It is not about off the cuff remarks, it is not about immigration, it isn’t even about sweeping generalisations (even when those generalisations are unfair). Racism is about the hatred of other races (or ethnicities) and the conviction that one’s own race (or ethnicity) is somehow superior.
I appreciate that there are subtle degrees of racism, but the people who tend to explore these notions at length tend to be the kind of people who have that luxury. It is rarely those who find themselves facing the shitty end of the stick, as they generally have more pressing concerns. They also tend to have more fitting targets at which to take aim than popular singers known for their semi-frequent outrageous remarks.
Now, I’m sure you can root out some quote explaining exactly what racism is and, lo and behold, that definition will incorporate Morrissey’s unfair exaggerations. But to what end? Who are you helping? What good are you doing? Are you fighting racism? Are you fighting Morrissey? Are you simply trying to win an argument? Or are you just enjoying yourself and, deep down, none of this really matters to you at all?
P.S. You are, of course, entitled to your opinions and I respect your right to post them here.
