Following yesterday’s brouhaha over Morrissey’s comments on stage about the mass murder in Norway, the former Smiths frontman today released an official statement condemning the killing as “horrific,” but reiterating his attack on fast-food meat, writing, “You cannot ignore animal suffering because animals ‘are not us.'”
The famously vegetarian singer prompted outrage when reports hit the media yesterday about comments he made on stage during a weekend concert in Warsaw. According to the Guardian, before singing “Meat is Murder,” he reportedly told the crowd: “We all live in a murderous world, as the events in Norway have shown, with 97 [sic] dead. Though that is nothing compared to what happens in McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried shit every day.”
Today, Moz released a formal statement through fan site True To You, expanding on the comments he made on stage on Sunday night. He blames the media for bringing fame to the alleged killer, adding, “If you quite rightly feel horrified at the Norway killings, then it surely naturally follows that you feel horror at the murder of ANY innocent being.”
Morrissey’s full statement:
“The recent killings in Norway were horrific. As usual in such cases, the media give the killer exactly what he wants: worldwide fame. We aren’t told the names of the people who were killed — almost as if they are not considered to be important enough, yet the media frenzy to turn the killer into a Jack The Ripper star is …. repulsive. He should be un-named, not photographed, and quietly led away. The comment I made onstage at Warsaw could be further explained this way: Millions of beings are routinely murdered every single day in order to fund profits for McDonalds and KFCruelty, but because these murders are protected by laws, we are asked to feel indifferent about the killings, and to not even dare question them. If you quite rightly feel horrified at the Norway killings, then it surely naturally follows that you feel horror at the murder of ANY innocent being. You cannot ignore animal suffering simply because animals ‘are not us.'”
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS:
- Linkage: Morrissey inserts foot in mouth, plus Mission of Burma, ’120 Minutes,’ Alan Wilder
- ‘The Smiths — Complete’ box set: 8 albums on vinyl, CD; plus 25 7-inch singles, DVD
- Video: Cheeky ad for The Smiths’ ‘Best…’ spoofs comp as suicide soundtrack
- ‘Fuck Morrissey-solo.com’: Morrissey attacks his own fansite with naughty T-shirt
- The Smiths’ ‘Queen is Dead’ released 25 years ago today; watch ‘Rank’ concert
- Stream: Morrissey debuts three new songs on Janice Long’s show on BBC Radio 2
Such a talented artist, always making it SOOOO difficult to like him.
I’ve never liked him. Adored the music, loved the music–but not him. Now I’m done w/ the music, too. Not an idle jab–this morning I took all my Smiths/Morrissey CDs and binned them. The lot. Then I deleted the files. Now, I’m going to In-N-Out for a Double-Double.
That reminds me . . . I’m dying for a cheeseburger.
/what a singular douche M has devolved into
Frankly, I agree with him…I think many of his detractors here are completely missing his point and liking him/not liking him is utterly irrelevant. He is trying to point out that we are shocked by mass killing in one breath, and ignore it in the next.
you wont get out of that stupid asshole morrissey
Clive, if you really believe that the life of a cow and the life of a child are equivalent–then get to work, brother. If I knew of slaughter houses killing kids for food, I wouldn’t be reading a music blog. So neither should you–be off, son–free the chickens and cows and salmon and toads and pigs and tuna. Be off!
Gary, if you think animals don’t have the same feelings as humans, then I think you need to do some serious biology study.
Clive, then–you’re a coward. Take up arms–free the chickens. Save your kin.
i hate this shit. morrisey, you’re an idiot. i’m going to go eat wings and drink beer.
Bigmouth Strikes Again.
I really like The Smiths and I’m for animal rights, but I think Morrissey’s gone too far and his words are very disrespectul to the murdered childs parents, comparing the chickens lives to the human lives. No way.
Following that logic, you just couldn’t roast a single eggplant because it’s living thing too! C’mon, it’s a food chain! It’s a natural thing!