MORRISSEY STATEMENT ON RACISM
LMHR is a campaigning organisation opposed to all forms of racism and fascism.
We were therefore concerned at comments about immigration in Morrissey’s interview with NME magazine last week. After all, he is an artist who in March 2004 attended an early LMHR gig by the Libertines, where he signed a statement endorsing our campaign. We therefore felt it right and proper, when asked, to give Morrissey the opportunity to come out against racism. Below are excerpts from Morrissey’s statement.
His own full statement is published in today’s Guardian: www.guardian.co.uk and at www.true-to-you.com. We are very pleased to be working with him in 2008.
“MORRISSEY CONDEMNS RACISM
On Friday of last week I issued writs against the NME (New Musical Express) and its editor Conor McNicholas as I believe they have deliberately tried to characterise me as a racist in a recent interview I gave them.
I abhor racism and oppression or cruelty of any kind and will not let this pass without being absolutely clear and emphatic with regard to what my position is.
Racism is beyond common sense and I believe it has no place in our society.
To anyone who has shown or felt any interest in my music in recent times, you know my feelings on the subject and I am writing this to apologize unreservedly for granting an interview to the NME.
During the interview Tim asked if I would support the “Love Music Hate Racism?¢‚Ǩ¬ù campaign that the NME had just written about and my immediate response was a yes as I had shown my support previously by going to one of their first benefit gigs a few years ago and had met some of their organizers as well as having signed their statement. Following the interview I asked my manager to get in touch with the NME and to pledge my further support to the campaign as I wanted there to be no ambiguity on where I stood on the subject. This was done in a clear and direct email to Conor McNicholas on the 5th of November, which went ignored and last week we found out that it had never even been presented to anyone at the campaign.
I am pleased to say that we have now had direct dialogue with “Love Music Hate Racism” and all of our UK tour advertising in 2008 will carry their logo and we will also be providing space in the venues for them to voice and spread their important message, which I endorse.”
MORRISSEY.
3 December 2007.
