Stephin Merritt is not a racist. Thought provoking article nonetheless. Can a racial prejudice be determined based upon what kind of music a person listens to?EDIT 5/10/06 12:39 pm: You have to read Bryce's take on the entire debate. He's so awesome.
6 comments:
This is some of the most disturbing intellectual posturing I've seen from, supposedly, 'responsible journalists'.
The fact that he simply doesn't like hip-hop (as I do, I've never understood the attraction for someone rapidly speaking to a non melodic beat) labels him (and that must mean I should be as well) a racist?
So I guess my love for Ella, Lady Day, Pearl Bailey, and countless other black 'singers', even Queen Latifah (when she sings) and even the black men I like as SINGERS doesn't matter, if I don't like hip-hop, I must be a racist. Well, my friend Rob is going to be crushed since my racist ways evidently say we can't be friends.
I think those journalists should be called homophobes for picking on the gay boys taste in music, don't you?
69 Love Songs is a masterpiece. So is "Hey Ya." One was overplayed. I don't know where I'm going with this.
Quit hatin on the guy, people. He's melancholic enough as it is. And I want him to make another masterpiece, because even if I has some nice songs on it, I'm not sure I've gotten over "I Thought You Were My Boyfriend."
People who change their entire record collection just because they took a "Racism and Society" class at their predominently white, liberal arts college should be banned from journalism.
I saw this kind of crack journalism/"cultural analysis" all the time in Portland. White kids from priviledged backgrounds start listening to Jay-Z instead of the indie rock that totally defined their identities in their youth and then critisize and "call people on their shit" once they supposedly have found the way out of their "internalized racism." When you call someone a racist, you are opening a can of worms. And you better have facts to back it up.
Anyone who actually knows SM knows that he is mos def not a racist.
To put it plainly, this is just bullshit, pure and simple.
Thanks for posting this, Neil. Was an interesting read. Mr. Merritt has been coming up in conversation a lot recently. He's my "plate of shrimp" lately. On Friday I was wearing my RUNT shirt and someone asked me where I got it. I said that Stephin was handing them out at RUNT one evening a while back. Then someone said that he gave it to me because Stephin's such a ho for bear guys. The original guy replied that he must not be fat enough for Stephin to think he's hot. I almost punched him. And I'm a lady... I don't punch!
i also heard an interview he did this week on SIRIUS. I'm curious to hear the showtunes album.
Thanks again.
Did you see the article about this in today's NYTimes (5/18)? Where's your quote? Such shoddy journalism....
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