TTY: New Morrissey T-shirt

- OLink from an anonymous person:

New Morrissey T-shirt - true-to-you.net
15 March 2017

Available at forthcoming Morrissey shows in North America.
Also available on Mporium.

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Media coverage:

• Morrissey Selling James Baldwin “Black Is How I Feel on the Inside” Shirts - Pitchfork. Link posted by Uncleskinny.
• Morrissey is selling racist t-shirts because he is a f***ing idiot - FACT Magazine. Link posted by an anonymous person.
• Morrissey’s New T-Shirt Is a Very Bad Idea - SPIN. Link posted by an anonymous person.
• Morrissey selling ‘Black is how I feel on the inside’ t-shirts featuring civil rights activist James Baldwin - NME. Link from Rene.
• Morrissey Sells Racist T-Shirt, Gets Dragged By the Internet, Stops Selling Racist T-Shirt - Flavorwire. Link posted by an anonymous person.
  
• Morrissey Is Selling This Horrible T-Shirt, Because of Course He Is - The Grapevine. Link posted by Raphael Lambach.
• Morrissey Attempted Selling Racially Tone-Deaf James Baldwin Tee - Out Magazine
• Morrissey is selling a James Baldwin “Black Is How I Feel on the Inside” t-shirt - Consequence Of Sound
  
• Bigmouth strikes again: row over Morrissey's James Baldwin tour T-shirt - The Guardian. Link posted by an anonymous person.
  
• Please, Please, Please, Let Me Print What I Want: Morrissey’s James Baldwin merchandise - Melville House. Link from the above Guardian article.
• ‘Problematic’ Morrissey t-shirt removed from sale - NME. Link from Rene.
• Morrissey takes T-shirt offsale after accusations of racism - The Telegraph. Link posted by Irregular Regular.
• In Defense of Black Morrissey - Out Magazine. Link posted by Roberto F. / Facebook.

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Related item:

• Morrissey in cinema watching James Baldwin documentary - Feb. 3, 2017

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

This T-Shirt is not racist. Any suggestion that it is, is utterly ridiculous and made for the sole purpose of slandering Morrrissey.

For the avoidance of doubt, I am black, British & American. If it matter or lends any credibility to my point, this is me:

It is very frustrating to be told by whites what racism is and what racism isn't. They don't own my experience with racism. How do they even get a seat at the table on this matter?

There are black Morrissey fans (like me) who identify with the lyric, “I wear black on the outside because black is how I feel on the inside." I love that lyric!

When you're a black Morrissey fan people constantly question your 'blackness', e.g. You're not black enough if you prefer Morrissey to the Wu Tang Clan, etc. As if there's a certain degree of blackness you must hold to be 'authentic.' So that lyric and that T-shirt are an affirmation to me. There are other black Morrissey fans that I have spoken with who feel the same way.

I am not an apologist for Moz and I have no problem calling him out when / if he's wrong or racist - but this is not the case. I wish he media would not be so quick to jump on the 'Morrissey is racist' bandwagon. Unfortunately that is a consequence of Moz having made questionable statements in the past.

I wish that the black media would listen to his music and give this some critical thought before being so accusatory. I wish that the 'liberal' left media would get off their high horse, put aside their white privilege and not tell what racism looks like. I already know and it's not this shirt.

TDLR; Black woman says T-shirt not racist, Media sucks.

well played.

 

[Anonymous]

Being irish now living in France I find this amusing since I have experienced how irish people treat black people. It is obvious that Morrissey is becoming more and more political but he's even harder to read than a politician and needs to come out and be a bit more clearer to avoid rumours and speculation. I find this whole thing a bit infantile tbh.

 

[Anonymous]

i don't see a reference to the "black experience" in the lyrics and they don't get a "black experience" meaning with the face of james baldwin next to them, at least not for me, because i don't reduce him to his skin color.

The shirt is - at best - massively open to dodgy interpretations, when using that lyric in combination with a black civil right's campaigners face. If Morrissey wanted to use that quote in a context where the cover star's skin colour was irrelevant, then Morrissey would have used a photo of Mike Baldwin, not James Baldwin.

 

[Anonymous]

Of course some stupid t-shirt is more important than all of the following, and of course, as Moz called Oscar Wilde a fag in one of his letters as a youth, it means that he is homophobic

"We never have Anne Sexton or James Baldwin types running the country. They'd make far too much sense." Morrissey, List of the Lost

"I am writing this in the city of Barcelona where, many years ago, I discovered the American writer James Baldwin sitting alone and somewhat lost in the darkened lobby of one of the city's oldest hotels. Surprised at being inches away from such a great man, I froze in sheepish clumsiness, circled him eleven times, before I realized that he could not possibly have any interest in being approached by someone who had spent all 25 years of their life locked in an attic because too awful to look at. So, I did nothing, walked on, and shortly thereafter he was dead. Yet another lesson." Morrissey, TTY 2006

 

[King Leer]

I wouldn't expect you knew him -- he just came mind with the thread at hand.

Which tour did your old site start with? Maladjusted?

No idea who he is. Funnily enough, I don't know every black Moz fan. Not yet, at least. Perhaps I should start a club?

 

[Anonymous]

No one can understand and know what it is like to be black except a black person. White liberals or white privileged people wearing t shirts will never know what that experience is.

That is why it is a ill thought out t shirt. Racist, not intentionally or directly but belittling at best.

I get that black people get annoyed at white people telling them what is racism or isn't racism but equally isn't it as annoying when white privileged people tell the world that they know what it is like to feel or be black?

This is total racism on your part. Maybe whites and blacks should not mix and live apart because they are so different? Like in apartheid South Africa? What exactly does 'black person' mean? If you have dual heritage - does that make you 'black'? What about if your grandfather was black? What the f*** does 'white person' mean? As Steve Biko said - 'you people are more pink than white'. There used to be signs up in British guesthouses saying 'No blacks, no dogs, no Irish'. Get an education. Lots of cultures have experience of colonial subjugation, famine, and diaspora. No one has a monopoly on oppression. Native Americans can tell you all about the experience of oppression - just as much as African Americans can.

 

[Sidnettle]

Seems like the cack-handed work of this Esty Rayner person

 

[Anonymous]

This is total racism on your part. Maybe whites and blacks should not mix and live apart because they are so different? Like in apartheid South Africa? What exactly does 'black person' mean? If you have dual heritage - does that make you 'black'? What about if your grandfather was black? What the f*** does 'white person' mean? As Steve Biko said - 'you people are more pink than white'. There used to be signs up in British guesthouses saying 'No blacks, no dogs, no Irish'. Get an education. Lots of cultures have experience of colonial subjugation, famine, and diaspora. No one has a monopoly on oppression. Native Americans can tell you all about the experience of oppression - just as much as African Americans can.

What's your point regarding the post you quoted? The original post has nothing to do with your rant?

 

[Quando quando quando]

That shirt he wears on the T-shirt is black, isn't?

 

[nicky wire's legs]

"We never have Anne Sexton or James Baldwin types running the country. They'd make far too much sense." Morrissey, List of the Lost

"I am writing this in the city of Barcelona where, many years ago, I discovered the American writer James Baldwin sitting alone and somewhat lost in the darkened lobby of one of the city's oldest hotels. Surprised at being inches away from such a great man, I froze in sheepish clumsiness, circled him eleven times, before I realized that he could not possibly have any interest in being approached by someone who had spent all 25 years of their life locked in an attic because too awful to look at. So, I did nothing, walked on, and shortly thereafter he was dead. Yet another lesson." Morrissey, TTY 2006

what sense would it make to have anne sexton runing a country? someone who abused her own child because she couldnt handle her own small life?

 

[Quando quando quando]

what sense would it make to have anne sexton runing a country? someone who abused her own child because she couldnt handle her own small life?

Better ask Moz in another letter.
If the costs are going to give you a headache, paper, envelopes, postage, let me know, I am very willing to support you.
You will get an answer earlier then me.
Do mention though in it you want to touch and softly caress his eyebrowridge.
Cheers Rifke!

 

[Anonymous]

Setting the race issue aside it's just hilarious that the former lead singer of The Smiths now has to resort to shamelessly using very old Smiths lyrics on t-shirt tat to make a few quid in his dried up solo career.
How many times did me and Brummie tell you he was a total CrankFraud ?
" But you wouldn't believe us "

New songs please ! And none of that shitty shite dross World Piss / Fist me a lot. L O L

Come on Steve ffs buck your ideas up.

Benny-the-British-Butcher

 

[Clare Hollingworth]

This is total racism on your part. Maybe whites and blacks should not mix and live apart because they are so different? Like in apartheid South Africa? What exactly does 'black person' mean? If you have dual heritage - does that make you 'black'? What about if your grandfather was black? What the f*** does 'white person' mean? As Steve Biko said - 'you people are more pink than white'. There used to be signs up in British guesthouses saying 'No blacks, no dogs, no Irish'. Get an education. Lots of cultures have experience of colonial subjugation, famine, and diaspora. No one has a monopoly on oppression. Native Americans can tell you all about the experience of oppression - just as much as African Americans can.

Morrissey 1992 Q Magazine

"Q: Do you think people are inherently racist?
Morrissey: Yes. I don't want to sound horrible or pessimistic but I don't really think, for instance, black people and white people will ever really get on or like each other. I don't really think they ever will. The French will never like the English. The English will never like the French. That tunnel will collapse."

You must think his own words are pretty horrible? Get an education?

 

[Anonymous]

Morrissey 1992 Q Magazine
Lpp
"Q: Do you think people are inherently racist?
Morrissey: Yes. I don't want to sound horrible or pessimistic but I don't really think, for instance, black people and white people will ever really get on or like each other. I don't really think they ever will. The French will never like the English. The English will never like the French. That tunnel will collapse."

You must think his own words are pretty horrible? Get an education?

The CrankFraud career will collapse before that tunnel does !
Laugh out very loud

"kiss me a lot "

Benny-the-British-Butcher

 

[Anonymous]

Morrissey sounds pessimistic about the human race is hardly news. He also said he doesn't like people very much

 

[Anonymous]

what sense would it make to have anne sexton runing a country? someone who abused her own child because she couldnt handle her own small life?

Hi rifke good to hear from you.

Because I must !
Please be aware that in your absence we now have a small minded poster onboard who insists on us all spilling corrictly

* running

It posts by the name of P J or something or other.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend rifke.

Benny-the-British-Butcher (for you only)

 

[AztecCamera]

Blikey, I reckon the Mexicans in Mexico are not going to like this shirt and the Mexicans in LA and the rest of the Southwest are especially not going to like this shirt reckon Mexican and Black gang members have been killing each other for the past 115 years.

 

[Quando quando quando]

Morrissey 1992 Q Magazine

"Q: Do you think people are inherently racist?
Morrissey: Yes. I don't want to sound horrible or pessimistic but I don't really think, for instance, black people and white people will ever really get on or like each other. I don't really think they ever will. The French will never like the English. The English will never like the French. That tunnel will collapse."

You must think his own words are pretty horrible? Get an education?

But that was in 1992!
Maybe he was wrong? Give him some slack, for christsake.
Maybe he changed his mind a bit since then, hmm? No, he is not allowed.

And even much longer before he expressed his appreciation about a lot of black music and people like Dionne Warwick, Loneliness Remembers What Happiness Forgets, songs like Young, Gifted And Black, The Ronettes.

He likes James Baldwin, the other James (Brown) too.
He said it. Would a real racist say that? I can't believe it.

The only mild criticism you could have is he said it when they were no longer with us.
But that only confirms another, more or less selfloathing statement he made too, like "All the people I like are those who are dead".

 

[Sunday Girl Everyday]

The song Unloveable never seemed to be talking about race to me. To twist words to be soooo 2017 seems cliche. Why do this ?

 

[nicky wire's legs]

Better ask Moz in another letter.
If the costs are going to give you a headache, paper, envelopes, postage, let me know, I am very willing to support you.
You will get an answer earlier then me.
Do mention though in it you want to touch and softly caress his eyebrowridge.
Cheers Rifke!

nah my morrissey letter writing days are over, so morrissey is just shit out of luck. i have, as they say on oprah, moved on. i may take up writing prison inmates instead-- you can support me by sending me candy and dutch bag cakes. thanks in advance!