Iona Mink
Despitemybetterjudgement
From today's Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/aug/06/morrissey-olympic-games?CMP=twt_gu
Morrissey attacks 'blustering jingoism' of Olympic Games
Singer claims London 2012 is more Germany in 1939, saying Britain is 'foul with patriotism'
Morrissey performs at Manchester Arena in 2012
Charming man … Morrissey attacks 'foul patriotism' of London 2012 Olympics. Photograph: Neil H Kitson/Redferns via Getty Images
There was no celebrating three British gold medals on Saturday night for Morrissey. Quite the opposite, in fact, as the former Smiths singer has sent an open letter to members of his fanclub attacking the "blustering jingoism" of the Olympic Games. This comes just a week after he criticised the Olympics on stage in Manchester – for not including the Smiths in the opening ceremony music.
Far from providing a focus of national unity and good cheer, Morrissey says the Olympics have created a situation in which "the spirit of 1939 Germany now pervades throughout media-brand Britain". He implored his fans: "WAKE UP WAKE UP."
The full text of the letter to members of his True to You fanclub reads:
"I am unable to watch the Olympics due to the blustering jingoism that drenches the event. Has England ever been quite so foul with patriotism? The 'dazzling royals' have, quite naturally, hi-jacked the Olympics for their own empirical needs, and no oppositional voice is allowed in the free press. It is lethal to witness. As London is suddenly promoted as a super-wealth brand, the England outside London shivers beneath cutbacks, tight circumstances and economic disasters. Meanwhile the British media present 24-hour coverage of the 'dazzling royals', laughing as they lavishly spend, as if such coverage is certain to make British society feel fully whole. In 2012, the British public is evidently assumed to be undersized pigmies, scarcely able to formulate thought.
"As I recently drove through Greece I noticed repeated graffiti seemingly everywhere on every available wall. In large blue letters it said WAKE UP WAKE UP. It could almost have been written with the British public in mind, because although the spirit of 1939 Germany now pervades throughout media-brand Britain, the 2013 grotesque inevitability of Lord and Lady Beckham (with Sir Jamie Horrible close at heel) is, believe me, a fate worse than life. WAKE UP WAKE UP."
Although sports fans may be a little surprised by the vehemence of Morrissey's reaction, an event that combined corporate sponsorship from McDonald's with the near-constant presence of the royal family was unlikely to win his favour. He has a long history of condemnation, including attacks on reggae ("vile"), Elton John ("bring me his head"), Band Aid ("diabolical"), dance music ("the refuge for the mentally deficient"), Chinese people ("a subspecies") and many, many more.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/aug/06/morrissey-olympic-games?CMP=twt_gu
Morrissey attacks 'blustering jingoism' of Olympic Games
Singer claims London 2012 is more Germany in 1939, saying Britain is 'foul with patriotism'
Morrissey performs at Manchester Arena in 2012
Charming man … Morrissey attacks 'foul patriotism' of London 2012 Olympics. Photograph: Neil H Kitson/Redferns via Getty Images
There was no celebrating three British gold medals on Saturday night for Morrissey. Quite the opposite, in fact, as the former Smiths singer has sent an open letter to members of his fanclub attacking the "blustering jingoism" of the Olympic Games. This comes just a week after he criticised the Olympics on stage in Manchester – for not including the Smiths in the opening ceremony music.
Far from providing a focus of national unity and good cheer, Morrissey says the Olympics have created a situation in which "the spirit of 1939 Germany now pervades throughout media-brand Britain". He implored his fans: "WAKE UP WAKE UP."
The full text of the letter to members of his True to You fanclub reads:
"I am unable to watch the Olympics due to the blustering jingoism that drenches the event. Has England ever been quite so foul with patriotism? The 'dazzling royals' have, quite naturally, hi-jacked the Olympics for their own empirical needs, and no oppositional voice is allowed in the free press. It is lethal to witness. As London is suddenly promoted as a super-wealth brand, the England outside London shivers beneath cutbacks, tight circumstances and economic disasters. Meanwhile the British media present 24-hour coverage of the 'dazzling royals', laughing as they lavishly spend, as if such coverage is certain to make British society feel fully whole. In 2012, the British public is evidently assumed to be undersized pigmies, scarcely able to formulate thought.
"As I recently drove through Greece I noticed repeated graffiti seemingly everywhere on every available wall. In large blue letters it said WAKE UP WAKE UP. It could almost have been written with the British public in mind, because although the spirit of 1939 Germany now pervades throughout media-brand Britain, the 2013 grotesque inevitability of Lord and Lady Beckham (with Sir Jamie Horrible close at heel) is, believe me, a fate worse than life. WAKE UP WAKE UP."
Although sports fans may be a little surprised by the vehemence of Morrissey's reaction, an event that combined corporate sponsorship from McDonald's with the near-constant presence of the royal family was unlikely to win his favour. He has a long history of condemnation, including attacks on reggae ("vile"), Elton John ("bring me his head"), Band Aid ("diabolical"), dance music ("the refuge for the mentally deficient"), Chinese people ("a subspecies") and many, many more.