Morrissey: Norway massacre is "nothing" compared to the actions of fast food chains

Once again he shoots himself in the foot.

Morrissey: 'Norway Attacks Nothing Compared To Actions Of Fast Good Giants' - Gigwise
He claims...

Morrissey has courted criticism after he reportedly compared the actions of fast food companies to the recent attacks in Norway.

At least 76 people died last week in two separate attacks which were both orchestrated by far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik.

Morrissey, a staunch vegetarian, made reference the massacre during a performance in at Stodola Club in Warsaw, Poland earlier this week, according to the Daily Mirror.

Before playing The Smiths' song 'Meat is Murder', he is quoted as saying: “We all live in a murderous world, as the events in Norway have shown, with 97 dead.

“Though that is nothing compared to what happens in McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Sh*t every day.”

Video footage of Morrissey performing the song has been published on YouTube, but it omits his alleged introduction.

Morrissey's comment is the latest in a string of outbursts in recent months, many of which have focussed on animal welfare.

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Link from Tingle3:

Morrissey says Norway massacre is "nothing" compared to the actions of fast food chains - Daily Mirror
by Ashleigh Rainbird

MORRISSEY has sparked outrage after saying the tragedy in Norway was “nothing” compared to the actions of fast food chains.

The controversial singer, 52, made his remark while on stage at a gig in Warsaw on Sunday night.

Before launching into his hit Meat is Murder, the outspoken vegetarian made reference to the horrific events last Friday.

Referring to the death toll as thought at the time he said: “We all live in a murderous world, as the events in Norway have shown, with 97 dead. Though that is nothing compared to what happens in McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried S*** every day.”

Two nights earlier the singer introduced the same song with another lambasting of the brands.

Gig-goers took to his fan sites to condemn the his outburst. One wrote: “The killing of children compared to KFC & McDonald’s?!!! What an ass****!”

Another wrote: “I really don’t know if that is *forgivable? Or of any use to the vegetarian cause?”

A spokesman said last night: “Morrissey has decided not to comment any further as he believes his statement speaks for itself.”

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Update 10/18/2011:

Sistasheila posted the link to the video and actual words spoken during the concert:



"Despite the love, we do live on a murderous planet,
as you will have seen over the last few days in Norway.
Murder murder murder.
But really, every single day, worse things happen in KFC and McDonalds.
Murder, murder, murder, murder, murder..."

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Link from inourbritches:
Morrissey: 'McDonald's, KFC worse than Norway massacre' - Digital Spy

Also, links posted by anonymous persons in the Warsaw post-show:
Meat biz worse than Norway: Morrissey - LFPress / Wenn.com
Morrissey lekceważąco o norweskiej tragedii - Interia.pl
Morrissey: – Massakren i Norge er ingenting mot massakren på Mc Donald's hver dag - tv2.no

80s Icon in Hot Water, a Facebook Status Leads To an Arrest, and a Whale Thanks its Rescuers in a Touching Way - Yahoo! News blog. Link from Desert Bee.

 

[Anonymous]

I think Morrissey is right! It's not that I'm a fan or anything, but just because people are longing for tragedies to outproduce themselves as caring, social human beings in respect to recent events, they should either present themselves like this on all issues that bear a tragedy and every time justice is not served well or just rest silent. Honestly: now everyone has to comment on this tragic event in Norway and how shocking all that is. So many people with so much to say about this. I wonder, because if so many people stand up and are touched by this tragedy like this, there shouldn't be any wars or hunger or other unbearable situations for human beings in this world, because the majority seems to be actively interested in all human beings living in peace and happiness forever. But once the artificially produced "media hype" ceases, all keep caring on like before (except those directly touched by the killings of course). I can not speak for anybody else, but I'd feel ashamed to damn Morrissey for what he said in Warsaw and carry on next week just the same way I did before. Morrissey on the other hand is actively fighting against a cruel thing and therefore has as well the right to exaggerate just for gaining attention regarding the good intentions he undoubtedly has. Sorry for not being a native speaker and trying to write down a really complex chain of thoughts...

 

[Anonymous]

Is all life equal, or is some life more equal than others?

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, 45 BILLION animals were killed worldwide for food in 2000.
How many are KFC and McDonalds directly responsible - I don't know - but I think it's safe to say that as the two largest fast food companies in the world, it must number in BILLIONS of lives.

So yes - as tragic as it was - the deaths of 76 (or however many it finally turns out to be) people in Norway is MINUTE against the almost inconceivable scale of death that the meat industry is responsible for, every single day of the year.

So even if you considered a human beings life to be worth that of 1 MILLION animals (and, quite frankly, I don't) - the scale is still vastly out of whack.

This isn't about Morrissey saying the deaths in Norway were not a tragedy - it's about him pointing out the fact that a vastly greater slaughter of lives is occurrng in our societies every single day - and something needs to be done to stop it.

 

[Anonymous]

Stupid f**k! All time low from a person who has said and done a LOT of stupid things during the years.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: Morrissey: Norway massacre is "nothing" compared to the actions of fast

Goes to show that everyone has a good side to them.

Thats a myth Hitler being vegetarian.

 

[Honeypieyou'renotsafehere]

Re: Article: Morrissey: Norway massacre is "nothing" compared to the actions of fast

I'm a confirmed meat eater who believes animal life to be less sacred than human. That's my view. Moz obviously believes that animal life has equal value. That's his view and he's got the right to say it - just like people have the right to throw his records in the bin if that's how they feel.

 

[McMenu]

shame on you, loser

 

[Anonymous]

This statement makes you just as bad as him...

 

[starless]

Hitler was born in Austria.

 

[Honeypieyou'renotsafehere]

Re: Article: Morrissey: Norway massacre is "nothing" compared to the actions of fast

This statement makes you just as bad as him...

Wow. That's great news. Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: Morrissey: Norway massacre is "nothing" compared to the actions of fast

your as stupid as that f***ing tool morrissey...

 

[goinghome]

...People love it when the media offers them a sacrificial scapegoat such as Morrissey to vent all their pent-up bitterness and repressed anger on in a collective orgasm of righteous rage, but for what purpose?

As the singer readily admits, the tragedy in Norway was terrible. His argument is, as it's always been, meat is murder too, and the amount of animals and chickens butchered on the altar of profit and obesity each day is also worthy of headlines and our attention.

The press are wasting column space on vilifying a vegetarian, when crimes of butchery and bloodshed on an epic scale go unreported...

- http://celebs.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474979756942

 

[Anonymous]

The Daily Mail were up in arms about the Morrissey story yesterday and today they print this story about "shocking cruelty at abattoir"... I haven't read it all because I am too soft.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ve-abattoir--responsible-WONT-prosecuted.html

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: Morrissey: Norway massacre is "nothing" compared to the actions of fast

I think Morrissey has Aspergers Syndrome.

Thanks for your brilliant diagnosis, but please don't associate Asperger's Syndrome with pure stupidity.

 

[Anonymous]

Though it may have been far too soon for him to say this, I understand what he means and I agree with the viewpoint that animals and humans are equal. And therefor mudering people or murdering animals (yes- even if the reason is to eat them. No one is FORCED to eat the McDonalds and KFC shit) is the same thing, really. Let me make myself clear that I was absolutely appalled at what happend at Norway and I think that guy who did it doesn't deserve to live...but when it comes to killing and eating animals, people tend to sick their head in the sand. Odd. It seems to me so arrogant and ignorant to think that humans are above animals. I really really don't undeerstand why people here say that to compare humans with animals is 'offensive and pathetic'. Why?? I'd say it is the opposite. We can learn much more from animals than we think.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: Morrissey: Norway massacre is "nothing" compared to the actions of fast

What a moron! Either he is a total f-ing idiot, or he has no social antennas whatsoever. Or maybe both? Wonder if he would say the same if his kids were slayed down by a maniac? Morrisey can go f*** a dolphin or something...

Hear hear!

 

[Anaesthesine]

It's interesting that Morrissey made his comments in Poland, the birthplace of Isaac Bashevis Singer. Singer was a Jewish writer who fled Poland during the rise of the Nazis.

Singer's family and friends were murdered in the death camps; he lived while millions of innocent souls were tortured and killed on an industrial scale, and yet he is also the man who famously said: "For the animals, it is an eternal Treblinka." For Singer, a profoundly moral thinker, the human capacity for violence is expressed every day in the suffering and death of billions of living things for our pleasure and convenience. Humans not only torture and kill without compassion, we take it as our right to inflict suffering and death for fun and profit. As has been said so many times in so many ways, until we have compassion for the least of us, there is no hope for any of us.

Morrissey's comments were thoughtless and insensitive, and goodness knows he could have made his point in a much more constructive way. I'm saddened that the man seems to have misplaced his native wit and charm, and his flat-footed comments regarding man's inhumanity to beast aren't winning over any converts (and quite frankly may be doing more harm than good). Folks in Norway currently dealing with a national tragedy have every right to be offended, just as so many good folks in China have a right to be offended. As a matter of fact, there are very few people anywhere who Morrissey hasn't offended, in one way or another.

Still, all this online hysteria, all the calls for his head seem misplaced. He's a singer given to hyperbole, he makes outrageous statements, he taunts his fans, his interviewers, his audience and, it seems, just about every other person who crosses his path. As he's said so many times, people don't like him, and the feeling is mutual. He keeps his unconditional love for the animals. He's hardly alone.

 

[Honeypieyou'renotsafehere]

Re: Article: Morrissey: Norway massacre is "nothing" compared to the actions of fast

your as stupid as that f***ing tool morrissey...

I knew I was great, but not that great! Once again, thanks

 

[Anonymous]

Seriously.. If anyone truely believes that even 200billion animals is worth the life of one person then get a grip... Animals are for food, they always have been, otherwise we would be over-run with specimens that could not make themselves a home, make someone laugh, speak.. ANYTHING, they provide NOTHING to the world and society except for food.. That's what they're there for, they have to be looked after by.. OH.. humans.. So anyone who is getting on their high horse claiming McDonalds and KFC are disgusting need to get a grip..

If it wasn't for companies like them, there'd be more cows/chickens/pigs in the world, than humans.. They are not intelligent, SOME animals might provide a companion for a human, but other than that, seriously.. They do nothing.

Morrissey is a pathetic little man and anyone who agrees with what he said, should be ashamed of yourselves.. Take a serious look at what a human can potentially provide to a community, a society; happiness, love, warmth, a family, a shop, a service and take a look at what a cow could provide... FOOD!

 

[libertine99]

http://celebs.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474979756942

The mindless, gullible and easily manipulated will no doubt buy a first class ticket to board the Morrissey bashing wagon as it rolls into town, but then they're just too thick to see the bigger picture.

People love it when the media offers them a sacrificial scapegoat such as Morrissey to vent all their pent-up bitterness and repressed anger on in a collective orgasm of righteous rage, but for what purpose?

As the singer readily admits, the tragedy in Norway was terrible. His argument is, as it's always been, meat is murder too, and the amount of animals and chickens butchered on the altar of profit and obesity each day is also worthy of headlines and our attention.

The press are wasting column space on vilifying a vegetarian, when crimes of butchery and bloodshed on an epic scale go unreported.

It's not a sin to have an opinion and give it the oxygen of publicity, no matter how inappropriate and insensitive it may seem. It's called freedom of speech—men died for it.

Refreshingly, and somewhat inspiringly, the stubborn Brit is refusing to pander to public pressure and apologise for his words.

 

[libertine99]

.... Jonathan Bowden added: "No-one else in the music industry or any other industry would dare be this outrageous, he mightn't look like it but he's the last remnants of Punk, he says what he wants, he doesn't give a shit what anyone thinks."