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.

---

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.”

---

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..."

---

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]

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

Not necessarily true: and ex-girlfriend of mine has been vegetarian (borderline vegan) for nearly four years and she's a fat c***. She's still a pretty good f***, though, I'll give her that.

Thanks x

 

[Anonymous]

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

The criticism is legitimate, I get that some people such as yourself just want the facts on the main page. But that's not how the site is run - I'll continue to post 'news' from people and if they decide to add some editorial (positive/negative/neutral) I'll likely include it. Most people don't mind as they I've not heard this complaint often (I heard it once on slashdot.org), I actually don't recall anyone mentioning it before on this site.

You are going to go on doing exactly as you've done in the past, then, despite criticism of how you've done it being "legitimate"--and you give no reason, in all your posts now about this, for this decision. You are not going to make an effort in the future to make it clear that the editorial remarks of the story's submitter are not your own opinions. You again give no reason for this decision.

Thank you so much for your time, David, as always. You certainly are consistent.

 

[davidt]

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

You are going to go on doing exactly as you've done in the past, then, despite criticism of how you've done it being "legitimate"--and you give no reason, in all your posts now about this, for this decision. You are not going to make an effort in the future to make it clear that the editorial remarks of the story's submitter are not your own opinions. You again give no reason for this decision.

Thank you so much for your time, David, as always. You certainly are consistent.

Looks like some people need things spelled out for them. I decide to include editorial remarks because I want to. I respect that they have submitted the item and offered some perspective with their item. It is clear by the credit who said it, no one else seems to have this problem.

 

[Anonymous]

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

Looks like some people need things spelled out for them. I decide to include editorial remarks because I want to. I respect that they have submitted the item and offered some perspective with their item. It is clear by the credit who said it, no one else seems to have this problem.

Show me where, in this thread or elsewhere, you've said that you include the editorial slant of the story's submitter out of respect for their effort. I believe this is your first justification of it on that grounds, and that you simply can't resist an urge to insult a critic.

As for the logic of the justification, it would furthermore show respect for the submitter if you made it clear that the "slanted" portion of the submission consisted of their words, not your own. Like all my other points on this, that is a fairly obvious one; but you revert again and again to restatements of "This is how it has always been done" or, in this case, the hilariously childish "because I want to."

"No one else seems to have this problem" indicates that you've either forgotten past posts in this thread, or that you aren't researching your critics' IP addresses as energetically as usual. Multiple anonymous commenters have complained, I assure you, and these have been some of the less subliterate posts in the thread. They have certainly been more substantive than your own.

 

[Anonymous]

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

Looks like some people need things spelled out for them. I decide to include editorial remarks because I want to. I respect that they have submitted the item and offered some perspective with their item. It is clear by the credit who said it, no one else seems to have this problem.

Actually, there's a lot of us who have a problem with you, David. We are just tired of explaining it to you over and over and over since 1997. Apparently, things don't go through that thick skull of yours. Further, we understand your point of view, much like a child, you're saying, "It's my ball and if no one wants to follow MY rules, I'm taking my ball and I'm going home!" Grow up, David. I have yet to see you admit that you're wrong ABOUT ANYTHING, but you are so very wrong. This website is nothing more than a hate site. A hate site towards Morrissey and to other members who happen to like him and happen to disagree with you and your beloved devotees and the trolls that you continually protect blindly. You are a sick, arrogant, selfish and stubborn little man in his 40s beyond any measure of being reasonable. Your banning from the concerts are completely justified and your only way to save face is to shut down the website. You're a disgrace and you will always be remembered as the guy that Morrissey hates and who was banned from the shows.

You and Uncleskinny, say, "If you don't like it, go start your own website." Well, I say to you and all your jackass moderators (most of which don't even like Morrissey), If YOU don't like it, why don't you go start a website about Paul McCartney or Elton John or Britney Spears or Kanye West (these people get more respect here than Morrissey) and leave Morrissey and US alone. No one ever gave you permission or the right to do this website, therefore, you should go. I guess some people need it "spelled out."

 

[Anonymous]

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

Thanks x

No problem. Despite being an airhead with uninformed opinions that you're too stupid to keep to yourself, your sweaty hole still tastes good to me. Always x

 

[Anonymous]

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

you will always be remembered as the guy that Morrissey hates and who was banned from the shows.

Go, David! We love you!

 

[Evy]

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

Text from his new song Scandinavia perfomed for the first time at the concert where he made his gruesome statement:
«I despise each syllable in Scandinavia. Let the people burn, let their children cry and die in blind asylum».

How can he???? Children have been murdered and he makes idiotic statements like that.

Erm, should you not post the rest of the lyrics as well? Oh no, that's right, it might not back up your vision, of course!

 

[Evy]

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

What a dumb comment. So, the choice is between callously insulting the victims and their families or miraculously raising the victims from the dead, is it?

Grow a brain and try again.

It was actually a pretty smart comment, wit a hint of irony. And, who was insulting the victims, if I may ask? Why are you putting words in other people's mouths? Is it because you are not intelligent enough? Oh yes, and since you seed to be so obsessed with intelligence and brains, this reply actually comes from someone with a bit of experience in neuroscience. Good enough?

 

[Anonymous]

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

It looks like living on salads, tofu and lentils really does turn you into a CU*T!

I'm going to start having my lunch at McDonalds EVERY bloody day now Morrissey!
3 double cheeseburgers and hey, why not a Quarter Pounder on top of it all in your honor!
I hope you choke to death on a brussel sprout you twat!

It seems to me that you are the one most likely to die in the near future.

 

[Anonymous]

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

Call it a hunch, but I kinda suspect any grieving relatives would probably be doing their grieving at home, in Norway - and not enjoying themselves at a Morrissey concert in Poland. Until the newspapers picked this item up - and I think you can pretty much guarantee that the source was So Low - none of them would have even heard about it.

Five thumbs up for this comment!

 

[Anonymous]

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

I'm frankly amazed that anyone on this site is suprised by Mozzer's comment.

Whoop-de-doo - the guy who has been proclaiming 'Meat is Murder' for the past 26 years causes a storm amongst his fans by (drum roll, wait for it) comparing 'meat' with 'murder'.

Was I the only person who actually bought that album and listened to it?

Morrissey has always considered the meat industry to be murder on a massive scale. How is this a suprise? Has everyone here been living under a rock for the past 26 years?

Absolutely brilliant! Spot on!

 

[Evy]

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

“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.”

I am a meat eater, so while I do not necessarily agree with him, I can see his viewpoint here. Firstly, I think the '97 dead. Though that is nothing compared to...' quote could be taken as a purely numerical comparison. 97 people - yes, that's terrible, but thousands of animals are killed by these companies and others every day, in horrific and distressing ways.

Now, you may be of the viewpoint that even one human life is worth more than any number of animals, but some people take the position that all life is equal. People, dogs, cats, cows, deer, chickens - all the same. Now, if you believe a human life is worth more than say, a horse, look at your reasons. Is it because humans are more 'intelligent'? Does that mean the lives of clever humans are worth more than stupid people?

There is another argument that states that as long as we keep on thinking of animals as 'lesser' creatures, there for us to do what we want with, and as long as we keep mistreating and killing them, we will never stop killing other humans, through murder and war. And I can see that the day we stop killing chickens because we see they have the same right to life as us, is going to make killing each other seem even more insane than it does now. There's a saying 'he wouldn't harm a fly', often used to show disbelief that someone would hurt or kill another person - because if he respects the existence of even the lowliest of creatures, how could he not do the same for a fellow human?
A lot of serial killers start out as kids who torture and kill animals.

Now, for those of you saying that Morrissey writes good songs but he's not qualified to speak on such weighty matters, let's allow that and bring in some bigger guns who have argued along similar lines in the past:

"As long as there are slaughter houses there will always be battlefields."~Leo Tolstoy

"The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look on the murder of men."~Leonardo Da Vinci


"The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men." ~Alice Walker

"The assumption that animals are without rights and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality." ~Schopenhauer

"As long as people will shed the blood of innocent creatures there can be no peace, no liberty, no harmony between people. Slaughter and justice cannot dwell together." ~Isaac Bashevis Singer


"Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace." ~Albert Schweitzer


"For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love." ~Pythagoras

Anyway, I think that what Morrissey was saying in his clumsy way is that both things are terrible, and if you believe that animals are our equals as he does, then they both are. That may not be your view, but there was a time during the slaving era, that black people were regarded as nothing more than property - sometimes thrown overboard from slave ships for insurance purposes. (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1h280.html) The prevailing view can change.

I think all Morrissey can be accused of here is a lack of tact. If someone you loved had been murdered and when you told a friend they said 'Well that's terrible, but McDonalds murders thousands of cows every day', you wouldn't be too pleased. BUt of course, Morrissey was addressing a small crowd from the stage in a different country, not talking to a grieving Norwegian parent, and the only way his comment would get back to those Norwegian parents is when the media sees fit to report these comments to stir up trouble and controversy. And that's what they're doing - just look how many headlines say something along the lines of 'Moz says McD's WORSE than Norway massacre'. No, he doesn't say it's worse. He says the numbers of dead are small by comparison. Still a shocking statement if you disagree that all types of life are equal, but not quite the same.

Let's all not react with the moral outrage that the tabloids are constantly trying to prod us into, and stop and think for a second instead. Unlike Morrissey on occasion.

Best reasoning I've read. This really sums it up. How can anyone still be offended now?

 

[Evy]

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

Animals are on the earth to be eaten by man. Food chains.....thats why you all have teeth.

Okay ... so when was the last time you went out hunting for your dinner? Oh no, that's right, you just have to buy the package in the supermarket. Teeth are barely needed anymore.
And your comment contained no argumentation whatsoever. I would like to see you give a good reply to what this other person has written!

 

[Evy]

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

I agree 100% with what Morrissey said. On what basis can anybody claim that the life of a child is more valuable than the life of chicken? Both are sentient creatures. To arbitrarily give more weight to one species because you are one of that species, betrays a distinct lack of intelligence and objectivity. Do you really think that you know what is going on in the mind of the man sitting opposite you on the bus, any more than a chicken in a cage?

Matthew

Great reasoning, Matthew!

 

[Evy]

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

After that, I'm pretty sure it's safe to say he would very much respect you.

You've given some spot on comments here, so far! If this was Facebook, I would "like" them all. Also saw that you are just 17 years old. Not that I want to sound cliché, but you must be very intelligent. Most people of your ageand even older are more busy doing trivial stuff.

 

[Anonymous]

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

A 10 year old Judeo-Christian child would feel that way. A 10 year old Hindu or Jain child might agree with Morrissey that every life is equally important. In that case, the ongoing daily slaughter of millions of living beings IS horrific, and worse than a single tragic incident of loss of life. It's a matter of perspective and culture. You can disagree and say that human life is more important, but that is not a universally held truth.

In other news, solow gave reporters the lovely derogatory quotes they were looking for to make Morrissey look bad - dissed even by his own fans. If only the readers knew those same comments are made when Moz wears the wrong shirt or sings a song someone doesn't like.

I just have to say: perfect comment! Totally agree!

 

[Anonymous]

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

I just have to say: perfect comment! Totally agree!

It is completely rubbish and not true so far from perfect.

 

[Evy]

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

I wonder what would upset Morrissey more; me eating chicken for dinner every day for a week, or me shooting his sister?

You probably shouldn't do either.

 

[Anonymous]

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

It is completely rubbish and not true so far from perfect.

How about posting some reasons to back up your view?