An open letter...

S

skikes

Stand User
An open letter from the Queens of the Stone Age lead singer.

He says…

"Member of the Peanut Gallery:

Some journalists & citizens on the internet & are wondering: Q? Am I a homophobe because I included a slang for gay in with other "acceptable" curse words during a verbal lashing I gave a young concertgoer, after being hit by his shoe, during a show the other day? A= Nope. My gay family & friends, as well as myself, KNOW I am not a homophobe. For years now I've known gay is not a choice; one's skin color doesn't determine one's intelligence level; & red hair doesn't mean you're someone's stepchild. You see, it's not the words, it's their intent. I never said, nor suggested, that being gay is wrong, but apparently, based on your outrage to my flu-infused rant, you do! By that logic… I also told that young whipper snapper I'd have anal sex with him… how can I possibly reconcile these opposing viewpoints? I called him a pussy too. Does it mean I hate our one worlds' collective vagina? I never have been nor intend to be politically correct. That's your cross to bear. To me, that PC world would suck more **** than the porta-potty truck at Glastonbury. Homophobic? I'm in Queens of the Stone Age for crissake… You say, "So. Your band name doesn't prove anything." Maybe not. But it's a helluv a lot more definitive than the logic of some watchdog… (sorry canine-American, canine-European, canine-African, canine-Australian & canine-Asian) moralist, keeping score from pure perfectionville? If your glass house is squeegeed that clean & you need to do something, do what the great philosopher Bill Hick's once suggested: — forgive me–. Or don't. I'm not asking for either, OK? I think you should let both of your cheeks go loose so the stick will drop out. Either way I expect that you'll soon find another injustice from your chair, then roll to your bullhorn & point it out to the rest of us… Because you're so above it all. Or If you'll allow me to translate a wish of mine into your PC lingo:
Will you please go have, consensual, sex with yourself.
Pretty please with all natural, carbon offset sugar on top.

Sincerely,
Mr. Missundastood
A.K.A. Joshua, Baby Duck, Jho
Head Choreographer & Do Stuff Corporation's pansexual spokes-thing"




I dont think ive agreed so much with a statement in my life, could not agree more. thoughts?
 
Here you go Cgeek.
Rocker JOSH HOMME has hit back at claims he is a homophobe, after he called a concert-goer who threw a shoe at him onstage a "faggot".

The Queens of the Stone Age rocker reacted with fury when he was hit during a gig in Norway last week (12Jun08), and unleashed a torrent of abuse at the culprit - calling him a "chicken **** f**king faggot" and "a miserable f**king c**t".

After he was criticised for using the term, Homme posted an open letter online, defending himself.

It reads, "My gay family and friends, as well as myself, know I am not a homophobe. For years now I've known gay is not a choice.

"You see, it's not the words, it's their intent. I never said, nor suggested, that being gay is wrong."
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Thanks, Sy!

I never said, nor suggested, that being gay is wrong
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But he did suggest it, because that's what that word means and what it has meant for decades. If he called someone a "nigger", would that be okay, as long as the intent wasn't to offend black people? Of course not. I think he should grow up and properly apologise for using such a hateful word, regardless of it's context.
 
CitizenGeek said:
Thanks, Sy!

I never said, nor suggested, that being gay is wrong
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But he did suggest it, because that's what that word means and what it has meant for decades. If he called someone a "nigger", would that be okay, as long as the intent wasn't to offend black people? Of course not. I think he should grow up and properly apologise for using such a hateful word, regardless of it's context.
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From what i know, isn't the term "nigger" somewhat odd, by that i mean if a white person uses it in reference to a black person it is an insult, yet a black person saying it to another black person its not deemed insultive at all.
Even still regarding that, i find that a pretty immature way of dealing with things, i mean if he's trying to make himself out as being less offensive, he's not going the right way about it =/ He'd have probably have better either keeping quiet or apologising as if he meant it.
 
Arbalest said:
From what i know, isn't the term "nigger" somewhat odd, by that i mean if a white person uses it in reference to a black person it is an insult, yet a black person saying it to another black person its not deemed insultive at all.
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Yes, that's true. And it's really not that complicated or confusing despite what the nefarious anti-PC brigade would have you believe. Black people reclaiming that word and using it as a term of endearment amongst themselves works because a black person calling another black person a "nigger" in the pejorative sense doesn't make sense and there's no history of it being used offensively. The same thing goes for lots of words; for example, it's acceptable for Irish people to call each other "drunken paddies", but if an English or American person says it, it's a different story.

I don't see how Queens of the Stone Age's lead singer can't see how using words like "faggot" is dangerous and gravely offensive to the gay people who have to hear that word often.
 
I completely agree with the writer of the letter. If someone throws a shoe at you, your obviously going to react with calling them a name or something, and it was just the word "faggot" that came out. This doesn't mean he is a homophobe or whatever, it means hes a normal human being who has the guts to stand up for himself; I respect this man. Since when do people take insults officially? If someone calls you a "****" does that make you sexist because a man doesn't have that organ? Or how about, if someone calls you a "Bastard" do you take it that he actually uses it from the old derived word that means your parents gave birth to you before they were married? Of course not. Its a metaphorical word. Some people should really grow up and learn to bend with the 'fashion' we are in. I find it childish how someone would throw a shoe at this man, and then be shocked when he is hit back again with a insult; If this happened in the street, the same would happen, and most people would turn a blind eye to it; But, ooooh no, when its in the media or connected, all hell breaks lose.

As for gays aswell, they should learn to tolerate the word "faggot" been thrown around, like the other words I mentioned (eg. bastard). If this guy would of called him a "Bastard", no one would pay attention, and nor would the actual "Bastards".
 
CitizenGeek said:
I don't see how Queens of the Stone Age's lead singer can't see how using words like "faggot" is dangerous and gravely offensive to the gay people who have to hear that word often.
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Pshaw.

I claim evolution of language.

Faggot in a context like this has nothing to do with homosexuality - it's just a generic insult.

Freakin' PC brigade.
faggots the lot o' them
 
Yagami said:
I completely agree with the writer of the letter. If someone throws a shoe at you, your obviously going to react with calling them a name or something, and it was just the word "faggot" that came out. This doesn't mean he is a homophobe or whatever, it means hes a normal human being who has the guts to stand up for himself; I respect this man. Since when do people take insults officially? If someone calls you a "****" does that make you sexist because a man doesn't have that organ? Or how about, if someone calls you a "Bastard" do you take it that he actually uses it from the old derived word that means your parents gave birth to you before they were married? Of course not. Its a metaphorical word.
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"****" and "bastard" are not comparable to "faggot" and "nigger". And you do understand why, so I'm not going to waste my time explaining it for you. The bottom line is: faggot is a word that is always associated with homosexuality. And to arbitrarily proclaim that it doesn't, because you've decided that it isn't, is nonsense. I'm not saying the lead singer is homophobic, he probably isn't, but if he was an adult he would understand that such grotesque language is offensive to gay people and using it publicly sends out a whole bunch of the wrong kinds of messages to impressionable people. He should apologise rather than sulk about his own mistake.

Homophobic, misogynistic, racist or any other kind of offensive language should have no place in society and claiming that it does is just wrong. It's not just coincidence that the people who use such language are white, heterosexual, men; they're the majority, so how could anyone say anything derogatory about them? They don't experience it, so it doesn't matter to them. Fair enough, but they should at least understand that it's not like that for everyone.

As for gays aswell, they should learn to tolerate the word "faggot" been thrown around, like the other words I mentioned (eg. bastard).
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I don't think you understand what you're saying when you say this, but if you do I suggest you re-think. Asking gay people to "tolerate" homophobia -- do you understand how ridiculous that sounds?
 
CitizenGeek said:
As for gays aswell, they should learn to tolerate the word "faggot" been thrown around, like the other words I mentioned (eg. bastard).
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I don't think you understand what you're saying when you say this, but if you do I suggest you re-think. Asking gay people to "tolerate" homophobia -- do you understand how ridiculous that sounds?
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What I'm saying is people have learned to tolerate swearing on the streets and all over the media. Its quite ridiculous to turn around now and say that someone, somewhere, may have found it offensive. I don't see how gays can honestly get offended by this. Its a insult normally used from non-gays to non-gays. We have grown to learn that it is just another insult. I don't see how such a big fuss has come out of a common insult. There are no facts that say the person he called a faggot was actually gay, and even if he was, the rocker would not know. Anyway, as for tolerating the word, I mean that if its used as a random insult, no one should be getting offended; Once again, its just a common insult nowadays, anyway.
 
Yagami said:
What I'm saying is people have learned to tolerate swearing on the streets and all over the media. Its quite ridiculous to turn around now and say that someone, somewhere, may have found it offensive.
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First of all, no we haven't. Joan Rivers recently said "******* ****" on morning television and was removed from the show and forced to make an apology she would later rescind.

Swearing is not tolerated on the street, in fact I'm fairly certain most people would be outraged if they heard swearing on the streets. I'm nearly certain there are laws against it, too.

But that's all besides the point, because traditional swear words are distinctly different to slurs like the word "faggot".

I don't see how gays can honestly get offended by this.
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Obviously.

no one should be getting offended
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You can't simply say "this shouldn't offend you, now be quite about it". It doesn't work that way.
 
People only get offended if it potentially concerns them or they're part of the PC Brigade. Otherwise they wouldn't give a ****. Besides, you don't hear bastards getting riled over the word "bastard" being used as an insult. I get called a Bible Basher and such and guess what? I GET OVER IT!
 
HAHAHA!

So what's Homme doing here exactly?

1) Realising he screwed up by airing his bigotry in public (therefore onto the internet!) and trying to save some face with a piece of crap "OMG POLITICAL CORRECTNESS SUXXX" Livejournal whine?

2) Making controversy to bring some interest to a band no one really cares about anymore?

Hey, my best friend is a black disabled gay transexual so I can spit all the venom I like and feel no guilt! =D
 
Maxon said:
Yeah because the public reaction is sooooooo reasonable. :roll:
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There's no such thing as bad publicity...especially for a ROCK 'N' ROLL BAND!

Make a controversial remark...get in the news/online word of mouth markets...remind people you exist...try and sweep it away with an "I'm a victim of evil political correctness" blog post...watch money and attention roll in.
 
Don't see what the big hurrah is all about. Some idiot threw a shoe at him whilst he was doing his job and he lashed out - reasonable reaction. I think the letter he wrote is just hypocritical ******** though because he moans about people using the internet to act superior and what does he do? Act superior on the internet. As for his choice of words - I see no major issue. Someone made the point that you wouldn't get away with calling a black guy the n word, why should you be able to say faggot? Well for one I personally do not feel that faggot is anywhere near as offensive and secondly, he did not know the man was gay and was not having a bash at his homosexuality. Overall, I think the original offence was no biggie, but he's made himself look a right arse with that rant.
 
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