To protest our seal murdering policies, Morrissey is taking a stand by refusing to take his tour to Canada. He's also asking all his fans to boycott Canadian goods. In his statement, he compares the act to the Nazi's construction of gas chambers and pins us alongside China as "the cruelest and most self-serving nation".
I'm not about to defend the clubbing of seals, I too am uncomfortable with the practice, but I am also uncomfortable with Morrissey's statment. On a global scale, Canada is, for the most part, a culturally diverse and peaceful nation, with equal rights for all. There's this less-than-ideal seal issue on the East coast that's being permitted because it provides jobs for local communities that desperately need them. Now, a rich rock star is refusing to play Canada and urging a boycott of all things Canadian. The Nazi and China comparisons are just over the top. If Morrissey will only play countries that are completely without questionable practices, it will be a very, very short tour.
Is the United States without sin? Is Turkey a utopian state? Do they not wear leather in England?
I've never liked Morrissey anyway, and his refusal to play a Toronto date on his tour doesn't effect me in the least, but his dramatic statement deserved a reply. We're not a nation without flaws, and whether this seal cull is economically and environmentally justified is debatable, but putting us alongside China as twin human/animal rights abusers in this big, bad world is a little more than I can stomach this morning.
I don't owe you anything.
