Michelle Shocked shocks fans with anti-gay rant

[mellenORL]

Okay, since this topic interests me as a former fan, I have done more online research, and now I want to actually hear and see Shocked respond. There is a possibility - maybe good, maybe remote, maybe zero - that this is sort of a Shirley Sherrod/Andrew Breitbart thing where stuff got tweeted and re-tweeted really fast without proper context. Shocked always was a bit into irony and snarkasm at her shows.

[Witchyjoshy]

It's like seeing Pat Robertson becoming a Wiccan & supporting the most flamboyant Gay Pride parades while marrying a Feminist Athiest Black Woman & becoming a Communist.

...Okay that's honestly the best comparison I've seen yet.

[Tolpuddle Martyr]

Silly old thing is trying to back-peddle.

I do not, nor have I ever, said or believed that God hates homosexuals (or anyone else). I said that some of His followers believe that. I believe intolerance comes from fear, and these folks are genuinely scared. When I said “Twitter that Michelle Shocked says “God hates faggots,” I was predicting the absurd way my description of, my apology for, the intolerant would no doubt be misinterpreted. The show was all music, and the audience tweets said they enjoyed it. The commentary came about ten minutes later, in the encore.And to those fans who are disappointed by what they’ve heard or think I said, I’m very sorry: I don’t always express myself as clearly as I should. But don’t believe everything you read on facebook or twitter. My view of homosexualty has changed not one iota. I judge not. And my statement equating repeal of Prop 8 with the coming of the End Times was neither literal nor ironic: it was a description of how some folks – not me – feel about gay marriage.

The show, and the rant, was spontaneous. As for those applauding my so-called stance that “God Hates Faggots,” I say they should be met with mercy, not hate. And I hope that what remains of my audience will meet that intolerance with understanding, even of those who might hate them.

Folks wonder about my sexuality, but denying being gay is like saying I never beat my husband. My sexuality is not at issue. What is being questioned is my support for the LGBT community, and that has never wavered. Music and activism have always been part of my work and my journey, which I hope and intend to continue. I’d like to say this was a publicity stunt, but I’m really not that clever, and I’m definitely not that cynical.

But I am damn sorry. If I could repeat the evening, I would make a clearer distinction between a set of beliefs I abhor, and my human sympathy for the folks who hold them. I say this not because I want to look better. I have no wish to hide my faults, and – clearly – I couldn’t if I tried.

With love,

Michelle

Um, I listened to the audio of that gig and she definitely said that.

Maybe she'll start doing gigs at CPAC!

[Barbarella]

It's like seeing Pat Robertson becoming a Wiccan & supporting the most flamboyant Gay Pride parades while marrying a Feminist Athiest Black Woman & becoming a Communist.

...Okay that's honestly the best comparison I've seen yet.

Thanks.

[mellenORL]

Yeah the sound recording made me sick at heart. She has lost her fucking mind. She started out as radical left, and ended up fanatical bat shit crazy.

[chitoryu12]

I think it wouldn't have been quite as newsworthy if she didn't do it in the middle of San Francisco. "Has-been folk singer doesn't like gay people" would have been the headline if she did it in Alabama or South Carolina, and it would have barely been a blip on the radar. This is more like "Has-been folk singer walks into gay mecca and starts flinging poo."

[Delirium]

Okay, I don't even know what she's trying to do here.

[chitoryu12]

Okay, I don't even know what she's trying to do here.

"Silenced By Fear?"

She insulted gays in San Francisco (basically like walking into Harlem and ranting about how blacks are stupid), people walked out and the show got shut down, and she got criticized in the news and by people online.

Never mind that she's being silenced for being a hypocritical neanderthal (she used to be very pro-LGBT and cultivated an androgynous "genderqueer" persona), but she's not being silenced at all! She's allowed to say what she wants, just as we're allowed to call her a twat and refuse to listen to her music for it.

[mellenORL]

She's mentally ill, seriously. She's going to end up dead on the street at this rate. Her husband needs to take her home

and have her evaluated. But he's a rad fundie, too, so nah. Their church will try to pray it all off as gawd inspired

speaking in tongues-type, saintly insanity. FUCK!!!!!

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

She's mentally ill, seriously. She's going to end up dead on the street at this rate.

And nothing of value was lost.

[Barbarella]

She's mentally ill, seriously. She's going to end up dead on the street at this rate. Her husband needs to take her home

and have her evaluated. But he's a rad fundie, too, so nah. Their church will try to pray it all off as gawd inspired

speaking in tongues-type, saintly insanity. FUCK!!!!!

Being mentally ill myself, I can only look upon her with pity, now. This isn't a legitimately evil woman, this is a mentally ill woman who doesn't know who or what she is or isn't about & who's been brainwashed by her husband & church. I hate her message but I wont hate her personally. She's very sick & really needs help.

[mellenORL]

Exactly, spuki. She was one of us, not too long ago.

According to the article, she was once institionalized as a teen. Now, she grew up in a conservative area in a religious family, so it could have been a bs move to get rid of her lesbian tendencies, or she could have been genuinely messed up.

When I heard her voice go all hissing, vicious and crazy sounding in one section of the audio of the SF gig, I knew she was sick. I think she is in fact gay, is trapped in a hetero marriage that makes no natural sense for her, and has been brainwashed by her church, and has now snapped.

I have no idea why she would have ever gotten into extreme Christianity, unless she had some bad mental episode in the first place.

[Barbarella]

Exactly, spuki. She was one of us, not too long ago.

According to the article, she was once institionalized as a teen. Now, she grew up in a conservative area in a religious family, so it could have been a bs move to get rid of her lesbian tendencies, or she could have been genuinely messed up.

When I heard her voice go all hissing, vicious and crazy sounding in one section of the audio of the SF gig, I knew she was sick. I think she is in fact gay, is trapped in a hetero marriage that makes no natural sense for her, and has been brainwashed by her church, and has now snapped.

I have no idea why she would have ever gotten into extreme Christianity, unless she had some bad mental episode in the first place.

I heard somewhere that she walked into a fundie black church one day & was enthralled by the wonderful Gospel music (black churches, be they sane or fundie, always have the coolest, toe-tapping, soul-lifting, best gospel music). One thing led to another and she was assimilated by the Fundie Borg. I guess for her, with Black Gospel tunes involved, "RESISTANCE IS FUTILE"!