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Morrissey: Chinese Are a 'Subspecies'

Racism accusations after singer criticizes 'animal abuse'

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 7, 2010 8:17 AM CDT

(Newser) – Another racism flap for Morrissey: The singer called the Chinese people a "subspecies" because of their treatment of animals, and he won't back off from the remark. "Did you see the thing on the news about their treatment of animals and animal welfare? Absolutely horrific," he says in an interview for the Guardian Weekend magazine. "You can't help but feel that the Chinese are a subspecies." In a statement made after the interview, Morrissey insists China's "animal abuse" is "indefensible."

"He must have known it would make waves, he's not daft," Morrissey's interviewer tells the Guardian. "In his view, if you treat an animal badly, you are less than human. I think that was his point." The rocker is no stranger to accusations of racism. Some of his more controversial past statements include theorizing that "black people and white people" will never "really get on or like each other," and railing against immigration. (Click here for another animal-rights-related flap he got himself into.)

British singer and songwriter and the former frontman for The Smiths, Morrissey performs at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston, in this June 26, 2007 file photo.
British singer and songwriter and the former frontman for The Smiths, Morrissey performs at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston, in this June 26, 2007 file photo.   (AP Photo/Robert E. Klein, File)
Singer Morrissey performs during day one of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival 2009 held at the Empire Polo Club on April 17, 2009 in Indio, California.
Singer Morrissey performs during day one of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival 2009 held at the Empire Polo Club on April 17, 2009 in Indio, California.   (Getty Images)
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If anyone has seen the horrific and unwatchable footage of the Chinese cat and dog trade—animals skinned alive—then they could not possibly argue in favor of China as a caring nation.
- Morrissey's post-interview statement

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 31 comments
Iguessthisisme
Sep 8, 2010 9:33 PM CDT
Anyone who eats meat is ignoring the incontrovertible truth that they are causing unnecessary pain and death, so fuck the chinese, but fuck us too. If there is any real benefit to western civilization and technological advancement it is that we have access to enough beans and rice to keep us healthy, anyone who partakes of meat in the regions of the industrialized world that are not poverty-stricken is doing so not out of necessity, but out of mindless desire. (let the hate speech begin)
whizzjef
Sep 7, 2010 11:04 PM CDT
He's right though but may I add; The Spanish bullfighting...damn Spaniard Mexican Bullfight....damn chicos Cockfight in the philippines, our southern states near Mexico and Mexico American underground dogfight....damn who dat? Mike Vic? Damn subspecies Our Seaworld...ya, And Obama making insulting 'specists' remark about dog
bareitch
Sep 7, 2010 6:08 PM CDT
He's a bigot. Why sugarcoat it?

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