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Skrewdriver's Ian Stuart Donaldson (left) and Brutal Attack's Ken McLellan
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Should Retailers Sell Racist Hate Music?
As Barack Obama prepares to become our first African-American president, SPIN's David Marchese weighs in on white power musicians.
By David Marchese 01.12.09 8:33 AM
Skrewdriver's Ian Stuart Donaldson (left) and Brutal Attack's Ken McLellan
On January 20, when Barack Obama is sworn in, millions of Americans will appreciate the event as proof of racial progress, and deservedly so.
But in the course of reporting "Ugly Hate Machine," the story I wrote about the availability of white power music online for SPIN's January issue, I learned that racist Obama haters aren't a media invention. They're real, they're angry, and they play shitty hardcore.
I got my first clue of this when one white power musician responded to my interview request with the phrase, "Eat a dick."
That guy aside, I was surprised by how eagerly people like Jeff Schoep (head of the National Socialist Movement and its affiliated record label) would denounce Rage Against the Machine as "communists." Or how calmly veteran English white power musician Ken McLellan explained that his call for a second Holocaust (e.g., "It's our turn / They'll burn") was simply the equivalent of "pro-Black" rap lyrics.
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Less surprising was how easy it is for these guys to sell their music. Basically, for a band like Grinded Nig to be prevented from selling an album called Freezer Full of Nigger Heads, its songs would have to feature explicit and specific exhortations to cause harm. So a lyric like this from Final War's "Defenders of the Reich" -- "Skinheads / Standing proud and true / Skinheads / We fight the Jew" -- would be legal; "Let's kill a Jew at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday night at Ray's Bar" would not.
The general consensus among online retailers who stock white power bands like Brutal Attack and Skrewdriver is that they shouldn't be in the position of making moral decisions about what consumers can and can't buy. The argument goes that if they banned Final War's "Land of the White," then they'd also have to do the same for Ice T's "Cop Killer." And a common refrain among the white power advocates I spoke with was that it would be "un-American" censorship for retailers to refuse to stock their music.
But that's not true. Freedom of speech guarantees the right to disseminate ideas. It doesn't mean other people are obligated to help you. Wal-Mart, for example, has in the past chosen not to sell albums it deemed offensive. Retailers are copping out when they wash their hands of the moral implications behind the sale of their products.
I had an easier time with an idea offered up by CD Baby President Brian Felsen, who explained that it helps to think of the music industry as an economy of ideas as well one of goods and services. The thinking goes that in an economy of ideas, the best ones win out.
If that's true, and I think it is (see: Obama), hateful music will lose. And it won't be because of Jews, communists, or censorship. It will be because their ideas, and their music, are no good.
i don't think i like any of the above comments on how they are worded or how they agree to this abandonment of human rights and free will. Okay, maybe that was harsh but these people (the racist bands) have a right to say, or in this case sing, what they believe in...though it may be racist and prejudice. Companies and stores don't want to lose face as that would equal into losing profit, however, this banning won't just stop at white people's racist songs, it would soon lead to banning books because they will begin to say " ah well if we banned that, we should ban that too and that...." etc... You don't have to like the music, i certaintly don't, but you have to let them play their music. And you too, you commenters have a right to say what you will but be in mind everyone else does as well. And people, i say this as a conservative." . . . there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about."
HUGE GASP there is black power music too, ever heard of rap! i think you spin this **** in peoples faces for the pure waste of ink. Obama is not totally black, he'w white too. This article is such a waste of email space and peoples time. the uproar is simply fizzled by your lack of creativity to preform a proper column and/or article beacuse your too lazy to brainstorm something original and artistic to write about. instead of posting ****, find some new bands to throw on the page.
"Yes I feel emphatic about not being static
And not eating the bull**** that's being fed to me Cuz now I'm full "- Incubus
I don't think it's really an issue of should retailers ban racist hate music more than it is CAN retailers ban racist hate music. I think that if one band or artist is banned from stores, another would emerge to take it's place. It's also an issue of freedom of expression. People are always going to have an opposing opinion. I'm sure there aren't just two or three racist bands with a following. Taking into consideration all of the indie bands and local bands, there could be hundreds of them, just waiting for their big break. It's sort of like soc1al1sm, it was a big thing back in the day, but just because it isn't in the mainstream news doesn't mean its following has gone away. I'm not supporting racism by any means, but like any ideal or mentality, it won't be quashed any time soon.
What type of a username is "Modern Furniture"!!?? but i totally agree with him. the white power musicians never deliver any quality music, it seems that their only intention is to promote racism. their music should not be allowed to be sold in retail shops or even online. Modern Furniture
I think that the white power musicians do not actually do music, they just try to find a way to express their racist feelings towards the African American people. These music albums should not be allowed to be sold by the retailers, since they will just promote racism and violence.
http://www.ebpeters.com/home.php
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