text by Morrrisey
Although the gunman who massacred 49 people at an Orlando gay club is said to have been 'repulsed' by homosexuality, he nonetheless left behind a slew of self-adoring 'selfies'; a handsome man gazing enchantedly at his own face. It is therefore acceptable for him to lovingly admire his own maleness, but it is not OK for other men to like other men. Does Islamic scripture say it is fitting for a man to sit alone taking adoring photographs of himself? I doubt it.
Meanwhile, Donald Thump, probably America's next President, reacts to the Orlando massacre by explaining how, if the people within the club were themselves armed with guns, then there would have been fewer casualties. This, of course, is his way of avoiding any words of support to the Orlando gay community (it is their own fault for going into a nightclub without hand grenades). Donald Thump would therefore probably claim that the massacred children of Sandy Hook would still be alive today if only they'd had the common sense to carry sawn-off shotguns to school. The Thump response to Orlando is therefore anti-gay and pro-gun possession. Ann Coulter will be waving her baseball cap and cheering. It's all going so well for America!
Unfortunately, CNN obliged the gunman once again with a flashing flood of publicity - which is all he ever wanted, and which will encourage the next shooter to prepare for international fame. Why show the gunman's face? Nobody needs to see it.
The larger disaster is the two leading faces in the presidential race, as the world prepares to shake its head in disbelief when the new president is named. Clinton is the face and voice of pooled money (and will therefore repay the established elite with whatever they want if she is elected), and Donald Thump is George Wallace - hating just about anyone who doesn't happen to be Donald Thump. Surely this is not 2016 America?
Thump's only achievement so far is in making Sarah Palin seem intelligent, which, admittedly, is so difficult as to be a colossal strike in his favor.
The true victory of the presidential race has been the independent success of Bernie Sanders, whose approach has been so sane and intelligent and measured that he has been therefore all but entirely ignored by the U.S. media, who cannot understand anyone who is not blood-thirsty. This is because Bernie Sanders is human, and one who unusually did not gain his position because of several billion invested dollars. His many primary successes in the presidential race have been headlined as LOSS FOR CLINTON, whereas a Clinton win has not ever been headlined as LOSS FOR SANDERS. Bernie Sanders has been pushed out by the media because the idea of a self-made man who does not crave international war is completely alien to such as Fox News. The idea of a man who is popular because he calls for world peace and for rescue of the environment cannot provide outraged headlines for CNN, who have devoted their online news page to Donald Thump long before Thump was even a logical contender. Thump doing absolutely nothing has been more newsworthy to CNN than Sanders' state-to-state victories.
Ballot papers for 2016 should include a NO CONFIDENCE IN EITHER NOMINEE box, and it is this box that would collect the most votes.
Clinton and Thump may be popular with the party faithful - but the party faithful aren't that large, and are not America, therefore a sad day looms in November - a day that only Bernie Sanders could have saved - had he been allowed his rightful share of media support. But, clearly, the presidential election really is none of your business. Did you ever seriously think it was?
text by Morrisey, originally published in True To You (A Morrissey Zine), June 2016.