Meander’s says it won’t host Michelle Shocked show because of singer’s homophobic tirade

| West Seattle news | White Center | WS culture/arts

Meander’s Kitchen in White Center says it is canceling the plan to host a show by singer Michelle Shocked next month, because of Shocked’s reported homophobic remarks in San Francisco last night. Via Facebook, Meander’s proprietor Miranda Krone made the announcement about an hour ago. The concert had been set for April 26th. The online reports about Shocked’s show at a San Francisco club include this one reporting that she used a phrase best known as the slogan of an anti-gay fundamentalist church, “God hates f-gs” and that she said same-sex marriage puts the world at risk of Biblical-scale destruction. This report says venues elsewhere in the country have canceled her shows as a result. We have not, however, seen any day-after quotes from Shocked herself, so far.

TUESDAY NIGHT NOTE: Update from Miranda – she says Meander’s will host a cabaret benefit for queer youth that night, instead.

janemckane March 18, 2013 (3:56 pm)

Good for you Meander’s. I’ve never been there before, but I’ll come check your joint out – you sound like the tops! **glitter

Julia March 18, 2013 (3:59 pm)

Thank you, Meander’s. Great, quick response.

kumalavula March 18, 2013 (4:02 pm)

that is sad and shocking!!! (word usage very much intended!)
it’s surprising to hear that performers think they’ll keep fans and attract more with this kind of closed minded rhetoric, especially on the same day hilary clinton has announced her support of same sex marriage.
shame, shame on you, michelle!

xian March 18, 2013 (4:25 pm)

funny, I always thought she was gay. wonder how quickly mars hill will intervene and offer to host her show?

JoB March 18, 2013 (4:26 pm)

wow..

Maude March 18, 2013 (4:33 pm)

She’s a kook!

Thank you, Meanders, for saying no!

JoB March 18, 2013 (4:43 pm)

the more i learn, the less i like
thanks for cancelling the show

cjboffoli March 18, 2013 (4:50 pm)

Well Meanders certainly has the right to plug the plug on this. And in light of all of the bad press Michelle Shocked is sure to attract, it is probably a good business decision too.
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But I’m wondering… what if a musical act with a gay-positive message had their concert cancelled by a bunch of god squaders who didn’t want them in their community? Would we all feel that is equally just? Is the take-away that we should shut down people who have ideas that are diametrically opposed to our own, just because we’re right and they’re wrong?
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I’m certainly not advocating for homophobes or anyone with a message of hate. But part of me has to have some respect someone who – unbelievably in San Francisco, at the epicenter of the American gay community where she had to know that opinion would be extremely unpopular – had the courage to articulate her personal convictions, as offensive as those convictions might be.
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Maybe I’m wrong, but something about the intolerance of intolerance doesn’t feel like a completely clean position. By having a venues yanked away from her, I feel like a decision is being made that prevents me from making my own choice whether to buy a ticket to hear a performer sing or to avoid her based on her politics. Is censorship a good thing when the person being censored is clearly wrong?

West Seattle Hipster March 18, 2013 (4:52 pm)

xian, great comment.

GenHillOne March 18, 2013 (5:11 pm)

“because we’re right and they’re wrong?” – no, not we vs. they, just a matter of right is right, wrong is wrong. Discrimination and hate = wrong. I don’t even know who this woman is, but good on you, Meanders.

SJ2 March 18, 2013 (5:12 pm)

Haha Xian! I thought she was too. Thank you Meanders!! We will definitely be supporting your restaurant. :)

toodles March 18, 2013 (5:13 pm)

those born again christians can get nutty..lol

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-michelle-shocked-evanston-20130318,0,7598900.story

Adam March 18, 2013 (5:19 pm)

@cjboffoli: freedom of speech protects us from the government, not from society realizing that someone is a giant asshole. If you read the linked articles, it’s clear that her feelings were not “accidentally” revealed, she was trying to take a stand of some sort. Now venue owners are allowed to take their own stands.

Anne March 18, 2013 (5:22 pm)

Well obviously everyone has a right to their own opinions on anything – but that doesn’t mean you have to provide a venue for hateful vitriol.Perhaps Miranda Krone had no idea that Michelle Shocked’s show included such vitriol & has a perfect right to cancel. Just as anyone has a choice to see/ hear Ms. Shocked- Meanders should be free to make the choice to not be a venue for her. I don’t see it as censorship at all – but choices each have made.

JanS March 18, 2013 (5:36 pm)

and then there’s this article:

http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/03/singer-michelle-shocked-declares-god-hates-fags-during-san-francisco-show/

Michelle Shocked can believe/say anything she wants. No one will stop her. However, those of us who disagree are equally allowed to believe/say what we want to, and we can withhold our dollars so as not to support her brand of hate speech.

Mike March 18, 2013 (5:45 pm)

Good choice by Meanders!

Robert March 18, 2013 (5:57 pm)

cjboffoli,

I often admire those who are willing to say unpopular things, especially in situations where they are in the minority. I’d respect Michelle Shocked if she had tried to express a reasoned argument. But “God hates f-gs” is hardly articulating your personal convictions. Her comments as reported were mean-spirited and toxic. I see nothing to admire there.

fj March 18, 2013 (6:01 pm)

Mars Hill can host. Maybe they can have a double-header for gay-bashing and parenting with the rod.

Chris W March 18, 2013 (6:01 pm)

All my dyke friends in Austin used to love her. Sad… Thanks, Meander!

Eric March 18, 2013 (6:04 pm)

@jcboffoli. There is nothing courageous about expressing hate. God hates f-gs is not a courageous statement. It is a hateful statement. It is the slogan of Fred Phelp’s Baptist church. The very same church that holds demonstrations at the funeral of fallen soldiers, rejoicing in the soldier’s death, because of their twisted beliefs. This is what happens when sick hateful people continue to make God in their own image.

You can certainly have “respect” for someone who makes such statements, but I find it sad.

cjboffoli March 18, 2013 (6:14 pm)

Adam: I understand the scope of Constitutional protection and really wasn’t talking about what is right in view of the law. In situations like these I always think of Alexis de Tocqueville who observed that the greatest threat to American democracy came not from government but from the “tyranny of the majority.” At a time when even Republican senators are supporting bills for gay rights it is a great thing that a traditionally oppressed demographic like gays and lesbians can enjoy such widespread support from the populace and that the comments of Ms. Shocked can be considered an extreme, minority view. I just think there still needs to be room for someone who, based on her faith has feelings so strongly about something, that she can have the latitude to articulate what she thinks with 100% of her conviction the same way that I can articulate with 100% of my conviction that I think she’s completely wrong. Society can exact too much pressure on us to conform. There is something radical and anarchist in her act that has value for me while at the same time I think what she believes is abhorrent and ridiculous.

Orca March 18, 2013 (6:16 pm)

I an “shocked” at the calm non-radical comments and discussion..
Surprised and impressed.

Hopefully it won’t get ugly now that I mentioned it.

a March 18, 2013 (6:43 pm)

She’s probably making those remarks in frisco no less to get publicity. Any pub is good pub and the outcry of so many people is exactly what she wants. Good move on her part because I had no idea who she was before this. Football players and other pro athletes make homophobic remarks all the time and that doesn’t stop people from going to their games. We are paying these people to entertain, who really cares what their views on the world are? As long as they aren’t physically hurting anything, I couldn’t care less what their opinions are.

miws March 18, 2013 (6:45 pm)

But part of me has to have some respect someone who – unbelievably in San Francisco, at the epicenter of the American gay community where she had to know that opinion would be extremely unpopular – had the courage to articulate her personal convictions….

Christopher, that wasn’t courage, it was a weakness in character, and once she spewed the famous WBC line, it was hate

By having a venues yanked away from her, I feel like a decision is being made that prevents me from making my own choice whether to buy a ticket to hear a performer sing or to avoid her based on her politics

No person, business, or entity of any type is obligated to provide a venue for someone or something they find offensive, just to make it easy for others that are not offended.

Mike

Fred March 18, 2013 (6:58 pm)

Shame.

No fan, but I can not imagine letting my politics or social views influencing my taste in music, if the music is neutral. Especially when the views expressed would seem to indicate some kind of mental instability.

Where is Evelyn Beatrice Hall when needed?

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,”

Cait March 18, 2013 (7:02 pm)

How long before homophobia becomes such a ridiculous concept that it’s not susceptible to people feeling the need to play “devil’s advocate” or “Mr. Hey Let’s Think About It This Way”.

Cait March 18, 2013 (7:18 pm)

Also – when has anyone ever been on the wrong side of history by applying “because I said so” logic to being inclusive when it comes to a previously oppressed people?

Being contrary about a touchy subject has never a productive or interesting conversation made. It follows a formula that generally ends in poor TR taking up her time babysitting us.

cjboffoli March 18, 2013 (8:26 pm)

Cait: You’ve misunderstood. I’m in no way asserting that her homophobia might be right. I’m 110% in support of the gay community. I’m just in favor of an artist’s conviction to speak one’s mind in the face of annihilating contempt, even when they’re dead wrong and when what they say may result in their professional, social and financial suicide.

raybro March 18, 2013 (8:27 pm)

“As of Monday evening, eight of the 11 venues remaining on Shocked’s U.S. tour have cancelled her upcoming performances:

HopMonk’s Tavern in Novato, Calif., SPACE in Evanston, Ill., eTown in Boulder, Colo., the Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland, Ore., Meander’s Kitchen in Seattle, Cozmic in Eugene, Ore., the Palms Playhouse in Winter, Calif., and Moe’s Alley in Santa Cruz, Calif., have all announced or tweeted cancellations.”

– http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/03/singer-michelle-shocked-declares-god-hates-fags-during-san-francisco-show/

Nice job, hope playing CPAC once a year pays the bills.

dsa March 18, 2013 (8:48 pm)

Meander’s fired her. It’s their right to do so and as with any performance hiring or firing it’s a gamble.

G March 18, 2013 (8:49 pm)

Read De Tocqueville’s “Democracy In America” and you’ll realize that nothing has changed. Americans – ironically – are peculiarly reluctant to express controversial opinions and are eager to fit into the collective and gain approval from peers. One doesn’t need guns and armies to quell dissent in American – it’s called political correctness. And had this not been at Meander’s and a public space, the social vigilantes would have censored that too.

And you people are worried about a few cameras.

Cait March 18, 2013 (8:50 pm)

Also A has a point. You can defend her right to say it, that’s fine. I don’t get it, but fine. But are you willing to defend her right to perpetuate hate speech in order to gain notoriety? Now we know who this person is and that has cultural value that translates to wealth. And you want to float it out there that perhaps we should begrudge venues for shutting that down? You OK with what happens when we let that run rampant?

Snowflake March 18, 2013 (8:52 pm)

I think a is right. I’m pretty sure that Michelle Shocked used to be relevant in the 90’s but now she playing a show at Meanders (no offense meanders, it’s just that your a restaurant, a beloved one at that!)

homedk March 18, 2013 (9:02 pm)

Really appreciate that Meander’s took a stand on this and brought the matter to our attention! We enjoyed Michelle’s early music, but haven’t followed her career lately. We would have liked to hear her perform here…but do not want to financially support someone who spouts nastiness and bigotry.

Carter March 18, 2013 (9:18 pm)

Thank you for your comment Cait, really enjoyed it but I might add the word “snarky” in there somewhere . . .

Daldart March 18, 2013 (9:23 pm)

Michelle Shocked is gay. This must be some weird publicity stunt.

toodles March 18, 2013 (9:27 pm)

How long before homophobia becomes such a ridiculous concept that it’s not susceptible to people feeling the need to play “devil’s advocate” or “Mr. Hey Let’s Think About It This Way”.

Comment by Cait — 7:02 pm March 18, 2013

Now now Cait… everyone has their own way of thinking. It would be a boring world if everyone thought the same way you did.

Cait March 18, 2013 (9:31 pm)

CJB – I don’t misunderstand. What makes interesting conversation about saying “Hey guys, why not give her a stage to say this stuff for money!” Everyone knows why not – because the time for her opinion is over be it religious or not. Why argue about the philosophical minutia regarding why she MIGHT be allowed to do it. Put her and her bigotry out to pasture by not, as adults say, “dignifying it with a response.”

G March 18, 2013 (9:43 pm)

In closing, I’ll just say that I welcome political/social opinions other than my own because it is vital to a free society. No if’s and buts. We can choose to listen – or not. (Besides, are we getting that thin-skinned?)

Good night all.

moji March 18, 2013 (9:50 pm)

A wise person once tweeted, “The “freedom” part in “freedom of speech” is about one’s freedom to say things, not freedom from the consequences afterwards. It’s clear that she was free to say what she said. And now, we’re free to respond according to our values, whatever those might be.”
Yes. No philosphical meandering ;) needed. It was just a mean-hearted thing to do.

Robert March 18, 2013 (9:57 pm)

Please don’t try to dress this up as standing in the tradition of brave free speech. “God hates f-gs” doesn’t even rise to the level of an opinion. It’s simply a particularly nasty sneer, not a noble stand against timidity.

By the way, this doesn’t only denigrate gay people. It is blasphemous. The people who say this claim to believe in God, yet to them God is apparently a omnipotent enforcer.

How do they claim to know what God thinks? They can read the mind of a deity?

Ajax March 18, 2013 (10:11 pm)

Not to worry, cjboffoli. Michelle Shocked will most likely find herself able to book an arena tour in the South.

Kayleigh March 19, 2013 (5:50 am)

I kind of see CJ Boffoli’s point. I’ve found that I can sometimes forgive an artist’s political “transgressions” (meaning views I disagree with) if I like their art enough. And the reverse is also true: if I’m lukewarm about an artist, their political actions can make me like them more. Even a lame singer sounds better if I’ve read he advocates for animals.
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If I really loved an artist who said something like Michelle Shocked said? I just don’t know. That kind of hate doesn’t feel political to me. It feels mean.

redblack March 19, 2013 (5:53 am)

G – decrying “political correctness” is an attempt to excuse being impolite. might as well just come out and say, “i’m not polite,” or, “i’m kind of a loud-mouth and i reserve the right to offend others – even when i don’t have to.”
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there are other and better american traditions than conformity and the tyranny of the majority; namely subtlety, respect for others, and being polite.

evergreen March 19, 2013 (6:23 am)

I used to love Michelle Shocked when in college, and in fact thought she was a lesbian. Thought she was being facetious and ridiculing the Westboro church with her latest comments. But no. Just read up on her, and she’s a crazy Pentecostal born again.

evergreen March 19, 2013 (6:26 am)

Not all of the South or SE, Ajax. Liberalism is not a Seattle prerogative.

And disagree with a few above, this was hate speech. Her fans have the right to abandon her in droves and speak with their dollars.

toodles March 19, 2013 (7:22 am)

she’s just another version of palin that’s all..

stephanie March 19, 2013 (8:07 am)

Just because we do have the right to ‘free speech’ doesn’t make it right thing to do and have the support from people ‘because we can’. I personally don’t like free speech when it contains hate like this. Free speech can lead to hurting or killing people. Another constitutional right I think needs to be updated.

JoB March 19, 2013 (9:01 am)

cj.. i too will defend the right of otheres to publicly say things i find offensive…
but i draw the line at paying them to do so.

That is the real line Meanders and other venues drew.
They refused to pay to provide a venue for a performer to use language that was offensive to them.

loved what moji posted

“A wise person once tweeted, “The “freedom” part in “freedom of speech” is about one’s freedom to say things, not freedom from the consequences afterwards. It’s clear that she was free to say what she said. And now, we’re free to respond according to our values, whatever those might be.”

wscommuter March 19, 2013 (9:20 am)

CJB … Meanders isn’t engaging in censorship. Censorship – limiting or barring the free expression of ideas – is by nature, governmental action. Meanders is a private business, equally entitled to make its own choices about what activities it will – and won’t – allow on its premises as a private, commercial entity.

Like you, I support free speech … even, regretably, when free speech is hate speech. And I’m bummed – I’ve been a huge M. Shocked fan for years, never knowing she leaned this way (most of her music is fairly left-wing). But Meanders isn’t “censoring” anything, anymore than I am “censoring” M. Shocked if I choose to no longer buy her albums. Wrong use of the word.

WSLGBT March 19, 2013 (11:48 am)

HATE SPEECH ≠ FREE SPEECH

T Rex March 19, 2013 (12:55 pm)

Nice way to start off a “tour” of sorts.

Atta girl!

AnnM March 19, 2013 (2:16 pm)

She probably is gay, but since that doesn’t jibe with her new born-again-ness, she has to go to the other extreme and say she hates gay people. Just like a Republican Family Values, outspokenly anti-homosexual politician who gets caught trolling for gay sex in an airport bathroom or having an affair with his male intern.

Ajax March 19, 2013 (3:00 pm)

@evergreen – I am from the South and still spend more time there than I’d like. My comment was based on what I still observe in 2013 in the backward neck o’ the woods where I’m from. And yes, I know not every single person there is a fundy homophobe, but unfortunately, the vast majority who I come into contact with are.

AG March 19, 2013 (3:06 pm)

What many people have missed here, though some alluded to it, is that Michelle Shocked WAS a member of the LGBTQ community. Her (ex)fans are, in very large numbers, members of that community. Her comments in that context are that much more hateful and belligerent. She has been “born again” and decided to go back in the closet, but she doesn’t get to take the rest of us with her, and we have the right, as the (queer) community, to stand up and say NO to funding her fundie nonsense.

The fact that she was a member of the community (and many of us didn’t know that she’d made this massive shift) changes things quite a bit in my mind. Many people were expecting to see a radical feminist queer artist. They feel duped, and I don’t blame them. So for those who are NOT a part of the community to weigh in, you can argue but make sure you argue ALL the facts.

ikahana March 19, 2013 (8:51 pm)

Thank you, AG! This idea that we have to be “tolerant” but continuing to support with our money and time artists who make it known by words or actions that they see the core audience as less than fully equal citizens is ridiculous. And there are many stories of performers from the Christian music (or other entertainment) world who come out as Gay/Lesbian who are then shunned.

Can a performer have a different point of view. Sure. I like a lot of performers who have different views. But to come up in the community, to have your core base in the community, to identify with that community and then to turn on them – makes the music a little difficult to hear, just like finding out that a healthy tofu place has pigeons pooping on the stuff when it sits outside. Might have tasted great before you found that out, but hard to ever eat it again once you know.