I read the feature in the Guardian. It comes across as an unguarded aside that slipped out in conversation between two people, rather than a statement somebody was adamant on broadcasting. Simon Armitage is a well respected poet and Morrissey a renowned lyricist. Could there have been a little bit of professional rivalry involved when Armitage decided on ensuring he quoted that remark?
The Guardian's news report in the main section of the paper devotes most of its space to past reports of possible racist soundbites, as this instance seemed to need bolstering a bit, IMO. Morrissey wasn't making a racist 'rant' there. He was making an animal cruelty rant. I think most of us would catch ourselves slagging of a country that is indifferent to say, bullfighting for example. Or even fox hunting. - I'm sure somebody somewhere has slagged of 'the English' for that or a myriad of other crappy things we've done. Oops, I think I might have just accidentally done it, there.
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