17 April 2008

Press release from Girlie Action regarding TMZ.com articles:

TMZ.com erroneously reported that Morrissey was photographed dining at the STK steak house in Los Angeles in an article posted on Tuesday that called his lifelong commitment to vegetarianism and animal rights into question. STK representative Henry Eshelman states, "Morrissey never dined at STK nor did we report that he did, but as a matter of policy, of course, STK welcomes him and vegetarians of all stripes. There's loads of vegetarian options: roasted beet, organic arugula and hearts of romaine salads; nine vegetable options from sautéed maitake mushrooms to parmesan truffle fries; mac and cheese, and on and on." Also, in an article posted on Wednesday, TMZ.com erroneously alluded to a disagreement between Morrissey and PETA who remain mutual supporters and admirers.

31 March 2008

Statement from Morrissey:

In late June the Montreal Symphony are hosting a TV Special to salute Buffy Sainte-Marie's 50th year making music. I am honored to be asked to take part. I first bought a Buffy Sainte-Marie record when I was 12, and her music has always remained with me. In the 1960s, as a political activist, Buffy's lyrics were fearless, and I'm very grateful for all the risks that she took.
I am also pleased to be asked to join the bill at the V Festival at the Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver, and also at Fort Calgary in Calgary.
However, as we all know, the psychologically and constitutionally sickening Canadian seal-kill has started and is once again in full-cry.
The horror of the Canadian seal-kill is untranslatable, and although I fully realize that highly concentrated evil exists in other countries - Japan's dolphin slaughter, Iceland's newly-revived whaling, the cat-skinning trade in Switzerland, and China with just about every injustice imaginable - there is something especially menacing about Canada's seal-kill.
Loyola Sullivan (Canada's Ambassador for Fisheries Conservation) is a man of glacial coldness who claims that the seal-kill is "humane" - a view he might alter if his own skull were cracked open with a spiked axe.
The fact that the seal-kill provides a livelihood for fishermen is an insultingly dim excuse for it to take place - after all, the German gas chambers of World War 2 also provided work for someone.
The seal-kill takes place to satisfy greed for fur-pelts, and this Canadian government is happy to drag the global image of its own country down, and make it a place that people such as I couldn't bear to visit.
MORRISSEY, 29 March 2008.

27 March 2006

Statement from Morrissey:

"We will not include any Canadian dates on our world tour to promote our new album. This is in protest against the barbaric slaughter of over 325,000 baby seals which is now underway.
I fully realise that the absence of any Morrissey concerts in Canada is unlikely to bring the Canadian economy to its knees, but it is our small protest against this horrific slaughter - which is the largest slaughter of marine animal species found anywhere on the planet.
The Canadian Prime Minister says the so-called "cull" is economically and environmentally justified, but this is untrue.
The seal population has looked after itself for thousand of years without human intervention, and, as the world knows, this slaughter is about one thing only: making money. The Canadian government will stream all of the pelts into the fashion industry and this is the reason why the baby seals are killed with spiked clubs that crush their skulls - any damage to their pelts is avoided. The Canadian Prime Minister also states that the slaughter is necessary because it provides jobs for local communities, but this is an ignorant reason for allowing such barbaric and cruel slaughter of beings that are denied life simply because somebody somewhere might want to wear their skin.
Construction of German gas chambers also provided work for someone - this is not a moral or sound reason for allowing suffering.
If you can, please boycott Canadian goods. It WILL make a difference. As things stand, Canada has placed itself alongside China as the cruelest and most self-serving nation."

12 September 2005

On the 6th of September, Morrissey won a GQ Men of the Year Award. The men's magazine named him Solo Artist of the Year.

On the 10th of September, on the occasion of PETA’s 25th Anniversary Gala and Humanitarian Awards Show, Morrissey was honored with the Linda McCartney Memorial Award. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the largest animal rights organization in the world, gave Morrissey the award "as a result of all of his hard work for animals." PETA praised "Morrissey's good deeds" — such as the release of the Smiths album Meat Is Murder and its powerful title track in 1985 (a live version of the song was included on the Animal Liberation compilation, a 1987 benefit album for PETA); Morrissey's active support for PETA campaigns in 2002 and 2004; and the inclusion of PETA's "Meet Your Meat" documentary video on the U.S. DVD of Morrissey's Who Put The 'M' in Manchester? in 2005. In an acceptance speech filmed in Rome, where he is making his new album, Morrissey said:

"PETA is changing the world. Twenty-five years old. Onward, onward. It's all fantastic. And I'm so proud to have the award."

For more information on Morrissey's PETA award, visit www.peta25.com/gala-morrissey.asp. To view a video of Morrissey's acceptance speech, visit www.peta25.com/gala-video.asp.