An Open Letter to Dave Mustaine

~ Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, and, as Dave is entitled to his, so I'm entitled to mine. What I've read has touched me and I wanted to write something about it.~

A lie can be halfway round the world before the truth has got its boots on.
James Callaghan

 
Sources listed at bottom of page.


Dear Dave Mustaine,

I respect that you have a right to an opinion. I also respect that you've always been outspoken and, in the past, you've come out with some real pearls of wisdom.

However, lately you've been taking it too far. Not only have you made homophobic comments, you've also made transphobic comments. As a celebrity and someone people look up to, you're pretty much advocating the abuse of people who don't fall into line with your view of the world. LGBT people are already marginalised. They're already abused and murdered because of who they are. They don't need someone who's supposedly anti-establishment adding fuel to the fire. They don't need impressionable people listening to what you say and thinking it's okay to go and beat up someone because they're gay or because they're going through the horrors of a sex change. Have you even researched what it's like to be a transgender person? They're not cross-dressers, Dave. It's far, far deeper and more complicated than that. Have you thought about sitting down with these people and actually finding out what makes them tick?

How would you feel if it were one of your own kids? How would you feel if one of your kids was a little different to everyone else and someone came out with the comments you've been voicing recently? I'm sure that you would feel your blood running hot and, as someone who is, more often than not, outspoken, I'm sure you'd say something.

How do you think the people you're talking about feel? Do you care that you've probably marginalised some of your fan base?

I know what you've said isn't as bad as what others have said. But you have to look at it this way; you're someone of power. People take what you say seriously. Your words reach millions of people. And, in this day and age of the internet, they spread far faster than even you can imagine. See the James Callaghan quote at the top of this page. Once it's out there, it's very difficult to retract, especially in our age of lightening fast communication.

I'm not going to lie, Dave. Ignoring what you've said and done in the past, you've been an inspiration on how to drag yourself from the gutter and to the stars. You've created some of the greatest metal of my generation. But you also have the power to impress young minds. What would you prefer to impress them with; the power to create great music, or the power to create more hate in a world that already has enough of it?

Take care and may peace, love and hope be with you.


SOURCES:

I’m almost positive they’re trying to have the opposite effect. It’s not just in the schools. There are a lot of people being persecuted for what they believe in. There was that girl who was fired from a Macy’s in Texas because she didn’t let some cross-dressing dude into the woman’s dressing room. Come on! Are you out of your mind, Macy’s?
I think she was transgender, not a cross-dresser.
That’s not my point.
There’s a pretty big difference. And if we want to talk about persecution …
All I know is, if my wife walked in there and some transgender dude in a dress walked out, I would beat his ass.
Her ass.
What?
You mean her ass.
The dude in the dress?
http://read.mtvhive.com/2011/12/19/dave-mustaine-interview/

When asked if he supports gay marriage, Mustaine said, "Well, since I'm not gay, the answer to that would be no." Dave was then questioned if he would support legislation to make marriage between a man and another man legal. He replied, "I'm Christian. The answer to that would be no."
http://legacy.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=169975

Follow up to this post here: Dear Dave, Let's Sort It Over A Good Cup Of Tea