Wayne Besen - Author, Activist, Columnist, Public Speaker

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Apple's iTunes.ca Pulls Murder Music from its Online Store

In response to calls from Egale Canada and Stop Murder Music (Canada), iTunes has removed controversial murder music from its North American markets. Anti-gay tracks by popular dancehall artists Buju Banton, Elephant Man and T.O.K are no longer available on the iTunes site.

"This is an historic victory for the LGBT community here in Canada and in the Caribbean," says Akim Larcher founder of SMM (Canada), "iTunes is exercising its corporate responsibility by pulling this murder music and raising the bar for other retailers and distributors to do the same."

The decision comes as a result of calls from Egale Canada and SMM requesting the removal of lyrical content which openly calls for the violence and murder of gays and lesbians. "We are extremely pleased with this decision," said Helen Kennedy, Executive Director of Egale Canada, "we have also contacted HMV, Archambault Inc, and Amazon.ca and we are optimistic that they will follow iTunes lead."

iTunes has removed entire albums including compilation albums which contain the artists in question. Apple's iTunes is the leading on line distributor of music in North America.

Egale Canada advances equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-identified people and their families across Canada. Stop Murder Music (Canada) advocates against anti-gay lyrics targeting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-identified communities.

My take: If the Canadians can do this up north - why are we Americans not doing enough, even though Jamaica is near our shores? It is bad enough the Canadians have better health care - but now they even have more effective activism. And, if George W. Bush keeps melting the polar ice caps, they will soon have better weather. Wake up folks, let's do our part in stopping the culture of anti-gay murder in Jamaica.

11 Comments:

I'm seriously considering a move to Canada. Socially progressive and (you're right) the weather is going to be better.
posted by Anonymous, at 4/17/2008 7:49 PM

Hahaha, the US needs a burst of modern activism. With such large numbers and vocal LGBT in the community we should be challenging corporations to exercise some sort of social responsibility, esp around Caribbean islands which continue to criminalize same-sex acts. They are all so silent on the issue. Help!
posted by Anonymous, at 4/18/2008 7:47 AM

Americans are fat, apathetic and love violence.
posted by Anonymous, at 4/18/2008 1:26 PM

"Americans are fat, apathetic and love violence."

True. At least the ones who call themselves "conservative", "christian" or "republican".
posted by S., at 4/20/2008 10:58 PM

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