Tuesday, 22 March 2011

The lyrics as I interpret them are stating that, countries which welcome non-native individuals should not treat them indifferently by - as an example, handing them "shitty jobs" and be made to feel alienated or substandard by the country's native supremacy. The Strangs clearly aired this in IFLAW and stated that sometimes, we all feel alienated, or in the 1970's terminology, "I Feel Like a Wog" - "Wog" being the predominant descriptive word for black individuals in the 1970's - when the track was written.
One cannot expect the authors of such a body of work to change their opinions or indeed the lyrical content of a body of work written in 1977 in this case, to suit individuals who have clearly misinterpreted the point or simply don't like the word used, sorry - the track is a pro equality song and nothing else.

But how bizarre. A bloke takes his Black African wife, (and I quote)  "She has been with me to see the Stranglers play many times" to a Strangs gig in 2011 and complains about a term used predominantly in the 70's?
Erm, call me a thick Yorkshire bloke but - wouldn't it have been more sensible to educate her in the early days by stating, "look love, There's a derogatory word in a track they may play, but here's the lyrics, read them and make the judgement"?

I empathise with individuals who have grown up and are still being persecuted by racism through remarks, I lived in a street in Yorkshire for years where I was the ONLY white person around and I did absorb frequent racist comments on a regular basis and that's the thing isn't it? - we forget that racism is not just aimed at non whites etc, but ffs - when a pro equality song such as IFLAW is highlighted - take it for what it actually is, or - in simplistic terms, don't follow a band if they offend you! - You can't have double standards to suit.
Cheers.