Why Is It Okay To Be Racist And Misogynistic About Babymetal?

On their Facebook page, a metal journalist I follow mentioned they were about to interview Babymetal, the generally false metal-themed girl group from Japan that has been taking the Internet by storm of late [The MetalSucks Overlords obviously do not agree with the categorization of Babymetal’s music as “false metal!” -Ed.]. This journalist asked for suggestions on what questions he should pose to Babymetal. Multiple people mentioned the phrase, “Me love you long time,” someone said that he should ask them if they knew “Roudness” (referencing ’80s Japanese glam-shredders Loudness), and one person insulted the band before urging them to “go back home.” Multiple other comments involved jokes about child molestation.

What hilarity, right? Fuck you, creepy racist motherfuckers.

Yup, you’re creepy racists! I don’t give a shit if you’re reciting Full Metal Jacket or if it’s all a big joke. Using the good ol’ R-for-L L-for-R routine or painting Asian women as whores, that is some old-school racism. Like, my grandfather’s generation’s brand of racism, the kind of racism that got every Japanese person in America rounded up and tossed in an internment camp in the not-too-distant past for resembling the people who bombed Pearl Harbor.

This isn’t the first time I’ve seen these kinds of jokes made about Babymetal. Plenty of people have taken the time to paint them as either Japanese prostitutes or pedophile rapebait. But unlike the shocking and disgusting revelations that, say, Inquisition used to have Nazi leanings or that Ian Watkins of Lostprophets is an unspeakable pedophile, no one seems to be grossed out by this, or at least they aren’t talking about how they’re grossed out by this.

So: why’s it okay to be racist to Babymetal? Is it because Babymetal’s music is bad, a fact that any metal fan will happily agree with, this writer included? [Again, the MetalSucks Overlords do not share this opinion on the quality of Babymetal’s music! -Ed.] Is it because Asian people are fair game, as opposed to black people, Latino people, Jewish people, or gay people? Is it because they’re a bunch of cute girls, so all offensive humor sort of bounces off of them, because let’s face it, they’re ridiculous in the first place?

And meanwhile, why’s it okay to talk about molesting them? Is it that Japan loves tentacle porn, so it just seems normal? Or just because they’re little girls in short skirts? I mean, both of those answers are bullshit. But I’m curious.

Am I being oversensitive? Probably. I have Asian people in my family, and I’ve grown super attuned to this kind of racism (every time someone I know uses the term “yellow fever” I mentally pray they outlive their children). But again, it is racism and misogyny, and it seems as if because metalheads hate this band that kind of talk gets a pass. Meanwhile, if anyone made these kinds of jokes about Unlocking The Truth, people would be baying for blood.

Talk amongst yourselves. I expect to get lambasted as a bleeding heart dickhead.