Sumerian Records Takes a Stand Against Kid Rock

Last week, Kid Rock unveiled a line of pro-Trump merch. These items include a shirt with the President-Elect’s name and face on it, and a shirt that suggested anyone who voted against Trump wasn’t really American but, in fact, an agent for predominantly non-white, non-Christian Middle Eastern countries… which were categorized as “dumb.” I called the latter shirt “racist.” People lost their shit. Thoughtful, intelligent defenses of the merch included an assertion that I shouldn’t politicize political shirts, that there is no racial classification which ends with “istan,” and, of course, that “Yall niggaz gay” [sic].

I admit now, it was wrong of me to call the shirt “racist.”

The correct term would have been “ethnophobic.”

My apologies.

Regardless, I wasn’t the only one who was offended by the shirt. Rock Feed reports that Sumerian Records, whose signees Bad Omens will be part of the Rock-headlined Northern Invasion, have released a statement condeming the merch as well:

“While we are excited to have [Bad Omens] on [Northern Invasion] we would like to remind you that [Kid Rock] is currently selling and promoting this tshirt. This is the epitome of closed-minded bullshit that is the opposite of rock & roll and everything our music stands against. Diversity is the beauty of life.

“This post is not about who you voted for. It’s about accepting each other knowing there will be different opinions rather than generalizing and bashing millons of fellow Americans. We love California and we love Texas too. This type of hate should not be tolerated in our community. He should be playing shows with Ted Nugent, not Soundgarden and Opeth.”

I could not have said it better myself. Major props to Sumerian for taking a stand. Hopefully, others will follow their example.