Sick Squid":2fcpjjte said:
Politics and Vernon's playing aside (I have been a Living Colour fan since the get go)
the point of the post was his interpretation of the term 'lynch mob' and relating it specifically to race.
That is not the origin of the term and not the definition, although it has evolved in the US to be primarily used for lynchings in the era of slavery.
Looking past it being a group centred on a guy called Lynch, is spoiling for a fight. He is creating a racial issue when there wasn't one there to begin with.
Vernon likes to punt his opinions on race relations and is often interviewed from that angle.
He could do with backing off a bit and allowing a two way communication instead of his combative in-your-face approach.
Stick to the guitar, Vernon. Make your points in your songs if you must.
The notion that lynchings are an artifact of Jim Crow era America is extremely revisionist. There are still lynchings to this day in the south. They may look different but the motivation and result is the same.
You cant get away with calling your band that has been primarily white guys with almost universally white fans (glam rock, hair metal, whatever is overwhelmingly white) Lynch Mob and not catch some shade for it from prominent black musicians in the same scene. Trying to say the guy's name makes it OK is similar to folks saying its OK to use a swastika because it was originally a peaceful symbol. Once there is cultural awareness of oppression associated with a symbol or word, having a last name doesn't make it cool to double down on the reference and literally name your band after a racist crowd of vigilantes. Maybe it wasn't a big deal in 1989, but it should be one now. Plenty of bands have changed their names from much less polarizing terms in the last few years and become more successful by acknowledging the move. Lynch should take note.
