The ruling, released Wednesday, was in response to a complaint against St. John’s radio station CHOZ-FM. The listener complained that the word faggot – which appears three times in the song is “extremely offensive” to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
The council is an independent body created by Canadian radio and television broadcasters to review the standards of their content.
The award-winning song was the first single off of Dire Straits’ album 'Brothers in Arms' and has been an international music staple for 25 years.
The council ruled that the song contravenes its ethics code which states: “broadcasters shall ensure that their programming contains no abusive or unduly discriminatory material or comment which is based on matters of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status or physical or mental disability.”
It ruled that “faggot,” when used to describe a homosexual, is “even if entirely or marginally acceptable in earlier days, is no longer so.”
Offending Lyrics from Money for Nothing, by Dire Straits:
The little faggot with the earring and the makeup
Yeah, buddy, that’s his own hair
That little faggot’s got his own jet airplane
1 comment:
Really now...Seriously? After 25 years they find this offensive? Pullease!
And we want to pattern our health care after a country with such idiotic tendencies?
Here's a thought: maybe Canada should pull it's head out from you-know-where and let capitalism save their country. Funny thing about capitalism, if you do not FORCE people to buy a product, then if they are offended...they won't. What a concept! How about all the people offended by those lyrics change radio stations and thus hear from different sponsors, and reward those sponsors with their business?
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