That Little Faggot's Got His Own Jet Airplane

I was disappointed to see the news that "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits was being banned for airplay in Canada because of a complaint about the offensive use of the word "faggot."

Really? It's offensive?

After a quarter century of being a staple of rock and roll, this song is considered offensive?

Get over yourselves, people.

For the record, I despise homophobia.

But this song isn't about homophobia and it's not an anti-gay song. It's a song written from the point of view of a labourer who is looking at a rock star, mocking him and being jealous of all that he has gained.

It's the perspective of the average one of us looking at celebrities and their lives and seeing that the "grass is greener" -- after all, actors, musicians, they don't work hard like us, do they? Naw, they get their money for nothing, and the rest of us work hard.

It's a simple as that. An interesting song with catchy lyrics and a fantastic guitar riff.

Okay, so according to the complain and the order, the use of "faggot" is offensive. Because fictional characters aren't allowed to voice their opinion, whether or not it is politically correct.  This isn't Mark Knopfler saying he has anything against gays -- if anything, he's mocking himself as a rock star.

But the use of "faggot" is offensive. So it needs to be banned.

So while we're at it, shouldn't we also ban the chorus itself? 

After all, you "get your money for nothing and your chicks for free" - that subjugates women, doesn't it? Shouldn't we be offended at that?  What about the fact that the singer makes fun of a primate by describing the drummer as "banging on the bongos like a chimpanzee?" Shouldn't animal rights groups take offense?

While we're at it, doesn't this song make labourers look like close-minded idiots? Shouldn't labour groups take offense to the song because it makes them all look like close-minded homophobes?

Shouldn't we just seek to ban the entire song altogether? Yes, we'll all be much better off with the song banned and forgotten all about as an important part of the 1980's cultural history. Let's let the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx decide all the artistic content that is safe for us to consume.

Yeesh!

I just logged on to iTunes and bought the song. That's my reaction to show my support of the song and the artists.

I.......waaaaant.........myyyyyy.......M....T.......V.......