The Ghost Inside: Rassismus-Vorwürfe gegen Bassist Jim Riley

Erst vor kurzem beschuldigte Rashod Jackson – seines Zeichens Schlagzeuger der Band Bracewar – The Ghost Inside-Bassisten Jim Riley, sich vor einigen Jahren auf einer gemeinsamen Tour rassistisch gegen ihren schwarzen Busfahrer geäußert zu haben. Dies wurde auch von Terror-Gitarrist Martin Stewart bestätigt. Die Anschuldigungen folgten auf ein Benefiz-Shirt, das The Ghost Inside anbieten, deren Einnahmen an die Organisation National Association for the Advancement of Colored People gehen sollen.

Jim Riley hat sich zu Wort gemeldet und eine Entschuldigung via Twitter veröffentlicht. The Ghost Inside selbst hat den Tweet kommentarlos geteilt:

“Rashod called me out in 2015. I called him, he put the screws to me. I deserved it, and I apologized to him. He told me that wasn’t good enough and he was right. Its shameful and fucking embarrassing. I present myself as someone who gives a shit about progressive movements and ideas, and I was not living up to that. Because of that conversation I had to take a big fucking look in the mirror and recognize a lot of bullshit that I was selling myself.

I made too many excuses for being brought up without exposure to the black experience, and I should have been better. I make a conscious effort to purge stuff about myself that still sucks when I find it, and to be mindful that I’m just a passenger on someone else’s ship in any movement related to black lives. I’m sorry. I know that’s not enough. I’m going to keep doing the work. That might still not be enough. I’m going to do it anyway.

Mittlerweile hat die Band – die am Freitag erst ihr Comeback mit ihrem selbstbetitelten Album feierte (Albumreview) – verkündet, dass sie sich von Jim Riley trennen.

Auch Stick To Your Guns-Sänger Jesse Barnett hat sich via Twitter eingeschaltet:

“For anyone wanting to know, @RashodJackson is my fucking brother. He has always championed me and ALL of my music. When push came to shove I didn’t back him in the way that I should have. He was on tour with us when he first called out Jim and TGI. This was in 2015. Since then, I remained silent and even continually contributed to TGI. There was always pressure on STYG to not stir the pot for all sorts of reasons but that is no excuse. Fuck everyone who let him get away with it, especially STYG.

This fucking bullshit has to stop. A lot of us have piped up in ways we never have before and I love it but I promise you this, once things start to calm we better not let up. There’s no going back now. We defend our people. We defend our communities. No matter what. Go read @georgeschmitz comments on this as he is much more articulate and inspiring.”