Madonna, Please Just Stop Already

Oh Madonna. Stop. Just stop.

After facing a shitstorm in the media for posting terrible images of Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Bob Marley bound in cord and mimicking the album art for her new album, Madonna apologized. Except no, she fucking didn’t. Madonna went on Facebook to post a half-assed-definitely-not-an-apology missive that starts out “I’m sorry” and then goes on to explain how she’s not sorry at all.

“I’m sorry

I’m not comparing my self to anyone

I’m admiring and acknowledging there Rebel Hearts

This is niether a crime or an insult or racist!

I also did it with Michael jaclson and frida khalo and marilyn monroe

Am I saying I am them

NO

I’m saying they are Rebel Hearts too.

And

I didn’t do it

My fans did

And I just re posted those photos

My fans aren’t racist either

If they put me in the same category as these other people

Thank you. I’m very flattered and I hope one day to live up to 1 100th of what those people accomplished.” – Madonna

There’s a HUGE difference between comparing yourself to Monroe and comparing yourself to Mandela. Let me address a rather important point that seems to be getting lost in this discussion. Madonna’s fans didn’t all of a sudden out of the blue start sending her memes of dead civil rights icons who were “rebel hearts” like her. That only happened because of her marketing campaign to promote an album she named “Rebel Hearts.” No one in Sheboygan is sitting around going “oh hey you know who is a total rebel heart? Martin Luther King! JUST LIKE MADONNA! OMG we should tweet her that shit.”

It’s bullshit to claim that you are just the recipient of some organic grassroots movement when you are the one actively stoking the fires and encouraging people to do this shit. And fuck off with this “I’m saying they are Rebel Hearts” shit, too. They are only “Rebel Hearts” because THAT IS TITLE OF THE SHITTY NEW GODDAMN ALBUM YOU ARE TRYING TO PLUG.

Showing that she is even more oblivious to criticism than usual, she then continued to post these images of other “MADONNA ALBUM PLUGS” on her social media accounts.

Here’s what she posted on a picture of John Lennon:

I would like to thank all my fans for recreating my album cover with the ❤️Rebel Heart ribbon on the faces of so many Great Hero’s. It shows that you are also celebrating and in admiration of these great freedom fighters! When I repost these images i am saying YES! These people are all Rebel Hearts in one way or another from Martin Luther King to Jesus to Nelson Mandela to John Lennon. YES! Lets celebrate them! The world needs more people like them. I hope to one day accomplish. 1 100th of what these Rebel Hearts have accomplished. As I Said in a previous post “I walk in the footsteps of Giants” and i will continue to do so G*D willing. They are my guiding light. ❤️#rebelheart ❤️#livingforlove

She didn’t stop there.

Jean-Michel Basquiat:

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Princess Diana:

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“Yes Princess Diana was. ❤️#rebelheart! Anyone who fights for freedom is a ❤️#rebelheart.”

Yes, anyone who is dead whose image I can exploit to sell another album is indeed a ❤️#rebelheart!!!!!

Later she posted this: “Being Destructive isn’t brave……you couldn’t say it to my face.. ‪#‎joanofarc‬ #rebelheart” -Madonna

Oh trust me, Madonna. I absolutely COULD tell you how destructive you are being with this shit to your face. First I would ask you to read this. And then I’d say lots and lots of things to your face. I will gladly tell you that shit to your face.

Madonna, I love you. You changed my life as a young girl growing up in the 80s, where we mired in the hypocrisy of Reagan’s America and the right-wing’s “traditional family” bullshit-orama. But please, please take a moment and listen to the reasons why people are telling you the things you are putting out on your social media are a terrible idea. These voices are not the same as the nutty religious extremists you stood up to in the 80s. I know most celebrities lump all criticism into the same LOL HATERS pile, but there are some very valid points being raised here. It’s not a statement of failure if you just take a quiet step back and engage in some self-reflection. Allow for some constructive criticism. Filter out all of the “SHE’S OLD SHE SHOULD SHUT UP” bullshit (and yeah, that is total bullshit) and look for what is valid. OK? Good talk.