More on the emo attacks in Mexico

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As I've reported at my personal blog Intersections, emos are under attack in Mexico. Here are a few good primary sources to better understand what's happening.

In Mexico, emo culture is a butt of many jokes. It is either despised intensely or generally ignored. But it's only the despising sentiment that lately has been getting wide airply. In the above clip, a Televisa on-air personality named Kristoff expresses a serious dose of anti-emo rhetoric and switches to English to say, on network television, "Fucking bullshit" to the emo movement. Some emos I've interviewed point to the Kristoff clip as a defining provocation of the current wave of anti-emo violence. Now check out this clip from another Televisa program where three emos are interviewed about the attacks. At the end, the kid on the left asks if he can say more thing: he directly accuses Kristoff of spreading anti-emo hate.

At Last.fm, a user named Harry24 posts a lengthy analysis of the anti-emo phenomenon, suggesting that it's part of a government conspiracy to divide the populace. Stay with me here. According to the respected left-leaning daily La Jornada, this is in fact not a far-fetched delusion by a small fringe of online crazies. As linked at Intersections, La Jornada flat-out goes and says it, quoting a professor at the UNAM who says the violence is a "reflection" of the social tensions dredged up by the 2006 electoral crisis. (If you don't read Spanish, Google's translation function is a useful tool to generate a nominally comprehensible version in English.)

Comments (41)

jessica B says:

I hate that music myself but i dont go out there and beat them up eveyone has their taste but emo is not real music. sOMEONE SHOULD GIVE THIS people a lesson about Rock n Roll.these kids are being brainwashed into thinking its okay to dress and listen to that ''music''.Have they heard about JUDAS PRIEST ROLLING STONESOR THE SEX PISTOLS NO!! SOMEONE SHOULD TEACH THEM FAST OR ELSE THEY WILL KEEP GETTING BEAT UP THEY NEED TO WAKE UP. VIVA EL Rock n ROLL viva MEXICO!

Posted On: Monday, Mar. 24 2008 @ 9:52AM
Issac says:

What the hell is his problem. Just because someone does not have the same taste in music as you do does not give you the right to say they are confused with their tastes. He should be taken off the air in Mexico, such type of hate speech should not be supported by Televisa.

Posted On: Wednesday, Mar. 26 2008 @ 4:29PM
Velssy Vampire says:

Hey puto, sabes que vete para el diablo el que iso este estupido video to no soy emo yo soy yo, y no me importa si otra gwnte diga eso pero eso si duelo y si you veo que esto estupido asscrap bitch ass ho from the mutha fucking hell esta en U.S y me van arriba de mi mato a cualquiera que me trate de darme asta una cachetada y si soy emocional pero tengo mas balls que mucha gente! :[ kiss my ASS!

Posted On: Wednesday, Mar. 26 2008 @ 6:54PM
diana says:

hey, i dont think sex pistol justifies anything.


no need to name drop bands, but they do a bit too obvious into the style.

Posted On: Wednesday, Mar. 26 2008 @ 8:16PM
Felipe says:

Kristoff regularly uses his show (which, btw is on basic cable, not network tv) to try to pass off intolerant macho behaviour as "cute" and slide in as many gratuitous bad words as possible.

The last time I saw his show, he used the Spanish equivalent of "f_g" to make fun of a fan-sent pic that showed -get this- a guy with his arms around his friends.

Posted On: Thursday, Mar. 27 2008 @ 1:40PM
Sharan says:

Boy, talk about "fucking bullshit" -- the commenter above should get a life.

Posted On: Thursday, Mar. 27 2008 @ 1:55PM
Ed Fladung says:

That guy is bashing emos with a haircut like that? this guy is so in the closet, his closet has a closet.

Posted On: Friday, Mar. 28 2008 @ 9:04AM
Meli says:

I think this is rediculous.Just leave the emos alone! They are people just like you.

Posted On: Saturday, Mar. 29 2008 @ 10:13AM
song kwai li says:

Emos, hipsters and trust fund babies should all die. The next genocide should be based on cultural classes not race.

Posted On: Saturday, Mar. 29 2008 @ 3:18PM
Chrigy says:

Well that Kristoff looks like he's wanting to start a career with some Boy Group. He shouldn't lose any word about bad taste... This Emo-Hating is childish pathetic bullshit. And the Commenter above should get castrated.

Posted On: Sunday, Mar. 30 2008 @ 10:23AM
Lex says:

This guy is so far in the closet he's finding christmas presents...

Posted On: Monday, Mar. 31 2008 @ 11:34AM
hil says:

i like emos. like from emocorner.com the members are great

Posted On: Friday, Apr. 4 2008 @ 11:06AM
Charlie says:

i totally agree, as a mexican, i've seen conservative parties trying to divide the country, attacking those who don't think the same (emos, punks, everybody). Of course Kristoff is an asshole, and Televisa is a network which manipulates the country. Tolerance is a must, let's just respect each other! I don't see what's wrong with emos, we should just let them be!

Posted On: Monday, Apr. 7 2008 @ 8:48AM
maria says:

hey wat the fuck is ur problem im emo and i have been in amental hospital 5 times for it emo doesent mean wat u just sayed it means u have a problem that makes u go crazy so fuck u who gives a shit wat u think

Posted On: Sunday, Apr. 27 2008 @ 8:10PM
emilo says:

i think they r stupid they need to leave us alonei seen a vid the other day they killed a emo gurl for only being emo this needs to stop

Posted On: Monday, Apr. 28 2008 @ 11:20AM
Mangot says:

so you're telling me that guy has the authority to tell people what is and isn't music? since when does anyone have the right to tell someone what they should or shouldn't listen to; what is good versus bad music; what is or isn't music. critics, or whoever for that matter, can say whatever they want about any piece of music out there, but NO ONE voice is the end all to any of these questions. the important thing is that the individual is able to express him/herself with whatever music they like. listen to what you want to listen to. not to what some d-bag is telling you to listen to. think for yourself. that's one of the only true currencies you have left in this world.

Posted On: Friday, May. 2 2008 @ 2:50PM
Shingalana says:

I'm emo and ever since people found out my life has been a living hell. People would call my house and leave horrible messages saying that I should die. I had a life and I used to have friends. Now thanks to chavs people stay away from me thinking that emo is an illness and that its contagious. Its horrible but I'm still proud of not being a sheep like others. I stand out and people thinks that an excuse to shout things and point and say " shes an emo i hate her". Because you don't know whats going on in my life and you have NO right to judge me on what music i listen to and what i wear. I speak on behalf of all tormented emos in the world when i say that we are human beings and are just like you so dont judge us on what we look just judge our personality and if you don't like it then fuck off cuz we hate YOU.

Posted On: Thursday, May. 8 2008 @ 10:49AM
Haleigh says:

alright, emo is not a fashion type. it is a life style. everyone has emotions am i correct?

WHY YES I AM.

and emo is short for EMOtional dumb fucks.

grow up
shut up

and stop talking shit to each other online it's rather immature and annoying espically when you have no idea what the fuck you are talking about

Posted On: Tuesday, May. 20 2008 @ 11:19AM
Joey says:

okay so.. im from america and this emo craze has gotten way out of hand. its not just a style anymore.. its somthing even worse, i dont know how it is in mexico, i've never been. but in america its a joke, these kids dont know what they want and its getting rather pathetic. they do it to get attention, and in most guys cases they do it just to get girls. why is that, you ask? well in my opinion it's because these kids dont have shit going for them, so they hop on the emo bandwagon and they're instantly cool. honestly im glad it's gotten to a violent state in mexico, and i hope it gets that way in america soon. you might not agree, but quite frankly im tired of this stupid shit. at first i thought the stupid shit would be over with in a year or so, but then it sort of evolved into this "scene kid" thing... i dont see it ever ending, without force. more power to mexican emo attackers.

god damn, i wish it was like it was back when. when it was cool to be cool, and not cool to be gay.

and lol@maria.

Posted On: Friday, May. 23 2008 @ 7:52AM
rox says:

all you fuckers comon son culos a ustedes que estan contra los emos cada peson tiene sus estilo a ustedes que chingado si ellos quieren ser emos dejelos pendejos como ustedes quesieran que se los chingen por la forma de sus bestuarios y la musica que oyen y algo mas que voy a decir fucking dumm ass pendejos estupidos los que estan contra los emos

Posted On: Wednesday, May. 28 2008 @ 11:49AM
kimberley says:

K, this is so stupid. you guys need to get a life, and stop bashing us Emo's we never did anything to you. were normal people just like everyone else. give it a rest, and let us live the way we want. fuck off, and stop this bull shit. if you get to live life like a normal person so should we. were not bad people at all. all you dumbfuckers need to get over yourselves.

Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 10 2008 @ 9:36PM
Christian Jeric says:

hey...you what is the hell is your problem???
they discriminating us like you why do you want to do this???
we dont understand an one thing...you dont care about our music because this is only the way we can express ourselves...were not caring about your feelings but the discriminating is too strong so we want to be alone...and we want to kill ourselves cause you dont understand us so shut up...and go to your mothers womb ..i..

Posted On: Wednesday, Jun. 11 2008 @ 2:15AM
nicole says:

To the Anti-Emos,
This whole conflict disgusts me. This revolves around homophobia, jealousy, and stupidity. Your life is your own, what people around you do is not for you to decide. Picking on thin teens that mind their own business? Oh how brave, getting rid of this horrible plague of emos! We are all humans and have a right to freedom of expression. You are a sub-human idiot who reverts to “ He/She is different. Not normal, this scares me! Must terminate because they are not like me. “ Fuck off and get a life. They arent effecting your life at all. They have a right to grow their hair as long as they want and to wear eyeliner and skinny jeans. Grow up. Go fight for something that matters.

Posted On: Monday, Jul. 7 2008 @ 9:58PM
Carissa says:

I'm not trying to start a fight or anything but jessicab who says that kids that listen to "emo" music don't know who the sex pistols are? I for one listen to this "non-music" genre and I am a huge fan of the sex pistols and many other "real music" bands. Just because someone listens to a type of music that doesn't mean it's the only type of music they listen to. anyways my point is that even us emos are normal people who if you actually got to know us have many interests outside of what people just assume we like. For instance I love school I'm infact taking college level classes in high school. but people don't expect that because "we're suicidal and don't care about life so in turn we don't care about school". It's all a load of crap. Get to know us and we're actually really nice people!

Posted On: Thursday, Jul. 24 2008 @ 10:49PM
Josuepilk says:

Primero algunos de ustedes güeyes deben dedicarse a hablar un idioma porque lo único que dan a entender en sus comentarios relativamente incoherentes es que son pendejos en dos idiomas. Segundo, este güey Cristoff es más imbécil que todos nosotros. ¿A poco la música es religión ahora? Cristoff, perdón, pero no mames güey. Digo estuviste genial en Matando Cabos y todo pero no es para tanto. No sé si calificarla emo, rock o lo que tú quieras, pero total la música está chida. En lo personal creo que el emo es algo que se creó en los Estados Unidos para que los niños de 15 se pudieran poner los pantalones de sus hermanas menores, pero tampoco los voy a agredir, repito, la música (supuestamente emo) me late. Mejor que esas otras "bandas" que mencionaste como Sin Bandera o Calima que ni toque de talento tienen. En fin esto del "emo" no es exiguo de los movimientos de los hippies en los 60s, los discoleros en los 70s, o los no sé como decirles pero esos tipos que se vestían como "Flock of Seagulls" en los 80s. Es un estilo basado en un supuesto género de música, tan tan. No te acalores güey. ¿Para qué?

P.D. Por cierto, ¿alguien más se fijó en que este idiota validó el Screamo como género de música, pero desvalidó el Emo como tal? ¿Qué pedo?

Posted On: Friday, Aug. 22 2008 @ 4:58PM
cesar beltran says:

Gorki Luis Águila Carrasco is a popular musician in Cuba. In 2003, he had just produced an award-winning video, and a radio station in Havana announced that Gorki was the third most popular rocker in Cuba. Then - at a rock festival in Pinar del Río (the westernmost Cuban province) in April 2003 - he was suddenly arrested on charges of drug trafficking.

Four months later, on 15 August 2003, the controversial Cuban rock artist was convicted and sentenced to four years imprisonment. His constant challenge to free speech in Cuba was silenced. During the brief trial, where Gorki’s attorney did only have ten minutes to present his client’s case, the Counsel for the Prosecution did not present convincing evidence. The circumstances leading to his arrest were such that no evidence of drug trafficking was presented.

On October 17, 2003, Freemuse launched an international campaign for the release of Gorki Carrasco, and requested the Cuban government to reconsider the doubtful court case against him.

Initially, Gorki was held under harsh conditions that seriously affected his health in Destacamento Cinco in the Provincial Prison of Pinar del Río. In 2004, he was moved to a minimum security prison just outside Havana. There, he was part of a prison salsa band.

In March 2005, he was granted conditional release.

Approximately 75 dissidents - writers, doctors and opposition politicians - were jailed in Cuba in 2003. The majority continue to serve time in the Cuban prisons.

On April 23, 2007, the Cuban music rebel was praised for his courage in a report on the American news network CNN where his new music got world-wide exposure.

"I've lost my fear
I've already been a prisoner
I've only got a few bones left
From up here the tyrant is watching you
You're playing his so that he'll oppress us"

These are new lyrics of Cuban musician Gorki Aguila and his band Porno Para Ricardo, ('Porno for Ricardo').

"If anything, Gorki's lyrics have become more, not less, political since his time behind bars," said CNN's Morgan Neill when he presented the new music of Gorki to the world on CNN, profiling what he termed as "the most outspoken voice in Cuba's rock scene".

Neill and his camera crew visited Gorki and his band in their rehearsal room where they are limited to practice and make their music once a week, behind closed doors in a room insulated with egg cartons, in an appartment which Gorki shares with his father.

The group told him that they are banned from playing live, and they distribute their music only via the internet and via handmade CDs which are passed hand to hand.

Last Monday August 25, Cuban police arrested dissident musician Gorki Aguila on a charge of "dangerousness," fellow band members said Tuesday.

Hebert Dominguez, the bass player in Aguila's punk rock band, Porno para Ricardo, said police detained Aguila at his home at 10 a.m. Monday.

Aguila, the lead singer, was arrested as he was about to record the final songs of the band's next record, according to a statement on the band's Web site.

"This new episode of harassment and persecution is occurring just as Porno para Ricardo is in the middle of recording its new record, which eliminates any possibility that this repressive escalation could be described as a 'coincidence,' " the statement said. "In Cuba, the voice of the brave is silenced by the regime, which doesn't hesitate to use intimidation and force."

An official at the state-run press office said Cuba had no comment on the arrest.

Aguila, 39, is an outspoken critic of Cuba's government. "Communism is a failure," he said in the cited 2007 interview with CNN. "A total failure. Please. Leftists of the world -- improve your capitalism."

Dominguez said authorities said Aguila's trial will take place Thursday. Police told the group's guitarist, Ciro Diaz, that Aguila faced a possible sentence of one to four years in jail.

The statement on the band's Web site said Aguila wasn't feeling well -- that he had inflammation in his lungs and was short of breath.

Cuba uses the charge of "dangerousness" to prosecute those whom authorities believe are likely to commit crimes. Under Cuba's penal code, habitual drunkenness and anti-social behavior are signs of a "state of dangerousness."

Free Gorki! Freedom of speech for Cuban musicians! Freedom for Cuba!

Posted On: Wednesday, Aug. 27 2008 @ 3:24AM
Jeremy says:

Joey, your fucking disgusting even readable, what you said made me sick to my stomach. It's people like you are the reason why theres so much hate and violence, nobody especially you have the right to treat people like dirt because of the way the dress or what music they listen to.

Posted On: Sunday, Oct. 26 2008 @ 4:57PM
Derek says:

I would just like to clear up that Emo is a culture, fashion, and a genre of music. It has nothing to do with being emotional, it was called emo because the music was started by progressive punk bands that wrote emotional songs and it evolved into a genre called "emotive" and now there are kids calling themselves "emo kids" which means it has evolved into a youth subculture. Just letting you know that I am a punk and I have respect for everyone as long as they are not displaying fascist behaviour, which is what all these stupid fucks in mexico seem to be doing. A real punk wouldnt care about emo especially to the point where they are beating them up.

Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 2 2008 @ 5:01PM
Derek says:

PS Jessica B.
EVERYONE knows wou the sex pistols are you stupid bitch! Your not cool because you know who they are, and you have no right to tell people what "real music is" its funny that you use the most mainstream punk band to get your point across when I could name over 100 punk bands that you never even heard of. Yes i am siding with the emosexuals because am a real punk, and I wont give in to this fascism. What are punks doing listening to what some masculinist, closet-homo, asswipe has to say anyway? a real punk wouldn't even waste there time.

Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 2 2008 @ 5:10PM
Morgan says:

I cant believe how ridiculous this all is. How can you hurt a person, cause a FELLOW HUMAN BEING PAIN, just because they dress in a different frickin style than you?????Because they listen to different music???? How can you say someone should die if you dont even know them?? Why do people assume they can hurt others because what they like differs from what they like??Labels and shit like that is just highschool crap that should be left behind in classrooms and hallways lined with lockers.

Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 2 2008 @ 5:58PM
Anonymous says:

Hey Jessica, what the hell?!?
Why don't you get a taste of our music???
Have you ever heard of My Chemical Romance???
No! So STFU unless you're the king of rock. And noone calls it rock n' roll anymore dickwad. God, it's people like you who instigate this crap!
And kristoff (he doesn't deserve a capital lettter) can go shove a dildo up his ass while he sucks Chris Crockers dick!
God, you people are so fucking irritating! And you wonder what are problems are? Our problems are you! I won't even spit in your direction! You should all be ashamed in yourselves... How dare you mock us! We're people too! But instead you treat us like dogs and kick us out of your world left to suffer.

FUCK YOU ALL!!!

Posted On: Monday, Dec. 29 2008 @ 2:52AM
Kira says:

What i dont understand is why all of this negative attention is directed towards "emos". who defines someone as and "emo" anyways. There is country music and rap music. why arent they fighting? there is pop music and classical music. why arent they fighting? people are just so ignorant to a new style that they can accept that some people may enjoy it. If people are going to jump people for their style or taste in music our human population is pathetic. It disgusts me that humans cant let people be themselves. why the hell do they care? if they are personally bothering you then fricken a. but they are living their lives just like you. and if you think its okay for someone to get beat up due to how they are then go to hell because people like that should burn there.

Posted On: Wednesday, Jan. 7 2009 @ 6:03PM
Kira says:

also, if society put this much effort in trying to eliminate an alternative lifestyle into something useful, id bet cancer and diseases would be freaking cured by now.
good god is someone TRYING to recreate the holocaust?!? or what...

Posted On: Wednesday, Jan. 7 2009 @ 6:09PM
Anonymous says:

^Very true.

Oh my god. I listen to this kind of music, but it doesn't make me an emo. I may wear emo clothes, listen to emo music but I don't want to label myself. But that's beside the point.

Why do people always hate a certain type of people? What I don't get is why nobody seems to want to live in peace!! You can be what you want to be (within reason, obviously not a murderer, rapist etc.) It's always people who are different, i.e. emos, goths, homosexuals, punks, anybody who has the creativity to think different from all the sheep who care about being "cool", that get targeted. I just don't get why people want to be violent, and make the world an even uglier place than they already have!

This is just stupid motherfuckers trying to ruin everything and start more genocidal wars.

Posted On: Tuesday, Apr. 28 2009 @ 9:20AM
xBelekinax says:

What the h*ll?? I really can't understand all of this emo hate. I mean what difference does it make to an emo-hater if an emo dyes his or her hair black? If they wear skinny jeans? Or if they like music such as Tokio Hotel? Man, this is really stupid. I don't see the reason in these attacks. And anyway, why emos? Why not goths, or rockers or hip hoppers or preps? Don't take me wrong, I'm not suggesting any attacks on anyone. I'm just questioning the reason for all the emo-hatred.

Posted On: Monday, May. 11 2009 @ 1:54AM
Anonymous says:

Well atleast Punk Rock sounds better.


Fuck Fashion. I cant dre$$ emo even if i wanted too. I'm too poor.
DIY OR DIE

Posted On: Wednesday, Jun. 24 2009 @ 1:09AM
Anonymous says:

to jessica why should we chance when we are fine the way we are people only argue and beet up emos cos we are different and people are scared of that oh and emo music is way better than old rock

Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 6 2009 @ 7:42PM
scergeade says:

cute site,
you should look at the weird emo dude
http://emo-boy.punkboy.info

Posted On: Sunday, Dec. 27 2009 @ 7:06AM
emo hairstyles says:

what bands are good to see for emo hairstyles?
[url=http://www.emo-hairstyles.info/]emo hairstyles[/url]

Posted On: Sunday, Jan. 24 2010 @ 6:46PM
Tenchoolfsefe says:

How r u? your website is cute
Check at that crazy emo video clip:
http://tinyurl.com/a5sfeo

Posted On: Thursday, Feb. 25 2010 @ 6:26PM
emo person says:

being emo is awesome but sadly my friend doesnt think so she thinks it sucks and that if you are you are fakeing it WHATEVER THE H*LL WITH THAT IM FREAKIN EMO AND SHE IS A X-EMO meaning she herself was emo. idfk about this stuff.

Posted On: Friday, Jun. 4 2010 @ 10:24AM

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