Just last week, Paramore were on stage in Florida poking fun at the state’s Draconian “Don’t Say Gay” law. Hayley Williams took every opportunity possible to infuse the word “gay” into her songs and stage banter throughout. It was a sweet way to show their support to the LGBTQ+ community. But now, days after a tragic shooting at LGBTQ+ Club Q in Colorado Springs left five people dead and another 19 injured, Paramore used their platform to make a serious statement about the implications of this hate crime and were unafraid to get political.
“The hatred and the prejudice against any marginalized group is historically political,” they said. “And did you think that these prejudices stop at the polls? It is a ‘chicken-or-the-egg’ type scenario. The sh*t that we take to our respective soapboxes echoes on forever. You’re either perpetuating love or perpetuating hatred.”
These are troubling times to say the least and for influential artists like Paramore to make their voices heard in hot-button issues, speaks volumes. Hopefully it inspires generations that perpetuate love. Read their whole statement below.