Adam Lambert tears into Republicans for using Freddie Mercury’s voice at anti-LGBT convention
Adam Lambert has torn into Donald Trump for blasting Queen songs at the Republican National Convention; just days after Trump unveiled an extreme anti-LGBT choice for Vice President.
The Republican Party’s platform, set to be approved at the event, is extremely anti-LGBT, even giving tacit support to ‘gay cure’ therapy. The party also confirmed Donald Trump and Indiana Governor Mike Pence as their Presidential ticket.
Governor Pence, who tried to legalise anti-LGBT discrimination in Indiana last year, has previously suggested that HIV prevention funding be drained in order to fund state-sponsored ‘gay cure’ therapy, and earlier this year appeared unable to answer when asked whether it should be legal to fire people because of their sexuality.
Given the appointment, Queen fans were pretty outraged to hear Trump blasting the song ‘We Are the Champions’ to the crowd after speaking at the RNC.
Freddie Mercury died of AIDS-related illness in 1991, and his death helped bring a focus to the illness that led to the very prevention funding that Pence so enthusiastically tried to axe.
The surviving members of the band confirmed it was “an unauthorised use at the Republican Convention against our wishes”.
Adam Lambert, who has toured the world with the surviving members in tribute to Mercury, tore into the disrespectful act.
He shared a photo that reads: “If your political party spends decades treating gay people as second-class citizens, guess what: you don’t get to use Freddie Mercury’s music at your convention.”
Legendary Queen guitarist Brian May has also quietly signalled his dissatisfaction at the news – which broke on his birthday.
When Trump played the track previously, guitarist Brian May said: “I can confirm that permission to use the track was neither sought nor given.
“We are taking advice on what steps we can take to ensure this use does not continue.
“Regardless of our views on Mr Trump’s platform, it has always been against our policy to allow Queen music to be used as a political campaigning tool.
“Our music embodies our own dreams and beliefs, but it is for all who care to listen and enjoy.”
California’s Lt Gov Gavin Newsom, who is a Democrat, was among those to tear into Trump.He said: “It’s important to note that tonight’s RNC convention ended with a song, We Are the Champions, sung by a gay man, Freddie Mercury. Freddie Mercury died of AIDS in 1991.
“His music was played at a convention where the most anti-LGBT policy platform was adopted, just today. His music, which he famously laboured over, which was intricate and complex, was played at a convention where Mike Pence, a man who has spent his political career actively looking for opportunities to pass laws that would give others the legal framework to discriminate against LGBT people, sat comfortably in a VIP box.
“I’m not sure what Freddie Mercury would think of his music being played at the RNC convention, but I do know that if he weren’t a famous rockstar, he would have probably been greeted by a wall, a really high wall, because he represented everything that Mike Pence and Donald Trump are scared of.”
Trump has been sued by a string of musicians in the past for using their music without permission.
