Medi-o-core for the last time

Ok, as much as it pains me to say this, I think I've gone to my last NOFX concert. Not just because they suck live, and have actually gotten worse live, but because NOFX used to belong to a genre that was tolerant of being different, actually embraced difference, and now they (meaning Fat Mike) are preaching hatred and bigotry of all things religious. "Punk in Drublic" was one of the first CD's I ever bought when I first started listening to punk rock, and one of the last songs on the album is a song called "Happy Guy." The lyrics describe a man who has turned to religion to balance out the imbalance he sees in the world. While interspersed within the lyrics is negative criticism of "happy guy's" choice, the last lines of the song say, "Don't try to judge him, his theological ideas/His hopes may be false but his happiness is real/Don't try to judge him, he's just a man."

What happened to that attitude of tolerance? While you may not agree with religion, or even a belief in God, the least you can do is not judge others for their beliefs. But apparently Fat Mike doesn't feel this way anymore and decided to rant most of the night about the "idiots" who believe in God, and why they "don't belong at a NOFX show." Fine. See you later, buddy. I am sorry you have chosen to ostracize a group of people simply for their beliefs. Last time I checked, that wasn't punk rock. Last time I checked that was known as bigotry.

I'll be the first to admit that organized religion has its flaws, and blind faith in anything is an ignorant attitude, but I don't think that a belief in God, or at least something greater than yourself in this world, is a belief that should be criticized. What happened to, "We're the 'brews/sportin' anti-Swastika tattoos?" Don't those lyrics suggest the attitude of rejecting those who persecute someone based on their religion/heritage? I think so, but apparently Fat Mike lives by different rules these days.

So, sorry NOFX, I won't be buying anymore of your records (they've all sucked since War of Errorism anyway) and I won't be going to anymore of your shows. I wish that you would stick to strong social commentary instead of religion bashing, but who am I to judge--I'm no Fat Mike after all.