Metal Anarchy

As previously reported, The Ghost Inside bassist Jim Riley recently got fired from the band after Bracewar drummer Rashod Jackson called him out for using the n-word while referring to a tour bus driver a number of years ago. Now, Jackson has come under fire himself for using homophobic slurs on Twitter in the past. He has since issued a statement regarding the tweets, saying that they “are not a reflection of the person [he is] today”

Jackson said the following:

“While calling out racist behaviors of The Ghost Inside, the band and their fans brought up some homophobic statements I made years ago. The things I said in the past are not a reflection of the person I am today. I had to unlearn some of my behaviors when it came to the language I was using, and I am aware of how harmful these things are.

I was called out personally by friends at the time about that behavior. I was held accountable and changed my behavior as a result. Those aren’t things I’d say at this point in my life, especially with the knowledge I’ve gained over the years, the friends I’ve made, and the respect I have for people in the LGBTQ+ community. I’d also like to sincerely thank the people who called me in and helped me grow.

However, my past behavior does not invalidate how I feel about what The Ghost Inside and Jim Riley did, and it is clear that The Ghost Inside and their fans combed through my past tweets in an attempt to deflect from their racism. The situation is about a white person calling a black man the N word as if he was a slave in 2015.

Knowing that someone in the band had consistently used a racial slur, and was doing nothing about it, only to then decide it was appropriate to use the Black Lives Matter movement as a way to promote the release of their record, is tasteless and inappropriate especially in the current events. This issued should have been handled before the originally matter in 2015. They should extend a helping hand to the black community that has been destroyed recently.

Black people have been dealing with the issue of racism for over 400 years. No one should ever forget that, overlook that or excuse ANYONE for speaking in such a way. In my recent years, I’ve learned the need for intersectionality when it comes to the fight for liberation.

I’m striving everyday to be a better man. If my use of harmful language has ever affected you, then people know you can reach out to me and we can have a conversation about accountability. I do ask for some patience when it comes to a response, as this is a historic but also painful time for me and my community. Thank you.

–Rashod“

https://twitter.com/RashodJackson/status/1269715105312366596?s=19

https://twitter.com/RashodJackson/status/1269035378054397955

https://twitter.com/RashodJackson/status/1269035808872443904

[via The PRP]