In the eyes of a progressive, no one has the right to be an individual. Either you're part of the collective, body, mind and soul, or you're out of the club and deserve to be ostracized. 

In a moronic piece for The Guardian, writer Dorian Lynskey asserts that iconic recording artist Morrisey has "squandered so much goodwill" with his "dog whistle" critiques of terrorism and immigration, that he might not ever be able to redeem himself in the eyes of his fans. 

Really? 

"Like countless musicians, managers and record labels before them, the makers of the new movie England Is Mine have discovered that nothing is easy where Morrissey is involved," begins the article. "The unauthorised biopic follows ambitious young Steven Patrick Morrissey up to the point, in 1982, when he met guitarist Johnny Marr and formed the Smiths, the most fiercely beloved British band of their generation." The article continues: 

On 23 May, however, Morrissey published a dog-whistling Facebook post about the terrorist attack in Manchester which criticised Sadiq Khan, immigration and political correctness: “In modern Britain everyone seems petrified to officially say what we all say in private.” Many fans were dismayed, not for the first time. Now a film that purports to show the birth of a star risks looking like the story of the apprenticeship of a resentful crank.

Thirty years after the Smiths broke up, the 58-year-old’s reputation is in dire shape, and not for musical reasons. His albums are still well received and he remains a passionate live performer with enough diehard fans to fill stadiums. No, the problem is what he says. It is hard to think of another living artist who has squandered so much goodwill.

Can we say, "Roger Waters?"

Ten years ago Morrissey was quoted in the NME as complaining about immigration: “Although I don’t have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.” He sued the magazine for defamation (“I abhor racism and oppression or cruelty of any kind”) and donated £28,000 to Love Music Hate Racism, but the case was settled and the quotes were never retracted. In 2010 he called the Chinese “a subspecies” due to their mistreatment of animals. In 2013 he said he nearly voted for Ukip and liked Nigel Farage “a great deal”. He has described Brexit to an Australian website as “magnificent”.

Such comments have exhausted the patience of many longtime devotees with progressive political views. After the Facebook post, Martin Rossiter, former frontman of the Morrissey-indebted band Gene, wrote an article for the online Quietus magazine called Why Morrissey Is Dead To Me. On the Etsy website you can buy a tote bag bearing the words: “Shut up, Morrissey!” “Now I find that he’s a sledgehammer provocateur who seems to have much in common with ‘paid to write spite’ columnists,” says the comedian, broadcaster and disillusioned fan Robin Ince. “I was drawn to him because he was writing about humanity when I was young and trying to work out how to be a human. Now his view of humanity makes him a hard listen. The disappointment is my own fault. We elevate when we are young and then ignore the warning signs for years.” Only someone whose music changed lives could inspire such profound disappointment.

If progressives now find it difficult to listen Morrisey, imagine how hard it is for us Pink Floyd fans out there.

What's most ironic is that the author goes on to contradict himself, noting that Morrisey didn't actually turn conservative and has always been, "a fervent supporter of animal rights and republicanism."

"And while he has described Nigel Farage as a 'liberal educator' he has also praised Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders."

So, what's the problem then? God forbid someone not tow the leftwing line 110 percent?

Lynskey then begrudgingly throws Morrisey a bone, cedeing he likely will be remembered for his tremendous musical contribution, not because he priased Nigel Farage. 

"Morrissey’s image problem is far from fatal," the author writes. 

"His core fan base remains substantial. Another great album isn’t out of the question if he could find the right collaborators and somebody willing to release it."

Lucky for Morrisey that Lynskey thinks he might be able to eke out an existence moving forward.