After the ugly racist gestures that former Pantera singer Phil Anselmo made on-stage during this year’s Dimebash concert, including a Nazi salute and screaming “White Power”, he’s now apologized twice. The first in video form and now the second in written that suggests that his band Down move ahead without him while he seeks help.
“To all this will concern,
Every citizen in this entire world has the unalienable right to live with dignity and respect without hate or oppression. And I mean this, with all of my crushed, yet, guilty heart.
It’s common knowledge that we can choose to either learn from our mistakes, or continue on a path of insensitivity and destruction.
I am utterly responsible for the mistakes I have made, and can only give you my word to no longer do them in the present, through ACTION, not just mere words.
My band mates are now experiencing the consequences of my behavior, and I now publicly apologize to them as well. Never in my entire lifetime would I drag them down with me, and I’ve privately suggested to them that they move on without me.
My biggest obstacle(s) are the over-indulging in the booze and blurting out spiteful, ignorant reductions of the human spirit itself. I will address these issues, head-on.
I’m repulsed by my own actions, and the self-loathing I’m going through right now is justified by the hurt I’ve caused.
I realize we live in a society where apologies are NOT accepted easily, yet long for a day when they can be, but I also understand if I’m shunned till I hit the dirt.
From the bottom of my heart, and with all sincerity, I once again am truly sorry for the pain I have caused.
With truth, love, hope & respect-
Philip H. Anselmo“
I wrote about Anselmo’s actions not long ago and posted Machinehead frontman Robb Flynn’s video where he came out against the ex-Pantera singer’s racist gestures this year. Flynn mentioned that Anselmo had also dropped the N-Bomb backstage at that same show and that he’s been doing that Nazi salute for years on stage but nobody has ever questioned him about it until now in light of the recent concert footage being made available online.
I love Pantera. I love Phil Anselmo as a singer and I’m truly saddened by all of this as a metal fan. I feel bad for the guy at this point and after this latest apology, I sincerely think he’s trying to get help and I’m happy that he’s not making any more excuses for his behaviour. Get help Phil – I forgive you. I just hope that the rest of the world will too – because it’s going to be a long, hard journey to recover from something this devastating.
