We all hated having Apple shove U2 onto our iDevices, and even the band admits it was a terrible idea. But it’s possible that no one is more upset about it than Alexander Starovoitov, a Russian politician who wants Russia’s attorney general to investigate Apple for distributing “gay propaganda” to minors.
The “gay propaganda,” according to Starovoitov, isn’t the music. It’s not even Bono’s choice in sunglasses. It’s the artwork for the album, Songs of Innocence, which was released along with the physical copy of the album and features the band’s drummer, Larry Mullen, Jr., hugging his 18-year-old son while both are shirtless.
According to the group, the artwork represents “how holding on to your own innocence is a lot harder than holding on to someone else’s,” but Starovoitov is prepping to sue Apple over moral damages to his son.
On a serious note, Russia takes its stance against homosexuality very seriously. You might remember the controversy surrounding the Olympics in Sochi, in which many around the world petitioned to have the games moved due to Russia’s anti-gay laws. That a photo representing parental love could be considered “gay propaganda” to anyone, anywhere is more than a bit troubling. There’s also the fact to consider that Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, is openly gay.
On a less serious note, U2 schadenfreude is something the entire world can rally around.
(Via the Guardian)
