Republican Senator Stanley Jason Rapert has been representing Arkansas' district 35 since 2011, and recently appeared on metal's radar for the second time. Rapert's first time being covered on Metal Injection was when he tried to get a ten commandments monument erected and faced protests from The Satanic Temple. The second time was this week, when he got pretty pissed off about being depicted eating a baby on an Eyehategod show flyer.
Rapert's statement was full of blanket statements, anger about the band's name and more anger about his feud the Satanic Temple. In turn, Eyehategod frontman Mike IX Williams has responded, citing Rapert's past legislation as indicative of his character and basically saying "it's free speech."
Open letter to Sen. Jason Rapert (R):
Thank you for all the attention you've given the EyeHateGod show in Little Rock, Arkansas. Any image that was used of you is protected under the First Amendment, which supposedly protects us "Americans.” Please stick to destroying peoples lives by trying to ban same sex marriage, opposing medical marijuana legalization, threatening minorities, and absolutely attacking women's right to choose. Your moral crusade against basic human rights will be fought at every turn.
Mike IX Williams
EYEHATEGOD
Southern Nihilism Front
Technically Rapert isn't violating the First Amendment since he's not attempting to pass a law to censor the venue or to stop this from existing. He is being a giant baby about it though. Someone really should show this guy some of the more political albums covers in punk and metal over the past 40 years or so. His head might actually explode, or who knows! Maybe he'll go so insane with rage he'll actually eat a baby.
Rapert may have other intentions in mind. Patheos reports that this is an attempted distraction at his passing of anti-choice legislation. Additionally, he was sued this week by the American Atheists organization "for alleged misuse of his social media accounts in an official capacity.” You can read about that suit here.
