To coincide with the release of their new album amid the nation's ongoing racial unrest, yesterday
The Ghost Inside issued a new 'What Do You Stand For?' t-shirt, with 100% of the profits destined for the NAACP.
Not long thereafter,
Rashod Jackson, drummer of Virginia hardcore band
Bracewar, took to Twitter to lambaste the The Ghost Inside for seemingly overlooking a previous racial slur allegedly used by "bitch ass bass player"
Jim Riley:
Terror guitarist
Martin Stewart subsequently chimed in, further validating Jackson's allegation (you may recall some
previous animus between Terror and The Ghost Inside):
In the intervening hours, Jackson has pointedly called upon Riley to publicly address the matter:
Thus far, neither Riley nor The Ghost Inside have responded.
UPDATE #1: In response to those calling the timing of his accusation suspicous, Jackson posted a screenshot of a tweet to Riley from early 2015:
UPDATE #2: The Ghost Inside bassist Jim Riley has now issued the following statement:
"Rashod called me out in 2015. I called him, he put the screws to me. I deserved it, and I apologized to him. He told me that wasn't good enough and he was right. It's shameful and fucking embarrassing. I present myself as someone who gives a shit about progressive movements and ideas, and I was not living up to that.
"Because of that conversation I had to take a big fucking look in the mirror and recognize a lot of bullshit that I was selling myself. I made too many excuses for being brought up without exposure to the black experience, and I should have been better. I make a conscious effort to purge stuff about myself that still sucks when I find it, and to be mindful that I'm just a passenger on someone else's ship in any movement related to black lives.
"I'm sorry. I know that's not enough. I'm going to keep doing the work. That might still not be enough. I'm going to do it anyway."
UPDATE #3: Jackson himself has come under fire the past two days for his own past. He issued this statement today in response:
