“It’s a massive display of powerful corporation dick-shaking,” British-born Tamil singer in response to being sued by the National Football League in the United States over her performance at last year's Superbowl performance.
“They want me on my knees and say sorry so they can slap me on my wrist.”
“The politically volatile singer M.I.A. has never shied away from a fight,” The said on September 20, “but now she's taking on a particularly imposing American institution ― the National Football League”.
During MIA's performance at last year's NFL Super Bowl performance alongside Madonna and Nicki Minaj, “cameras briefly captured MIA raising her middle finger at the cameras”.
“There was a minor hubbub,” the LA Times said, “and you probably forgot about it within days (if not seconds)”.
“The NFL, it seems, was less quick to forget.” The NFL is reportedly pursuing a US$1.5-million fine and a public apology from MIA over the incident, claiming she tarnished the “wholesome” image of the NFL. The article said that in legal papers, the NFL described the gesture as “flagrant disregard for the values that form the cornerstone of the NFL brand and the Super Bowl” and that it constitutes a breach of contract.
In response, MIA's attorney Howard King told the Hollywood Reporter: “Of course, the NFL's claimed reputation for wholesomeness is hilarious in light of the weekly felonies committed by its stars, the bounties placed by coaches on opposing players, the homophobic and racist comments uttered by its players, the complete disregard for the health of players and the premature deaths that have resulted from same, and the raping of public entities ready to sacrifice public funds to attract teams.”
MIA on September 23, in which she said: "The NFL thing is completely ridiculous. It’s been making me laugh for a while, but now it’s so boring I don’t even laugh anymore.
"So the precise moment in question, and you can actually freeze-frame this as many media outlets have. The frame you’re looking for has my middle finger in the foreground, and the larger picture where it zooms out is a row of 10-15 cheerleaders, young black females, that Madonna got from a local high school in Indianapolis, and they were all under 16.
"If you look at them, they’re all wearing cheerleader outfits, hips thrusted in the air, legs wide open, in this very sexually provocative position.
"So, now, they’re scapegoating me into figuring out the goalposts on what is offensive in America. Like, is my finger offensive, or is the underage black girl with her legs wide open more offensive to the family audience? That’s basically what it comes down to.
"It's a massive waste of time, a massive waste of money, it’s a massive display of powerful corporation dick-shaking. They want me on my knees and say sorry so they can slap me on my wrist.
"Basically, so they can say it’s OK for me to promote being sexually exploited as a female than to display female empowerment through being punk rock. That is what it boils down to, and I’m being sued for it."
Video: NFL vs MIA. .