An Open Letter to Scooter Braun
While I dislike you as a person, I have actually tried to somewhat defend you in this fiasco by pointing out that Scott Borchetta is plainly the key perpetrator on this occasion (and arguably in the overall scheme too) and that what he has done of late has likewise sabotaged your own career.
But you have gone too far today. The desperate attempts to manipulate fans through social media back channels and the suchlike were one thing, but deflection and boldface gaslighting is quite another.
We’ll consider the narrative you’re now trying to write for yourself (by monopolising and manipulating the important conversation going on) when you take the time to acknowledge the clear truths at hand.
Your CEO Scott Borchetta tried to blackmail Taylor Swift by withholding licensing to solicit her silence, this is a fact. He then made his own attempts to deflect and gaslight and smear Taylor’s name by accusing her of owing him money, also a fact.
You have acknowledged neither of these indisputable facts and until you do you don’t get a voice in this conversation about the treatment of women and artists.
Trying to gaslight us, smear Taylor’s image and play the victim will not be tolerated when you’ve had every chance to send a clear message to us and to Taylor about your position by publicly condemning Borchetta’s blackmail attempt or even removing him as CEO for so grossly abusing his position.
You chose to take exactly no tangible action of open integrity and have instead chosen cheap attempts at virtue signalling and now painting yourself as a victim.
No matter how many times you attempt this ‘we don’t have the power to stop her playing her music’ smokescreen we will not forget that Borchetta attempted to do exactly that by means of bribery and manipulation. You cannot erase this truth so you might as well address it.
Choosing instead to further inflame the situation by making it about you instead of the clear abuse of a successful woman has evaporated any will I had to advocate that you are not the key perpetrator on this occasion.
Now, you are equally as culpable as Borchetta because you have chosen selfish indulgence and to not take control of a situation very much in your power and have instead chosen to continue your attempts to force a woman who is not comfortable (nor obligated in) communicating with you directly to once again put her trust in the hands of a man who has previously given her every reason not to trust his integrity.
No matter how you try to sway this situation, the fact that a woman does not want to interact with you is her truth and her right and it says nothing good about you that you refuse to respect it.
I’m sure you honestly believed playing the ‘but my family’ card would be a bulletproof trump card here but, I’m sorry, we see right through you.
A small minority of Taylor Swift followers may be vapid and/or toxic morons but most of us are not. Rather, we’re strong, intelligent women trying to be heard and treated fairly in a man’s world and hence we have no time for this bullshit narrative you’re trying to write about a woman we love and respect deeply.
As such, we reject your attempt to avoid, deflect, and change the conversation.
We further condemn your ongoing insistence that a woman who has no trust, interest, or obligation in communicating with you be forced to put herself in a situation she is neither comfortable nor required to be in.
There is zero need for Taylor to communicate with you but there is every need for you to rein in your destructive CEO’s vendetta against her and for you to stop your passive-aggressive attempts to manipulate this shitty situation to your advantage.
Ensure your staff licence the use of her music [that you bought without her consent and that you are grossly profiting off against her will] and do nothing else, it is that simple.
Better yet, condemn the actions of the executive of your company and show the world you’re serious about not tolerating the abuse of women and artists. If you can shut your mouth and do that for a while, maybe then we’ll be inclined to hear what you have to say.
Tiredly, Nicole
(35 years old and a comparatively new-ish recruit to the @taylorswift fan ranks, contrary to accusations of being ‘too young to understand’ and ‘blindly loyal.’)
