M.I.A.’s New Video Too Much For YouTube

By: Edmund Mullins 

The New York Times is reporting that YouTube has pulled the video for M.I.A.’s new single, Born Free, presumably owing to nudity and graphic violence. Directed by Romain Gavras (son of filmmaker Costa-Gavras), it depicts an unidentified American military unit rounding up red-headed males from an apartment complex, then busing them to the desert where they are tortured and killed. It is hard-edged, graphic stuff and extremely NSFW.

Watch it after the jump.
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Since it popped up yesterday, there’s been a lot of web chatter about the video’s political message which, at its heart, is fairly rote. I’m inclined to think the kerfluffle has a lot more to say about how dull, thoughtless and inconsequential most music videos are. A little seriousness goes a long way, and a lot, it would seem, gets people uptight. Enjoy this link while it lasts.