Lithuanian President Responds To Ten Walls' Homophobic Comments

Normally heads of states do not bother themselves with drama in the music community, but when they lead a country of about 3 million and it involves one of your more prominent musical exports, they have to pay attention. Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite spoke to journalists in Vilnius and, among other things, spoke about the recent homophobic comments Lithuanian DJ/producer Ten Walls made on his personal Facebook, saying it will be an opportunity for the country to begin a substantive conversation on intolerance in the nation's society.

Grybauskaite told journalists via Mixmag, "I believe the incident benefits the state in a way that, in this country, we are becoming more and more open in our discussions about how insular we are, our intolerance of people who are different, as well as homophobia."

"I believe discussions are a healthy thing, we need more of them, as the sooner Lithuania becomes more open and more tolerant, the better it will be for the country."

The outrage was sparked when Lithuanian DJ/producer Ten Walls posted a long homophobic rant on his personal Facebook that among other disgusting comparisons and language, called gays "a different breed." He removed the post only after it was noticed by the media and tried to save face with a short apology saying the rant "was out of character." In the aftermath of the comments going worldwide (they were originally written in Lithuanian), festivals like Creamfields, Mysteryland, Pukkelpop and others dropped him from their bill and he subsequently canceled all upcoming shows until further notice.

Other artists in the electronic music community blasted Ten Walls and his name has become toxic. He could probably go to Russia to perform shows based on that government's treatment of LBGTs.