Texas Radio Station Bans Madonna Songs Following Her Women’s March Speech

A Texas radio station has banned Madonna’s music from its airwaves following her controversial speech delivered during Saturday’s Women’s March in Washington.

HITS 105, based in Texarkana, decided to strike the pop star from its lineup after she spoke openly about how the election results had affected her. “Yes, I’m angry. Yes, I am outraged. Yes, I have thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House,” she told a crowd of roughly 500,000 people.

After Madonna’s speech drew widespread criticism, she addressed the issue, writing on Instagram: “I am not a violent person, I do not promote violence and it’s important people hear and understand my speech in its entirety rather than one phrase taken wildly out of context.”

She continued: “I spoke in metaphor and I shared two ways of looking at things — one was to be hopeful, and one was to feel anger and outrage, which I have personally felt. However, I know that acting out of anger doesn’t solve anything. And the only way to change things for the better is to do it with love.”

But despite the “Vogue” singer’s explanation, HITS 105 has decided to ban her music. “Banning all Madonna songs at HITS 105 is not a matter of politics, it’s a matter of patriotism,” Terry Thomas, the station’s general manager, said in a statement on Facebook.

Thomas continued: “It just feels wrong to us to be playing Madonna songs and paying her royalties when the artist has shown un-American sentiments. If all stations playing Madonna took their lead from us, that would send a powerful economic message to Madonna.”

Many commenters on the Facebook post have criticized the radio station for what they see as a publicity stunt. “Who cares? You have 600 likes and are just using Madonna for attention,” wrote one user. “Her remarks were on behalf of women’s rights, your ban is for a cheap ratings stunt.”