American musician turned activist has lost a lot of money by dropped out of a planned Tel Aviv gig. Jello's curios mind did not settle for others opinions on an issues he made sure he gets his own facts. I found the account of his journey to Palestine and Israel to be breath taking and enlightening for many. His trip has been document by both pictures and videos to make his works speak louder.
Jello Biafra - Thoughts On Visit To Israel
So now I have been to Israel. I have also been to Palestine. At least I got a taste of the place, but not in the way I originally hoped.
Many people reading this know the uproar and complicated reasons my band, Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School Of Medicine pulled out of a July 2nd show scheduled in Tel Aviv. In many ways I really wish we had played. But I also share most of the boycott's supporters' feelings about Israel's government, the occupation, and ongoing human rights violations.
Few months ago we along with many others have called on the singer to cancel his planned concert to Tel Aviv. He ultimately canceled the Tel Aviv gig, but unlike many others he did the next best thing. He took a trip to the area on his own trying to make sense of it all. His analysis and take on the whole ordeal is one not to be missed. After all this is not just a gifted musician, he is also a staunch activist. He could have just done the concert and gotten paid, but then that would throw away all his years of quest for justice and fairness. I applaud his courage.
Biafra concludes his trip with this
As I said in my previous statement it would have been so easy for me and the Guantanamo School Medicine to quietly decline the Israel/Tel Aviv offer and no one would have been wiser. Naïve or not, we thought that in our own small way, if we showed up we might be able to do some good. Opinions swung back and forth every day as hell got hotter, even among individual band members.
I do not regret speaking out. It has been quite a learning experience along the way. I can't very well shut up now. It is like I've been covered with someone else's chewing gum and I'll never be able to scrape it all off. As my friend said, "It gets in your blood", and it has definitely gotten in mine.
What does it mean to be pro-Israel?
What does it mean to be pro- Palestine?
Who is David? Who Is Goliath?
Everyone has such a strong opinion and every person's is different – another sharp quill on that damn porcupine.
Read in details here his account
0 comments:
Post a Comment