Meet The War-Loving And Gun Ho Syrian Pianist @MalekJandali @HotArabicMusic

In general, musicians do not tend to be the first to rush into war, but one super-talented Syrian pianist is all about war now. We are not talking about war in some distant land; this multinational entertainer is happy to see his country turned into ashes and rubble and not back down one inch. There are two separate things: Malek Jandali, a brilliant musician who has dazzled the world with his music; and the second is Malek Jandali as a war-loving activist.

May 2011 is when the world met the other Malek Jandali, who left his emotional and delicate soul to become a full-time war promoter. He now seems to want to bring war and destruction upon his people and the land of his ancestors in exchange for what he understands to be freedom. Freedom of extremists to take away your freedom in the name of religion. I have news for you Malek: your music will be the first casualty if those whom you defend get their way.

This does not take away anything from the genius musician he is, and he is also a great story-teller who certainly loves Syria. The problem with Jandali and his likes, is that they think only their way is the right way, and that God has enlightened them and only them. Would he admit to being wrong if all goes south? We both agree the Syrian people deserve freedom, but freedom is not chaos, freedom is not selling out and getting excited over an invasion and destruction. Another thing, if Syria turns into a mess, this celebrated pianist can chose to live in any country of his choosing (I believe he also holds citizenship in both America and Germany). Many Syrian refugees do not have this luxury and thus they do not want a war.

I am questioning what will Malek Jandali do after the war in Syria ends? Will he go back to his music, eat his word and accept to live under extremist rule? Just ask the Syrians who live in areas that have been governed by militants in the opposition: why are they protesting these violent thugs? Granted not all opposition are thugs, but the ones who carry bigger guns tend to have their way over the suit-wearing Istanbul-residing politicians. Things must change in Syria, no doubt, but change from outside has shown to backfire.

Malek, no one really understands the big game that's being played out in Syria right now, it's too complicated. I would like Syria to be the awesome party-loving, open-minded place it has always been, I would hate to see it turn into another hell-hole overrun by warring factions over turf wars. I know Malek loves Syria and he wants to do the right thing, there has to be a middle path somewhere....but for a musician to turn himself into a warmonger, this is sad. I hate to say it, but it seems had it not been for the crisis in Syria, the world would know little about Malek. Which is a shame, because his music is worth listening to--not his warmongering which seems to serve his marketing strategy.


P.S. On the same day Malek performed on the lawn of the White House, there was a large Syrian protest in support of the embattled secular president and they besieged country.

Malek Jandali CNN News - Dictator Assad Must Face Justice