Israelis Boycott Musicians Too! Wagner Is A Case

Richard Wagner composed some of the finest and most refined music there is to find.  His work is notable for their complex texture, vivid harmonies. His music pulled something so well, the ability to create musical themes associated with individual characters, places, ideas or plot elements.


Yet this Legendary (and controversial) German composer loved himself so much. He let the world knows it too. It would be hard to find some other composer who has displayed a greater egotism and sureness of his own genius than Richard Wagner! "I'm not like other people. 1 have finer nerves - I must have beauty and brilliance and light. The world owes me what 1 need. I can't live on a miserable organist's post, like your master Bach!" Trust me you would too if you were writing both the music and libretto for every one of your stage works like Wagner.

But egotism is not the reason why some people in Israel and many Jews resent the guy and reject his music.

To be clear, Wagner was not a Nazi and he has died long before Nazi take power in Germany, yet his music still unwelcome in Israel. We have called on artists to boycott Israel concerts before, but the Israelis seem to always response, art should not be boycotted. It's true music builds bridges between people, but why do Israelis do not welcome the music of the iconic and genius composer like Wagner? I was reading this article today "What’s Behind Israel’s Unofficial Ban on Wagner?"

Jonathan Livny was so eager to have the music of the late German composer Richard Wagner played in Israel, he dipped into his own pocket to make it happen. A few months ago, he hired 100 of the country’s best musicians, rented a hall at Tel Aviv University, and advertised a concert with ads in the newspaper. Within a week, he says, 600 tickets were sold. Livny is a 64-year-old classical-music buff whose father raised him on the Wagner records he fled Germany with in 1935. He describes the 19th-century musician as one of the most important composers in history. But Wagner was also a raging anti-Semite, and though he died long before the rise of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler made him an icon of the Third Reich, the regime that killed 6 million Jews. Days before the concert was to take place earlier this month, Tel Aviv University informed Livny he could no longer use the venue. A Tel Aviv hotel agreed to host the event instead but backed out as well.

Here's the truth, Richard Wagner lived decades before the birth of Nazism, yet his influence on the National Socialist movement and its its leader was gigantic. Wagner did not seem to like Jewish music and spoke ill about many of the composers. The Jewish composer, according to Wagner, makes a confused heap of the forms and styles of all ages and masters. I can understand the boycott for Wagner and his music in Israel, it remains a sensitive subject in this tiny nation. On the other hand will Israelis now understand the plight of Palestinians who call for a cultural boycott.

Algeria Does't Mind The Annoying Enrico Macias Visiting

Enrico Macias is French, Jewish and Algerian and has made a fuss about not being allowed to visit what he calls his home. He tried in 2000, but was denied an invitation due to local protest but civil society groups due to Macias' support for Israels' policies in the occupied Palestinians Territories.

Macias tried again ib 2007 but he was denied again. Now he thinks he is being denied the right to go visit his homeland--welcome to the club asshole, I and several million Palestinians cannot do that either. Then the Minister of Telecommunication in Algeria, Nasir Mahl spoke up revealing that Macias is the one who backed down on the visit and changed his mind.

Macias is enjoying this as he has been speaking about this "ban". The Minister did a fine job explaining the case on an Algerian radio that airs in Paris. "No one denied this guy entry, all the French people who want to visit Algeria are welcome to do so, Macias is one of them" said Nasir Mahl. The French singer has been talking about Algeria being a bad friend of France and using his talking points to discredit yet another Arab country.

I love the bit when Nasir said in the interview, "In Algeria, we try to be silent on such matters, for for 10 years now, as part of the government I can assure you that Macias is a lair."

Supposedly Macias tried to be part of of the official delegation to France in a visit to Algeria, accompanying another lovely Jewish guy named Nicolas Sarkozy. But this did not happen after a protest from a government official who has declared Macias  persona non grata. However later in a State dinner in Paris, Macias was present and met a number of government officials--he sat on the same table as the Algerian Minister of Housing. 

There is a local story from the people who live in the same town where Macias claims his heritage, Qosntinah where Macias grandfather was reported to have taken a leak in the local mosque (I chose not to believe this story.) Needless to say one of Macias better known songs in Arabic promote alcoholism.

This is not a an anti-French effort this is someone who had controversial opinions and often incites hatred toward the Arab people. Again, America does this and so does the rest of Europe. Macias had voiced support to Israeli Cast Lead assault where Israel murdered close to 1500 Palestinians including my girl cousin Amal who was making tea that day. 

Enrico Macias - Habibi Ya Aini

Why I'm Boycotting Sacha Baron Cohen's Dictator

Sacha Baron Cohen loves to mock all things Arab and Muslim. All three of his most popular movies have gone out of their way to vilify Arabs and Muslims. Now, as brave men and women in the Arab world courageously and resiliently face down the despots that have beaten and killed them, Baron Cohen portrays a dictator. Not only is the movie horribly ill-timed, but it stands as a testament to his horrid disdain for Arabs and Muslims.     

In Bruno, he interviews a Palestinian and labels him a terrorist. That Palestinian is Ayman Abu Aita, a non-profit worker who would later sue Baron Cohen in the district of Columbia two years ago. Exactly what a show about a gay model has to do with Palestine is beyond me. Borat in its entirety is about a journalist from a Muslim republic who does crazy stunts and shows a great deal of ignorance and resentment toward Israel—it feels forced.  

Now comes Baron Cohen’s third movie, The Dictator, which centers around the stereotypical  caricature of an Arab/Muslim leader designed to make the entire Arab world and Muslim faith look bad. The very premise of the movie is offensive.  It trivializes the senseless torture, imprisonment, and murder of civilians when death is never funny. In my conversations with Libyans and Iraqis, not one has ever told me that the deaths of their family members under the rule of their respective despots and dictators was funny. The Muslims in this movies are humorless or close-minded stuck ups.

It seems that Baron Cohen also makes the point that only mad dictators would resent Israel.  Really? Try telling that to the dozen European countries who have been voicing their concerns with Israel’s occupation and land grab.  While the movie has not yet been released, from the many clips and trailers available online, it's hard to conclude that it will have anything nice to say about Muslims and Arabs. The movies offers loads of varying kinds of insensitivities to members of the Arab and Muslim communities.

Coming from an observant Jewish family, Baron Cohen is a partisan for the Israeli cause. He is a graduate of the London-based comedy group Habonim, which describes itself as "a Socialist Zionist Culturally Jewish youth movement".

Baron Cohen makes movies in America in a way that reminds me of Israeli TV shows. When television programs in Israel feature an Arab character, he or she is always a stereotypical, dumbed-down version of the real thing. Why has no one called Baron Cohen out on his racism yet? Does it matter that in his three movies, not a single positive Muslim character is portrayed? I do not think his brand of racism is particularly popular since Hollywood studios have mostly abandoned it.

Baron Cohen should not be immune to criticism when he deliberately wages an assault on entire cultures and religions to serve his own agenda.   He invents characters and uses them as a mouthpiece for his views on entire groups of people. Indeed, he has run into trouble because of racist or prejudiced comments his characters have made.

Per his Wikipedia page

Regarding his portrayal as the anti-Semitic Borat, Baron Cohen says the segments are a "dramatic demonstration of how racism feeds on dumb conformity, as much as rabid bigotry", rather than a display of racism by Baron Cohen himself.[35] "Borat essentially works as a tool. By himself being anti-Semitic, he lets people lower their guard and expose their own prejudice", Baron Cohen explains.[9]

I'm sure when the topic of his support for Israel and its illegal occupation of Palestinian land comes up, he probably replies, "I am not engaged in those discussions.” Fair enough, but why does so much of his work focus on making Arabs and Muslims look despicable? An analyst from Bitterlemons.org, who was duped by one of Bruno's pranks, had this to say about him: "He is exploiting our tragic and painful conflict in the most cynical and deceptive manner. I doubt he'll give us anything in return." Baron Cohen cannot just punch one guy, smile in the face of another, and then look at the camera and say ‘I am not taking sides.’

Take this example, Cohen found enough time to slam the protest over the Toronto Film festival for its Tel Aviv event. Even celebrated Israeli filmmakers protested the 'celebration of occupation.' as a multi-million dollar  propaganda campaign on behalf of Israel but Sacha begs to differ.
 
Even a Palestinian American journalist --whose wife happens to be Jewish took issues with Sacha’s characters in his op-ed “Sacha Baron Cohen’s antics – good or bad?”.   

His movies do propagate stereotypes against Arabs that increase western animosity, specifically benefiting Israel. He's also clearly targeting the low IQ segment of the population (which may have racist proclivities of their own) with this type of college fraternity humor..

I have yet to see one Baron Cohen movie that picks on someone other than Arabs and Muslims. Sure he did a decent acting job in both Hugo and Sweeney Todd (good movie by the way), but it seems that any movie in which he stars, writes, and produces will do nothing more than advance stereotypes about Arabs and Muslims. He wins when his movies make a killing, but also when he sees his political agenda creep into the mainstream American discussion.

Baron Cohen’s big thing is Holocaust awareness, a worthy cause indeed. But neither Arabs nor Muslims had anything to do with it, so how is he achieving his goal by making Islam the butt of each of his jokes?  Baron Cohen is free to think what he wants and make any movie he likes to make, but he is not free to claim he is impartial to the conflict. This issue is akin to a white actor in blackface for many in the Arab and Muslim communities. Can you imagine an Arab actor lampooning a Jewish character in a mainstream movie? What if that actor had made questionable statements in the past about the Jewish people? Not in a million years would a movie like that see the light of day.  

All I ask is that Baron Cohen be labeled accurately based on his well established distaste for Arabs. Habonim Dror, Baron Cohen’s former “Jewish cultural youth movement” includes as one of its ideals “fixing the world.” It’s hard to see how systematically using Arabs as punchlines will achieve that end.

Red hot Chili Peppers: Will You Please Cancel Your Performance In Israel?

We get it, you are artists, not politicians. Unless you have been spending the bulk of your time on another planet, you would know that your concert in Israel comes at an awful time. As Israel leaders up in arms about waging a war with Israel and as they hold hundreds of Palestinian prisoners with no charge, please do not blame me if I see your tour as approval of such polities.

I am interested in bringing issues of the land, and all the facts on the ground realities created by Israel, but I tell you this, Israel robs Palestinians from water resources, and separates families by walls and ID cards, and do nothing to quell the gangs of armed settlers who attack farmers and business owners just because they are waking up in the morning to earn a living. And if that's not enough, you get your military check points where the IDF uses senseless practices are welcome and humiliation is fr breakfast for many Palestinians.

If this is the kind of policies and people supporting them you guys want to entertain, then by all means be my guest. But the band of many beloved instant hits will be "Throw Away your Television", will take a whole new meaning. And please not to forget to dedicates at least on of your songs to the people living under an illegal occupation, "Torture Me" Red Hot Chili Peppers - Torture Me (Lyrics)