ADL Open Letter to Roger Waters
Your Animosity Towards Israel Colored by Anti-Semitism
New York, NY, August 22, 2013 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today issued an open letter to Roger Waters, a founding member of Pink Floyd, strongly criticizing his outrageous July 25 letter to the Rock and Roll community which endorsed the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and called on fellow musicians to join him in refusing to perform in Israel.
ADL pointed out that Water’s views on Israel are colored by offensive and dangerous undercurrents of anti-Jewish sentiment.
The following is the text of the open letter to Mr. Waters from Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director:
Dear Mr. Waters,
Your recent statements about Israel and advocacy for BDS have garnered significant condemnation, with some going as far as to label you an anti-Semite. This is not the first time you have encountered such allegations.
Over the past few years, you have incorporated Jewish imagery into your concert performances, painting a Star of David on your famous floating pig alongside other symbols, including a dollar sign and the sickle and hammer. You repeatedly rejected accusations of a malicious subtext to the use of the Star of David, assuring fans that you were in no way equating Jews with money or communism. We took you at your word, and defended your actions as artistic expression void of anti-Semitic intent.
In recent months, however, your relentless attacks against Israel and calls for a boycott of the Jewish State have caused us to reexamine your attitude towards Jews.
In your July 25th letter to your “Colleagues in Rock and Roll” you offered full-throated unambiguous support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, writing that their goal is “to bring international attention to these Israeli polices [of ‘occupation of the West Bank and violations of international law and Palestinian human rights’] and hopefully, to help bring them to an end,” and imploring other musicians to join you in refusing to perform in Israel. > > > MORE
A note from Roger Waters to Abe Foxman
Dear Mr. Foxman,
Thank you for your letter. I will try to address the points you make, in the order that you make them. With the general proviso though, that I am wary of, and wearied by any form of slanging match.
Anti Semitism:
I think I note a change in A.D.L.’s position on my work, but it is not clear. Are you accusing me or my work of anti-Semitism or not? For the record I am not anti-semitic, neither is my theatrical piece The Wall and nor are any of the props, puppets or projections in that work.
You are right in saying that I have attacked The Israeli Governments’ policies in Gaza, the West Bank, and in Israel itself. You are wrong in your conclusion that my criticism of the policies of the Government of Israel requires the A.D.L. to “reexamine your attitude towards Jews”.
I have no attitude towards Jews. I do not group or categorise human beings in that way. I know many people who are Jewish, I have many very close friends who are Jewish, my two Grandsons are Jewish. I also have many friends who are not Jewish, who are Christian, Moslem, Buddhist, Agnostic, whatever, they are my friends, and I love them, their faith or lack of it is irrelevant to me.
I do however have an antipathy to racism and bigotry, I have no time for racists or bigots whatever their religion or their race or their politics or the color of their skin. >>>MORE
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| The pig-shaped balloon painted with a Star of David during Roger Waters’ concert in Belgium, July 2013. (YouTube ) |
German Jews urge boycott of Roger Waters
(JTA) – Dusseldorf’s Jewish community is pushing for a boycott of a Roger Waters concert in their city.
Waters, the 69-year-old co-founder of the classic rock group Pink Floyd, has been widely criticized for his anti-Israel activities. At a concert in Brussels in July, Waters floated a giant pig balloon emblazoned with a Star of David, among other symbols. Waters has also called on musicians to boycott Israel over its treatment of the Palestinians.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Rabbi Abraham Cooper called Waters “an open hater of Jews.” And the Anti-Defamation League’s Abraham Foxman, in an open letter to Waters earlier this month, said his “views on Israel are in fact colored by offensive and dangerous undercurrents of anti-Jewish sentiment.”
According to German news reports, the Dusseldorf community is calling for a boycott of the concerts scheduled for Sept. 4 in Berlin and Sept. 6 in Dusseldorf.
Read more: http://www.jta.org/2013/08/30/news-opinion/world/german-jews-urge-boycott-of-roger-waters-concert#ixzz2dWXrvvWK
Their loss, I've seen both live in concert; Pink Floyd and Roger Waters and I never took either as Anti-semitic from both shows, all I know is they where both fantastic, and would love to see them again.
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