Thursday, July 25, 2013

Roger Waters Concert Exhibits Hateful Anti-Semitic Images and Props

I saw this at the Times of Israel this morning, "Roger Waters concert features pig with Star of David."

And here comes Jonathan Tobin with the beat down, at Commentary, "A Brick in the Wall of Anti-Semitism":

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In the past, Waters has insisted that his displays as well as well as his opinions are not anti-Jewish but just a criticism of Israeli policies. But the use of a Star of David interchangeably with recognizable symbols of tyrannies can’t be reasonably interpreted as anything but an attempt to portray Israel as the moral equivalent of the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany. To associate it with symbols of greed is to play on traditional anti-Semitic stereotypes that were freely used by the Soviets and the Nazis and undermines any idea that Waters is doing is in support of human rights. To display a Jewish symbol on the side of a large pig balloon adds insult to injury.

Even if we were to leave aside the obvious evidence of anti-Semitism in Waters’ use of these symbols, his basic argument that Israel’s security fence is a violation of human rights is itself not merely wrong but a demonstration of his lack of interest in the survival of Jews. The fence was built, after all, not to fence in the Palestinians but to keep terrorist suicide bombers who were sent into Israel to indiscriminately slaughter men, women and children out. To demand the fence be torn down is an implicit call for Jewish blood to begin to flow again.

This latest evidence of Waters’ anti-Semitic behavior ought to disillusion those of his fans who still cling to the notion that his art is a cry for liberty. But it also ought to chasten those liberals and Jewish institutions that have continued to make common cause with him. In the last year, Waters was scheduled to appear at New York City’s venerable 92nd Street Y but canceled at the last minute due, he said, to a schedule conflict. Fortunately, the Y never re-scheduled Waters but subsequently did host the equally anti-Semitic Alice Walker. Let’s hope this latest incident ensures that Waters never again is welcomed into any Jewish community or any place where people of good will have any say.
Also at Elder of Ziyon, "Roger Waters flies a pig balloon with a Star of David in Belgium concert."

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