israel determined to start war

[GoCubsGo]

[Vrede too]

A new reason to hate Robert Kraft, the Pats and Israel:

Macklemore says he was dropped from Ed Sheeran tour after Patriots owner banned him from stadium over Palestine stance
Rapper claims Robert Kraft told Sheeran he would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium

Macklemore has spoken out after being dropped from the remainder of Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour dates.

It comes after Macklemore made comments in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank while opening for the singer in New Jersey earlier this month.

... Macklemore continued: “Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.”

The rapper went on to say that he did not blame Sheeran personally for removing him from the tour, saying the “Shape of You” singer was put in a “f***ed up position.”

Macklemore continued: “He told me that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with. I told him that if those words were more offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood. But he couldn’t get past his public facing, ‘I don’t take sides.’ And I get why people don’t.”

Macklemore continued: “Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.” ...

Fuck Israel and NuttyYahoo, Kraft and the Pats. Free the 1A and Free Palestine!

I may have to download some Macklemore. :think:

[Vrede too]

All of Ed Sheeran’s Openers Abandon Tour After Macklemore Debacle

:---P Opps. Viva 1A!!!

My download list is growing.

... "I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage," (Aaron) Rowe wrote on Instagram. Rowe added that he did not "take the decision lightly," thanking Sheeran for his friendship and for the opportunities he'd given him. "But," Rowe continued, "as Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation… I need to be true to myself and my ancestors who resisted colonization, and fought for a freedom that I enjoy today in Ireland." (Humanitarian groups and a United Nations commission have said Israel's actions in Gaza constitute a genocide. Israel and its allies, including the United States, have denied this.)

Sheeran is also losing the support of Beoga, a traditional Irish folk band who join him onstage for a run of songs during his set. The band said they made the decision to leave the tour "following the silencing of Macklemore by zionist lobbies."

Like Rowe, the band thanked Sheeran for his friendship and for asking them to join him on tour, but said: "We believe in dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people. As musicians, playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams but to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine is simply not an option for us."

They added, "We were there for Macklemore's performance and speech. We fully supported his message, so did most of the audience in MetLife Stadium, which terrifies the lobbies. Go back and read the transcript if you're in doubt. We are Irish people who understand colonialism. As founding members of the Irish Artists for Palestine movement, we are committed activists for justice and will continue to be. This whole episode is once again serving to distract form the real issue, over 1000 Palestinians have been killed since the most recent so-called ceasefire." ...

:-|| :-||

[Vrede too]

Trump Is Reportedly Sending Israel $2.8 Billion in Bombs. You’re Paying for Them

We suck. No wonder they hate us.

[neoplacebo]

I'm sure those 2,000lb bombs will come in handy in Gaza and the West Bank.

[Vrede too]

All of Ed Sheeran’s Openers Abandon Tour After Macklemore Debacle

:---P Opps. Viva 1A!!!

My download list is growing.



:-|| :-||

ED SHEERAN BREAKS SILENCE ON ISRAEL-GAZA AT FIRST SHOW AMID TOUR CONTROVERSY: ‘I CANNOT HIDE HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT ANYMORE’ (with clips)
“This has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet," Sheeran said

Ed Sheeran took the stage on Saturday night for the first time since Macklemore was removed from his stadium tour following the Seattle rapper’s onstage speech in support of Palestinians. The singer, who did not have any opening acts at the Philadelphia show, addressed the backlash at the top of his set.

“This is not usually how I would open the show, but before I play some songs tonight, I hope it’s okay if I say a few words about this last week,” he said, visibly shaken as he spoke. “I’m used to my music being criticized, and I’m always happy to take that because I’m lucky a lot of you like my stuff, and to be honest, I’m surprised. I’m not surprised that other people don’t. It’s normal. But this week, the criticism was about something much more important, and I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so so sorry.”

He continued: “I don’t want to disappoint fans, and I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet. My concerts have always been a safe space for everyone, and that matters hugely to me. Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely essential to who I am, and that is why I’m here tonight on my own and continuing my current tour.”

... “I am deeply worried about the idea that venues should pre-approve content for performers,” Sheeran said Saturday. “This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world.”

... “Now, I want to address the question of where I stand on Israel and Palestine, and whether my doing this concert here tonight implies where I stand,” he said. “I have tried in my career not to be a political commentator of any kind, because I want my music and shows to be about unity, not division; about humanity, not politics. But this is a humanitarian issue, and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore.

“What happened in Israel and at the Nova Music Festival on October 7 was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain. What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic, unjustifiable, and disproportionate. My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians’ lives, of children’s lives. The systemic injustice we’re seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked. I am already speaking to people across the spectrum to work out how to make a contribution that helps victims of these terrible times, and listening and learning because I do not know enough.” ...

:clap:

[GoCubsGo]

Nobody is staying for Bibi's party.

[Vrede too]

Nobody is staying for Bibi's party.

Mossad get there first?

Hmm...this page doesn’t exist. Try searching for something else.

[GoCubsGo]

Nobody is staying for Bibi's party.

Mossad get there first?

Hmm...this page doesn’t exist. Try searching for something else.

Weird.

Same video.

[Vrede too]

Weird.

Same video.

https://x.com/ImBreckWorsham/status/2102760997849010352

:---P :clap:

... “He doesn’t have to come out and say ‘free Palestine’. Put purely on the grounds of free speech, he can say an artist must be able to express their view. He needs to let people know how he feels about billionaires deciding what can and can’t be said from a stage,” he (Billy Bragg) said.

... The point found an echo on the American left. “When you see what Robert Kraft did, to line up all of the stadiums to censor speech in that one specific way, it’s become clear this isn’t about one or two music artists – it’s about how a handful of stadium owners and the elite can bury an entire massive issue. In this case, the genocide in Gaza,” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told TMZ. “We need to be very clear about how dangerous a precedent this is.”

Sheeran is due back onstage at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday – with no support acts and no band. “I can’t think of a clear precedent where a star of that size has been put in that kind of situation because of support acts,” Lynskey said. It’s a sharp contrast to his last tour, one of the best-attended of all time; this time thousands of tickets sit unsold, some going for $65 online. Classic Hits Radio in Ireland has dropped him from its playlist “for the foreseeable future”, citing listener reaction.

“In Ireland, rebel songs were used to resist against British occupation for centuries, so the fact that Sheeran makes so much of his Irishness makes his stance all the more jarring,” Millar said.

... Paul Rieckhoff, the founder of Independent Veterans of America, who was inside MetLife Stadium with his two young children on the night of Macklemore’s statement, told CNN Sheeran might be better placed than most to do some good here: “Maybe Ed Sheeran is the person who can actually bring people together around this. But it’s not going to be by throwing Macklemore under the bus or by appeasing Bob Kraft.”

Bragg said: “By trying to be Mr Nice Guy and not take sides, he’s in danger of becoming a pariah himself. And that would be a shame, because it’s not his fault. He does need to make a choice here, and it’s one I think that will define him in the eyes of the public for a long time.”

Fuck the rich. Ftr, almost no one would have blamed Kraft for Macklemore's free speech.

[supesalemgr2]

Weird.

Same video.

https://x.com/ImBreckWorsham/status/2102760997849010352

:---P :clap:

... “He doesn’t have to come out and say ‘free Palestine’. Put purely on the grounds of free speech, he can say an artist must be able to express their view. He needs to let people know how he feels about billionaires deciding what can and can’t be said from a stage,” he (Billy Bragg) said.

... The point found an echo on the American left. “When you see what Robert Kraft did, to line up all of the stadiums to censor speech in that one specific way, it’s become clear this isn’t about one or two music artists – it’s about how a handful of stadium owners and the elite can bury an entire massive issue. In this case, the genocide in Gaza,” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told TMZ. “We need to be very clear about how dangerous a precedent this is.”

Sheeran is due back onstage at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday – with no support acts and no band. “I can’t think of a clear precedent where a star of that size has been put in that kind of situation because of support acts,” Lynskey said. It’s a sharp contrast to his last tour, one of the best-attended of all time; this time thousands of tickets sit unsold, some going for $65 online. Classic Hits Radio in Ireland has dropped him from its playlist “for the foreseeable future”, citing listener reaction.

“In Ireland, rebel songs were used to resist against British occupation for centuries, so the fact that Sheeran makes so much of his Irishness makes his stance all the more jarring,” Millar said.

... Paul Rieckhoff, the founder of Independent Veterans of America, who was inside MetLife Stadium with his two young children on the night of Macklemore’s statement, told CNN Sheeran might be better placed than most to do some good here: “Maybe Ed Sheeran is the person who can actually bring people together around this. But it’s not going to be by throwing Macklemore under the bus or by appeasing Bob Kraft.”

Bragg said: “By trying to be Mr Nice Guy and not take sides, he’s in danger of becoming a pariah himself. And that would be a shame, because it’s not his fault. He does need to make a choice here, and it’s one I think that will define him in the eyes of the public for a long time.”

Fuck the rich. Ftr, almost no one would have blamed Kraft for Macklemore's free speech.

Sheeran and Macklemore have a right to express their views. OTOH, venue owners have every right not to provide a venue for their views.

[Vrede too]

:headscratch: That's like saying free speech is fine, but only in a cow pasture.

No one questions whether a billionaire has the right. The issue is whether their mass censorship on behalf of genocide is right.

[O Really]

:headscratch: That's like saying free speech is fine, but only in a cow pasture.

No one questions whether a billionaire has the right. The issue is whether their mass censorship on behalf of genocide is right.

Yeah, not letting a performer get political in your stadium in one thing; trying to get a blacklist started with other stadiums is just plain despicable.

And it's not like Macklemore is really a hard core political activist. It's more along the importance level of Ed Sullivan insisting the Stones change their lyrics from "let's spend the night together" to "let's spend some time together" when performing on his show. They didn't. The world didn't end. Sullivan's show became even more legendary.

[supesalemgr2]

:headscratch: That's like saying free speech is fine, but only in a cow pasture.

No one questions whether a billionaire has the right. The issue is whether their mass censorship on behalf of genocide is right.

Where is the left's outrage at Hamas for using innocent Palestinians as "shield" for their war on Israel?

[O Really]

:headscratch: That's like saying free speech is fine, but only in a cow pasture.

No one questions whether a billionaire has the right. The issue is whether their mass censorship on behalf of genocide is right.

Where is the left's outrage at Hamas for using innocent Palestinians as "shield" for their war on Israel?

I haven't heard much defence of that, and certainly opposing the predatory actions of the Israeli government isn't the same as supporting cruel acts in the other side. But without any doubt, except for that one day back in October, Israel has been the aggressor and the predator. Just compare the resources. Ever see a pic of Palestinians tossing rocks at tanks. Yeah, that's real and a reasonable representation of the power imbalance.

[GoCubsGo]

:headscratch: That's like saying free speech is fine, but only in a cow pasture.

No one questions whether a billionaire has the right. The issue is whether their mass censorship on behalf of genocide is right.

Where is the left's outrage at Hamas for using innocent Palestinians as "shield" for their war on Israel?

There was plenty of outrage, in the beginning there was nothing but outrage.

That was squandered when Israel used it to attempt a genocide.

[supesalemgr2]

:headscratch: That's like saying free speech is fine, but only in a cow pasture.

No one questions whether a billionaire has the right. The issue is whether their mass censorship on behalf of genocide is right.

Where is the left's outrage at Hamas for using innocent Palestinians as "shield" for their war on Israel?

I haven't heard much defence of that, and certainly opposing the predatory actions of the Israeli government isn't the same as supporting cruel acts in the other side. But without any doubt, except for that one day back in October, Israel has been the aggressor and the predator. Just compare the resources. Ever see a pic of Palestinians tossing rocks at tanks. Yeah, that's real and a reasonable representation of the power imbalance.

Palestinians have been wandering around the middle east for many years. Why have other Arab countries not embraced them.

[Vrede too]

:headscratch: We're dealing with geopolitical ignorance here. The West Bank was Jordanian and Gaza was Egyptian. What more embrace of the Palestinians should be expected? Besides, further division denies Palestinians existence and validates the illegal Israeli occupation.

:headscratch: That's like saying free speech is fine, but only in a cow pasture.

No one questions whether a billionaire has the right. The issue is whether their mass censorship on behalf of genocide is right.

There was plenty of outrage, in the beginning there was nothing but outrage.

That was squandered when Israel used it to attempt a genocide.

The disproportionate response is stunning - 1200 killed vs 80,000.

Plus, outrage at Hamas is merely RW masturbation. We are arming the IDF and NuttyYahoo, not Hamas. We must accept the responsibility for that.

[Vrede too]

The Nor'easter forced cancellation of the Ed Sheeran shows at Kraft's Gillette Stadium. Irony. Probably insured, but I still hope Kraft took some financial hit.
https://www.themirror.com/entertainment ... ke-2041909

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Today marks 3 years since Israel got its excuse to commit genocide against Gaza, 74k+ murdered.