Thursday, July 13, 2017

Classic PEP (Progressive Except Palestine)

"Radiohead's lead singer Thom Yorke has responded to criticism by film director Ken Loach over the band's upcoming performance in Tel Aviv. Loach wrote in a comment piece in the Independent: [Radiohead's] stubborn refusal to engage with the many critics of their ill-advised concert in Tel Aviv suggests to me that they only want to hear one side - the one that supports apartheid... Radiohead need to decide if they stand with the oppressed or with the oppressor.' After tweeting the link to Yorke, the singer replied with a statement: 'Playing in a country isn't the same as endorsing the government. We've played in Israel for over 20 years through a succession of governments, some more liberal than others. As we have in America. We don't endorse Netanyahu any more than Trump, but we still play in America'." (Radiohead's Thom Yorke responds as Ken Loach criticises Israel gig, Ben Beaumont-Thomas, theguardian.com, 12/7/17)

What an ignoramus! It's hard to believe that someone with a name like Thom Yorke can be so ignorant of his country's direct responsibility for creating the Palestine problem 100 years ago. Seriously, could there possibly be a more appalling indictment of the UK's education system than this?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

No different to the one here. We also seem to be lacking in curricula regarding British colonialism, not only in the Middle East, but its true legacy in Australia.

MERC said...

Palestine/Australia: two sides of the same British colonial coin.

Grappler said...

Roger Waters on Thom Yorke:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/roger-waters-responds-to-thom-yorke-over-israel-controversy-w485780

I'm getting the impression that Mr Yorke is feeling the heat!

MERC said...

I hope so, but I'm afraid he's too thick and ignorant to see the problem and the responsibility.

Grappler said...

Only slightly off-topic, MERC, though he does talk about Ian McEwan's visit to Israel to receive the Jerusalem Prize:

https://off-guardian.org/2017/07/13/palestine-is-still-the-issue/

Our greatest Australian journalist (indeed almost our only one) writes another superb piece that will not be seen in Australian corporate media.

MERC said...

What a pissant country this is.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Merc couldn't agree more. I followed both the links that Grappler posted, thank you, brilliant read.