You know, this stuff is really beginning to sicken me. When fanatical, misguided, anti-Israel goons start protesting everything even remotely associated with the Jewish State, it's time to start calling it what it is: idiotic ignorance.
This little article cropped up on JTA earlier this week, talking about how an Irish-based, Pro-Palestinian group wants to bar Lenny from doing a show in Belfast because he's scheduled to play Ramat Gan later this year. I'll post the full brief below. But first, let me get the following off my chest:
The trend to bashing all things Israel by dupes in the West has taken on epically ridiculous proportions. It doesn't even hinge on informed perspective of the country anymore. It seems you can gather a group of left-leaning, self-described "liberal" people in a room, drop the I-word, and two seconds later, wild, hysterical rantings laced with references to an "Apartheid state", "neo-colonialism" and "oppressor" spew out in an orgy of self-righteous indignation. And these aren't even Palestinians. Just their gullible, useful idiots. ( Hint: Type "Useful Idiots" into Wikipedia for an expanded explanation. The parallels are striking.)
Leonard Cohen, a Buddhist, non-practicing Jew, takes no sides in cultural, religious or military conflicts. In fact, he had been scheduled to play Ramallah before Pro-Palestinian histrionics put an end to it because he also dared to schedule a concert in the only democracy in the Middle East. I don't understand the world. Here's the JTA story:
Palestinian supporters protesting Leonard Cohen
July 26, 2009
WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Picketers are planning to protest a Leonard Cohen concert in Belfast because the singer has refused to cancel a scheduled concert in Israel.
The protest, led by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, is one of a series that have been taking place at Cohen concerts around the world over the singer's scheduled Sept. 24 performance at Ramat Gan Stadium in Tel Aviv, according to the Belfast Telegraph.
Cohen also scheduled a tour date in Ramallah the day after the Tel Aviv appearance, but Palestinians canceled the performance when he wouldn't scrub his Tel Aviv show.
"Palestinian representatives and organizations campaigning throughout the world against the ruthless policies of Israel towards the Palestinian people -- and particularly given the recent horrendous military onslaught on Gaza -- have pleaded with Cohen to cancel this event in Israel in protest at its policies,” the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign said.
It's amazing how that last sentence murders the truth and distorts reality. The future of this conflict looks bleak indeed.
And speaking of the future, here's a video of Mr. Cohen performing the title song from his 1992 album, The Future. Not sure what the lyrics mean to him, but I feel they're somehow apropos as addressed to all the naive Israel haters out there.
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