Elton John to Israelis on music boycotts: “Ain’t gonna stop me from coming here, baby”
posted at 5:45 pm on June 18, 2010 by Allahpundit
Between this and playing the Limbaugh wedding, I’m half-expecting him to turn up at a tea-party rally next week. Alternate headline: “Openly gay man now one of most popular entertainers in conservative America.”
Dude, I think this might be Rush’s influence.
The legendary British rocker’s concert on Thursday night followed a string of cancellations by artists like Elvis Costello and the Pixies. Resisting a growing wave of calls from pro-Palestinian activists to boycott the Jewish state, John gave Israelis a rare reason to smile amid their increasing sense of international isolation.
“Ain’t gonna stop me from coming here, baby,” he told the cheering crowd in Tel Aviv, saying he believed music should spread peace and bring people together: “That is what we do. We do not cherry-pick our consciences, OK?” he added, in an apparent swipe at the artists who have canceled concerts in Israel…
“I have always believed that music inhabits a world set apart from politics, religious differences or prejudice of any kind,” he said in a statement before coming to Tel Aviv.
He booked the Tel Aviv concert months ago and has been taking heat for it ever since, beginning long before the flotilla raid gave international bien-pensants their latest pretext for wanting to boycott Israel. As far back as February, British academics were begging him to cancel; more recently, Facebook groups were set up to apply pressure. It would have been easy for him to use the flotilla as an excuse to pull out, especially since his last appearance in Israel back in 1993 didn’t go as smoothly as he’d have liked. Hats off to him for standing on principle, especially after getting so much grief from the left over his detente with Limbaugh.
It’s worth following that last link and comparing the 1993 story to the one linked up top on the current boycott push. Israelis like to console themselves, I think, with the idea that whatever government is in power in Tel Aviv is simply doing a poor job of making its case to the world, but either (a) that’s a problem that’s curiously endemic to all Israeli governments or (b) maybe the world isn’t so interested in hearing the case they’re trying to make. Put me down as subscribing to theory (b), with the following a case in point: Here’s video, found aboard the flotilla, of the “peace activists” in charge encouraging passengers to throw any IDF boarding party into the sea. Maybe Elton doesn’t cherry-pick his conscience, but a lot of other people do.
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Yep. Those would be the threads where BS arguments about same sex marriage are being trumpeted by the Church of Sodomy.
MC’s problem is that he doesn’t know the difference betwenn hatred of people and hatred of subversive agendas. So we kinda put up with him. My position is that if they have such thin skins, they should stop trying to force their views on society. 2.5% has no business trying to boss around 97.5% but somehow the notion of majority rules really offends them.
MC can have his fruitfly posse if he wants but that doesn’t mean squat to me. The special rights for qu33rs agenda will always be resisted by me mainly because there is no benefit to society from what they do for recreation.
Hope this helps explain MC and his comments. He’s not that bad but parts of his brain are seriously defective, IYKWIMAIKYD.
platypus on June 18, 2010 at 7:54 PM
Pixies went to UMASS.
’nuff said.
Oh, and “Benny and the Jets” is just awesome, especially when covered by the Beastie Boys.
racecar05 on June 18, 2010 at 7:56 PM
As I was saying…
MadisonConservative on June 18, 2010 at 7:58 PM
Good for you, EJ.
Midas on June 18, 2010 at 8:01 PM
I can respect Elton John tremendously. Maybe he’ll even come here to play in Arizona
azkag on June 18, 2010 at 8:24 PM
Perhaps he wouldn’t struggle to to discern the the distiction you’re making if you’d refrain from dehumanizing them by calling them qu33rs .
Bee on June 18, 2010 at 8:24 PM
Rocket Man! He’s more of a Sir than McCartney, that’s for sure.
scalleywag on June 18, 2010 at 6:05 PM
Ditto ! I was thinking that too! Wonder what Wussy – Paul”Hey we have a prez who knows can read ” thinks of his public image now !
cableguy615 on June 18, 2010 at 8:27 PM
I’m assuming the “33″ is to keep it from getting hung up waiting to be moderated, so I will use it, as well. In any case, I haven’t thought the word “qu33r” was considered derogatory for quite some time, given in the academic world there are groups dedicated to “qu33r studies,” and “qu33r” academic groups.
DrMagnolias on June 18, 2010 at 9:05 PM
You think that’s how it was intended? Honestly?
Bee on June 18, 2010 at 9:14 PM
I don’t really know–platypus has been quite up front about his/her beliefs about homosexuality, but without searching through threads, I can’t interpret the intention of the use of the word. However, I haven’t ever thought that the word “qu33r” is what JetBoy was reacting to–he seems to believe all ideas that oppose homosexuality are “homophobic”
DrMagnolias on June 18, 2010 at 9:19 PM
Elton just wants to entertain people. That’s an eminently sensible approach for an entertainer.
Mr. D on June 18, 2010 at 10:15 PM
Oh dear, I hate to be such a wet blanket, but how soon we forget:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15675821/
Quite an outrageous statement, actually.
So often conservatives want to claim some pop idol or movie star as one of our own, when we get thrown some crumb (like, oh, playing at a conservative talk show host’s wedding, or “daring” to play a concert in Israel), only to have those hopes dashed the next time said pop idol opens his or her big mouth.
Star struck. Meh. I’ll pass.
There are some conservative leaning rock “stars” out there actually (probably a lot more than there are conservative leaning movie “stars”), but Elton John ain’t one of them, so why all the kudos?
Dreadnought on June 18, 2010 at 10:23 PM
The notion of majority rules offends me and should everybody. Law rules. At least that’s the point of a republic. The notion of mob rule has been much the greater detriment to man than any same sex marriage argument.
anuts on June 18, 2010 at 10:28 PM
Because this is not about some lifetime evaluation of anyone’s right wing credentials. Rather, good taste and decency prevailing. And it’s more noteworthy when a liberal partakes in those behaviors due to it bucking the trend. Hence the story…
anuts on June 18, 2010 at 10:35 PM
Hmmm…didn’t say it was about “some lifetime evaluation of anyone’s right wing credentials”. But if you look through the comments here it does seem as though the man is being nominated for sainthood, when in fact his previous comments re: political matters were often quite outrageous, to the point of representing a sort of left-wing fascism.
But hey he’ll play at Limbaugh’s wedding (for a cool million, I might add-wonder in whose political pockets some of that money will end up?) or in Israel, which I think is “mighty white of him”, as we used to say.
Some people are easily placated, I guess.
Let me know when he retracts some of his fairly recent political statements such as “organized religion should be banned”, then maybe I’ll reevaluate.
Many of the commenters on here will never forgive someone like John McCain or Peggy Noonan for relatively minor perfidy. Hell, I’ve heard many on here bitching about how they’ll never forgive Paul Ryan for voting for TARP.
But Elton John plays in Israel, or at Limbaugh’s wedding and it’s “two thumbs up”.
Like I said: star struck….meh.
Dreadnought on June 18, 2010 at 11:26 PM
Hmmm…didn’t say it was about “some lifetime evaluation of anyone’s right wing credentials”. But if you look through the comments here it does seem as though the man is being nominated for sainthood, when in fact his previous comments re: political matters were often quite outrageous, to the point of representing a sort of left-wing fascism.
But hey he’ll play at Limbaugh’s wedding (for a cool million, I might add-wonder whose political pockets some of that money will, end up?) or in Israel, which I think is “mighty white of him”, as we used to say.
Some people are easily placated, I guess.
Let me know when he retracts his statement that “organized religion should be banned” then maybe I’ll reevaluate.
Many of the commenters on hree will never forgive someone like John McCain or Peggy Noonan for relatively minor perfidy. Hell, I’ve heard many on here whining about how they’ll never forgive Paul Ryan for voting for TARP.
But Elton John plays in Israel or at Limbaugh’s wedding and it’s “two thumbs up”
Like I said: star struck….meh.
Dreadnought on June 18, 2010 at 11:27 PM
I don’t think many are saying Elton John’s a saint or suddenly has any conservative cred. But any lefty willing to break away from the dreary, monotonous, predictable groupthink should be praised a little.
ddrintn on June 19, 2010 at 12:06 AM
Fair enough.
anuts on June 19, 2010 at 12:09 AM
You know….this guy’s all right.
This guy’s shown class. Something sorely lacking in many other celebs. Anybody like that is worth supporting.
Rightwingguy on June 19, 2010 at 1:30 AM
He played Limbaugh’s wedding for $1 million. So what? Is he supposed to play for free? Did he charge something Limbaugh couldn’t pay? I mean really, Limbaugh gladly paid the $1 million because it was something both he and his bride wanted. Sir Elton John played there despite the fact that he was playing for the biggest conservative icon in America, something others wouldn’t have done.
Yes, he also said: “I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems. On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him. Jesus wanted us to be loving and forgiving. I don’t know what makes people so cruel. Try being a gay woman in the Middle East — you’re as good as dead.”
Oh noes! He said Jesus was gay?! Allah, doesn’t believe in the divinity of Jesus, does that make him a bad person? No. Nether does Sir Elton John’s opinion of Jesus being gay.
The issue is not that he says or believes things we don’t agree with. It’s that he shows class, something 3/4 of Hollywood doesn’t know the definition of. Forgive him his opinions and look at the much bigger picture.
Rightwingguy on June 19, 2010 at 1:47 AM
Allah, I don’t know why you keep insisting on referring to Tel Aviv as Israel’s capital. It’s Jerusalem. I really don’t understand it.
AlexB on June 19, 2010 at 4:23 AM
By the way, Israelis blame their government only in part for not explaining Israel’s case well. For the most part they know that the world just doesn’t give a cr4p. Be it the UN charade, or the world news outlets.
AlexB on June 19, 2010 at 4:25 AM
The problem isn’t that gay people exist, but that the left tries to use them as a battering ram against the rest of the country.
The left pretends that gay people are some kind of disenfranchised ethnicity because the rest of us aren’t kissing their asses. They invent problems where none exist.
leereyno on June 19, 2010 at 5:47 AM
Yeah, because McCain is a lawmaker and Noonan is a pundit, both of whom have vastly more influence over what happens in politics than Elton John, and also because both position themselves as conservatives and regularly betray that position. If Elton John had claimed he was a conservative and then said organized religion should be banned, he’d be hated for it, as well.
MadisonConservative on June 19, 2010 at 9:54 AM
Perhaps, but he can be quite the stubborn, vocal bitch. If this does happen, I’ll just grab some popcorn and enjoy.
yubley on June 19, 2010 at 1:16 PM
I have read the Israelis require military service from all able bodied individuals , even poofters .
borntoraisehogs on June 19, 2010 at 1:29 PM
No, but it isn’t quite philanthrophy either, is it? Big deal….he was willing to play at a conservative’s wedding for a million dollars. Wow. Next you’ll tell me someone is great for being willing to play at a black man’s wedding for a million dollars.
Like I said, some people are easily placated.
I have no problem with atheists or whatever. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, as wrong as they may be.
But I do have a problem with an outpouring of conservative approval for people who make fascist statements such as “organized religion should be banned”.
You must be able enough to see the difference between a statement like that, and someone simply being an atheist, can’t you?
Someone makes an outrageously fascist statement like “organized religion ought to be banned” (and numerous others, Google George Bush Elton John, for a sampling), but you are all ready to defend him because he’s willing to play Limbaugh’s wedding?
And I’m the one missing the “big picture”? Ha.
Be happy with crumbs, and all you will get are crumbs.
Our celebrity obsessed culture. Wonderful.
Dreadnought on June 19, 2010 at 2:16 PM
Sigh. I remember when rock was young… (well, I don’t, actually, because I wasn’t born yet. But I remember when Elton was young).
Old gold Chevy… place of my own… dogs of society howl… Saturday night’s all right for fighting… Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise a kid… Get back, honky-cat…better get back to the war…
It all runs together. We were all so much younger then.
J.E. Dyer on June 19, 2010 at 2:16 PM
hawkdriver on June 18, 2010 at 6:55 PM
I thought that was you but wasn’t sure! You can send it back to me for some hawkdriver love. :)
baldilocks on June 19, 2010 at 2:35 PM
Actually I think it is pretty debatable who does have more influence over what goes on in politics. I would argue that Elton John certainly has more influence on people’s political beliefs than Peggy Noonan for sure. (Ask 100 people at random whether they’ve heard of Peggy Noonan. Then ask them whether they’ve heard of Elton John. You find very few who have heard of Noonan, and very few who haven’t heard of Elton John).
And at least Noonan has done a very good job of repenting for her recent perfidy. A fact that no one on this board is willing to give her credit.
Breitbart is one of the few conservatives who “gets” the influence pop culture has on people’s political beliefs, in fact I’d bet most people who are leftists are that way because of the influence of pop culture. I know that’s how I started off there. (Unfortunately, even his site seems to be hopping on this bandwagon a little bit).
Regardless I’m not willing to give someone a pass for a statement like “organized religion ought to be banned”, whether they “position themselves as conservatives” or not. In fact, I would have been shocked at such a fascist statement, when I was on the left.
I have the feeling when Elton John makes his next political statement (at an Obama fundraiser, or something like that, no doubt). I’ll be quoting from another musical “John”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiXl-UiIufE
Dreadnought on June 19, 2010 at 2:38 PM
So something laudable would be for him to play for free. Got it. Next time you think you’ve done something noteworthy, you need to remember that it should have been done for free.
My point was that everybody is going to say something that is objectionable at some point or another. Saying all organized religion needs to be banned? Yeah, that’s pretty objectionable. No argument from me on that. But, I don’t advocate carrying a scorecard of what objectionable things people say so I can make judgments on their character.
I think either you’re missing my point or I’m not being clear enough. I’m not saying his a totally awesome person for what he’s doing. After all, as you have pointed out, he’s making money with these actions. He’s not curing cancer or feeding the homeless, he’s providing a service impartially. After seeing lots of self-righteous performers pull temper-tantrums to highlight their cause du jour I find someone who is willing to be impartial refreshing.
Crumbs? Yeah. It’s like a freaking cup of water in the desert of self-righteousness and holier-than-thou. I know he’ll do something eventually I won’t like, but that doesn’t mean I can’t celebrate what good he does do.
Rightwingguy on June 19, 2010 at 5:19 PM
Well since I don’t actually read Peggy Noonan, I can’t give her credit for her repentance.
If she has, as you say, then good for her…. See I gave her credit. :)
Rightwingguy on June 19, 2010 at 5:21 PM
Go ELTON. . .I may dust off my collection of E.J. LPs and
play them all day long. . .Hell, I might even go to a gay
bar and dance. . .Ah man, I’m getting carried away.
Good for you, Sir Elton John. . .Good for you.
Texyank on June 19, 2010 at 5:52 PM
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