Photo Credit: Owen Ela
When artists perform, they are sometimes met with a moral dilemma. Sometimes they have to choose to earn money and play for an institution that they may want to boycott or protest, or sometimes they take the money and perform, despite the morals of the place they are performing at. With all of the tension and the events happening between Palestine and Israel, artists have been faced with this dilemma quite a few times. A few groups have taken their activism to the stage, like Kneecap.
According to an article by Stereogum, the Swedish hardcore group, Refused, has decided to still play at their shows and fests, even if the investment firm involved has alleged ties to Israel. Even though they are going through with these performances, they will be taking their activism to the stage. They have said that even though these decisions may be hard to make, that they take them very seriously. However, they posted a statement on their social media because of the backlash they were facing due to them performing at this festival. While other artists who were also supposed to be included in this festival are boycotting, Refused decided to not boycott the festival, but instead release a long statement about why that is. In a statement, they said:
SO A WEEK AGO WE FOUND OUT THAT SOME OF THE FESTIVALS WE’RE PLAYING THIS SUMMER ARE BACKED BY AN ENTERTAINMENT CONGLOMERATE CALLED SUPERSTRUCT IN WHICH A BAD BAD ACTOR NAMED KKR IS PART OWNER. KKR INVESTS IN ISRAELI CYBER SECURITY AMONG OTHER FUCKED UP THINGS. OUR FIRST INSTINCT WAS TO IMMEDIATELY JUMP SHIP, TO BOYCOTT. WE COMMUNICATED THIS TO THE FESTIVALS AND THE ORGANIZERS WROTE BACK SAYING THEY SHARED OUR VALUES AND FELT LIKE WE DID, THAT THEY LOVED WHAT THEY DID AND WERE PROUD OF THE FESTIVALS THEY’D CREATED, THAT THE MAJORITY OF THEIR AUDIENCE WOULD BE SYMPATHETIC TO OUR POSITION AND THAT THEY WERE GUTTED THAT BASTARDS LIKE KKR HAD BOUGHT INTO SUPERSTRUCT AFTER THEY STARTED WORKING WITH THEM, STAINING THEIR LIFE’S WORK BY EXTENSION. ONE OF THEM ALSO QUESTIONED OUR OTHER ASSOCIATIONS (CHEEKY, BUT HE WAS RIGHT), SAYING THAT LIVE NATION ARE BEHIND SOME OTHER FESTIVALS AND SHOWS WE’RE PLAYING, ONE OF WHOSE OWNERS ARE BLACKROCK, A MULTINATIONAL HEAVILY INVESTED IN WEAPONS MANUFACTURING, AND THAT OUR MUSIC IS ON SPOTIFY WHICH DONATED MONEY TO DONALD TRUMP’S INAUGURATION AND ALSO INVESTS IN MILITARY AI.
THE SCUM OF THE EARTH BASICALLY.
THESE FESTIVALS ALSO TOLD US THEY WANTED US TO MAKE NOISE FOR THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE, ONE OF THEM EVEN OFFERED TO GIVE US A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY JUST TO DONATE TO PRO-PALESTINE ORGANIZATIONS.
SO, THE CONUNDRUM BECAME: BOYCOTTING THESE FESTIVALS WOULD MAKE US FEEL GOOD ABOUT OURSELVES, THE BAND’S LEGACY WOULDN’T BE TARNISHED BY ASSOCIATION WITH THESE DISGUSTING COMPANIES. IT WOULD FEEL NICE.
WE’VE MULLED THIS OVER AND ALTHOUGH THERE’S A STRONG ARGUMENT FOR TAKING A STAND AGAINST KKR AND THIS DEVELOPMENT OF AMORAL PRIVATE EQUITY AND HEDGE FUNDS BUYING INTO THE ARTS BECAUSE IT’S NON-CONTROVERSIAL AND COMPARATIVELY SAFE, IT WOULD BE NAIVE TO THINK OUR BOYCOTT WOULD EVEN REGISTER FOR THEM. RATHER THE OPPOSITE, IF PEOPLE LIKE THAT KNEW WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT ON STAGE THEY WOULD RATHER HAVE US STAY HOME, AND WITH THE CHARRED BODIES OF PALESTINIANS BURNED ALIVE STACKING UP IN THE CONCENTRATION CAMP/GRAVEYARD THAT GAZA HAS BECOME, WE HAVE DECIDED TO MAKE SOME NOISE, TO GO MEET OUR PEOPLE, TO CELEBRATE THE RESISTANCE AND RAISE MONEY FOR THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE THIS SUMMER. TO US, IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, TO GET OUT THERE AND BE A THORN IN THE SIDE OF ZIONISTS, FASCISTS, VENTURE CAPITALISTS AND TO FAN THE FLAMES OF DISCONTENT TOGETHER WITH OUR BRIGHT, INFORMED COMRADES ALL OVER EUROPE.
A LOT OF YOU HAVE ALREADY BOUGHT TICKETS AND ARE EXPECTING US, SO WE’D LOVE TO GET SUGGESTIONS FROM LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVISTS WE COULD WORK WITH IN ALL THE COUNTRIES AND CITIES
WE’RE PLAYING.
FREE PALESTINE!!!
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