Elvis Costello is one of those self-important musicians who believes that his voice needs to be heard on social and political matters…often through his music. When I was in high school, many of the “cool” kids would quote Elvis Costello lyrics in any discussions of politics (most particularly when denouncing President Reagan).

Well, Elvis Costello has gotten old and he has lost his social relevance. Now Elvis feels it’s time to speak up again…against Israel’s oppression of the Palestinian people. Alas, it appears his entire education into the matter consists of contacting “members of the Israeli media”:

It is after considerable contemplation that I have lately arrived at the decision that I must withdraw from the two performances scheduled in Israel on the 30th of June and the 1st of July.

I must believe that the audience for the coming concerts would have contained many people who question the policies of their government on settlement and deplore conditions that visit intimidation, humiliation or much worse on Palestinian civilians in the name of national security.

I am also keenly aware of the sensitivity of these themes in the wake of so many despicable acts of violence perpetrated in the name of liberation.

My thanks also go to the members of the Israeli media with whom I had most rewarding and illuminating conversations. They may regard these exchanges as a waste of their time but they were of great value and help to me in gaining an appreciation of the cultural scene.

Sometimes a silence in music is better than adding to the static and so an end to it.

How clever, Elvis. Of course you had NO voice while this was happening, did you?:

Of course it’s possible that the “Israeli Media” that Elvis relies upon to make his stand may also be the same “media” that gives us this:

Using “Elvis Costello logic” perhaps we can likely presume that Elvis Costello is an anti-semetic terrorist supporter who hates children. Using HIS logic, that is.

Now excuse me whilst I purge my music collection…

(yes…this post is intentionally inflammatory. No more so than a Palestinian rocket being fired into Sderot…)

Share This entry was posted on Sunday, May 23rd, 2010 at 7:02 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.