Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 15:31:04 +0930 From: Denys Delany <djdelany-AT-senet.com.au> Subject: Re: Red Hot Chili Pepper fans <html> <font size=3>Go flatter yourself!!! I mean lets get on the WANK train!!!<br> <br> At 01:53 AM 11/07/01 -0400, you wrote:<br> >Dear Red Hot Chili Peppers fans...<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 by Nigel Parry<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Nigel Parry worked at Birzeit University between 1994 and 1998. His <br> >journal<br> >=A0=A0 from the time, A Personal Diary of the Israeli Palestinian Conflict, <br> >available<br> >=A0=A0 at nigelparry.com/diary, documented the post-Oslo experience of<br> >=A0=A0 Palestinians in the Ramallah area. He is also one of the founders of<br> >=A0=A0 electronicIntifada.net,"a resource for countering myth, distortion, and <br> >spin<br> >=A0=A0 from the Israeli media war machine."<br> ><br> ><br> ><br> >=A0=A0 The following e-mail was sent out on 6 July 2001 to several<br> >=A0=A0 Red Hot Chili Peppers mailing lists, and posted on several<br> >=A0=A0 bulletin boards relating to the band. The best way to raise an<br> >=A0=A0 issue outside of the usual audience remains... raising the<br> >=A0=A0 issue outside the usual audience. A protest address is<br> >=A0=A0 included for those who wish to write their own letters to the<br> >=A0=A0 band.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Dear Red Hot Chili Peppers fans,<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 I understand that this message probably isn't the kind you're used to on <br> >the list, but I<br> >=A0=A0 ask you consider the contents of it thoughtfully.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 All of you will remember that when South Africa was still operating under <br> >an<br> >=A0=A0 Apartheid system, bands used to refuse to play there. Sun City, the most <br> >famous<br> >=A0=A0 venue there, was the subject of at least one protest song.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Bands wouldn't play there because to do so generated income for the White <br> >South<br> >=A0=A0 African system, and implicitly suggested that they didn't really mind <br> >that a racist<br> >=A0=A0 government had stamped their entry visa. The taxes that were paid on the <br> >venue by<br> >=A0=A0 the promoters went towards prolonging Apartheid, and the venue -- of <br> >course -- was<br> >=A0=A0 "for whites only".<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Sadly, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are turning the clock of musical <br> >conscience back<br> >=A0=A0 by playing in Israel. This venue will similarly be "for Israelis only". <br> >All 3 million<br> >=A0=A0 Palestinians are prevented by Israel from travelling to Tel Aviv and are <br> >currently<br> >=A0=A0 under siege in their towns.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Recent news reports said that the Chili Peppers had decided not to go <br> >because they<br> >=A0=A0 were worried about the "security situation." When he heard about this, <br> >Bill Clinton<br> >=A0=A0 rang them and urged them to go, and they changed their mind. They are <br> >playing on<br> >=A0=A0 August 28 in Tel Aviv: <a href="http://redhotchilipeppers.com/tour/" eudora="autourl">http://redhotchilipeppers.com/tour/</a><br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Here's the news piece:<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 "Clinton has the Red Hot Chili Peppers for Israel"<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 The Jerusalem Post, 3 June 2001<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 One of the biggest rock bands in the world today was about to cancel<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 its planned concert in Tel Aviv, until a former American president<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 intervened. That, at least, is according to the Hebrew daily Yediot<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Aharonot.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 The paper suggests that Red Hot Chili Peppers was considering the<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 move because of the security situation.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Former president Bill Clinton reportedly heard of the plan and<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 personally called the band's lead singer Anthony Kiedis to suggest <br> >the<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 concert go ahead.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Clinton said the performance would be a vote of confidence in the<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 diplomatic process and regional peace.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 As a result, the band will play on.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 The concert is scheduled for Tel Aviv on August 28.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 I have nothing against the band but am writing to you on principle <br> >because they are<br> >=A0=A0 setting an unacceptable example for the millions of people who love their <br> >music.<br> >=A0=A0 There is nothing at all wrong with asking them as fans to reconsider this <br> >tour date on<br> >=A0=A0 the basis of supporting human rights for all.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Why exactly is their playing in Israel a bad idea?<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 The news here gives the impression that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict <br> >is some sort of<br> >=A0=A0 war between equal forces, that all Palestinians are terrorists, and that <br> >poor Israel has<br> >=A0=A0 done all it could to make peace with the Palestinians.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 This is as far from the truth as it could be.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Palestinians have been living under a military occupation for 34 years. <br> >If you were<br> >=A0=A0 Palestinian, and under 34 years of age, all you would know is the <br> >presence of a<br> >=A0=A0 foreign army in and around your towns.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 I had the opportunity to experience what that was like between 1994-1998, <br> >when I<br> >=A0=A0 lived in the West Bank town of Ramallah and worked at Birzeit University, <br> >Palestine's<br> >=A0=A0 Harvard or Oxford.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Life there on the ground was bad news for Joe or Jane Palestinian, who <br> >you should<br> >=A0=A0 be aware are not any different from Joe or Jane American or Joe or Jane <br> >European.<br> >=A0=A0 The shocking but banal truth is that the vast majority of Palestinians <br> >are normal<br> >=A0=A0 people just like you and me, living in an abnormal situation.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Just as Americans aren't responsible as a whole for the actions of people <br> >like Timothy<br> >=A0=A0 McVeigh, neither are the Palestinians as a whole responsible for the <br> >actions of the<br> >=A0=A0 few of them who carry out terrorist acts.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 After the Oslo process began in 1993, the reality is that things got very <br> >bad on the<br> >=A0=A0 ground for normal people. Very bad. Most human rights violations <br> >continued or<br> >=A0=A0 worsened. And today, it's even much worse.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Since 29 September 2000, when the Second Intifada began, Israel has <br> >killed over<br> >=A0=A0 500 Palestinians, crippled 1,500 more, and seriously injured another <br> >15,000. Many<br> >=A0=A0 of these are children. About half of these deaths and injuries took place <br> >out outside of<br> >=A0=A0 clash situations. That means it happened to people in their homes, on the <br> >way to<br> >=A0=A0 school, in restaurants.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 When I was living there, I regularly attended clashes as an observer and <br> >journalist.<br> >=A0=A0 The normal attendee at these were young Palestinians, protesting the <br> >occupation with<br> >=A0=A0 stones thrown at the foreign army on their own land. The foreign army <br> >responded<br> >=A0=A0 with live ammunition and the so-called "rubber" bullets (in reality steel <br> >balls with a<br> >=A0=A0 millimeter of rubber or hard plastic coating) that regularly kill and <br> >maim.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 In every single case I witnessed, at the 30 or so clashes I attended, <br> >those Palestinians<br> >=A0=A0 that were killed were shot out of stone throwing range, ie. at a distance <br> >where they<br> >=A0=A0 posed no threat to the Israeli soldiers. In September 1996, soldiers <br> >danced as they<br> >=A0=A0 shot people dead, giving each other high fives.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 It really was that bad and things are not as they seem on the TV. There's <br> >a lot of<br> >=A0=A0 reasons for that, and some of the following links will give you an idea <br> >why.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Here's another short intro to what really goes on at clashes, a photo <br> >story from just<br> >=A0=A0 one day in March 1997: <a href="http://nigelparry.com/diary/abughnaim/martyr.html" eudora="autourl">http://nigelparry.com/diary/abughnaim/martyr.html</a><br> ><br> >=A0=A0 For more about this, see my online photo diary from the time, A Personal <br> >Diary of<br> >=A0=A0 the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, found at <a href="http://nigelparry.com/diary/" eudora="autourl">http://nigelparry.com/diary/</a><br> ><br> >=A0=A0 If you want the short version of what's going on now, here's a Flash <br> >multimedia<br> >=A0=A0 summary: <a href="http://nigelparry.com/flash/" eudora="autourl">http://nigelparry.com/flash/</a><br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Today, since the May 22 "unilateral cease-fire" was announced (for which <br> >the Israelis<br> >=A0=A0 have been unjustifiably commended by countries around the world for <br> >"keeping") it's<br> >=A0=A0 mind-blowing what's going on on the ground: <br> ><a href="http://electronicintifada.net/chronology/" eudora="autourl">http://electronicIntifada.net/chronology/</a><br> >=A0=A0 is a day-by-day account of Israeli actions against Palestinians since the <br> >"cease-fire".<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 As you read it, imagine living there, and being able to do nothing except <br> >survive.<br> >=A0=A0 Israeli activist Jeff Halper, sent out a report yesterday that was <br> >similarly shocking, a<br> >=A0=A0 report about ethnic cleansing going on away from the camera lenses:<br> >=A0=A0 <a href="http://electronicintifada.net/features/articles/20010705halper.html" eudora="autourl">http://electronicIntifada.net/features/articles/20010705halper.html</a><br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Finally, here is a recent report from Human Rights Watch (a US <br> >organisation) for<br> >=A0=A0 those that want a broader overview: <a href="http://hrw.org/campaigns/israel/" eudora="autourl">http://hrw.org/campaigns/israel/</a><br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Back to the Peppers. The letter that follows below is written to the <br> >Peppers from<br> >=A0=A0 another fan concerned about the Palestinian people, from his heart.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Protest<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 If any of this makes you think that it's a bad idea for the Peppers to <br> >play Israel as<br> >=A0=A0 long as Israel continues its repressive military occupation against the <br> >Palestinian<br> >=A0=A0 people, then write and let them know you're a fan and that this bothers <br> >you. We used<br> >=A0=A0 to support bands like U2 and Peter Gabriel for taking stands against <br> >South Africa.<br> >=A0=A0 This should be no different.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Keep it simple, be polite, ask them to take a stand for human rights <br> >worldwide, and<br> >=A0=A0 ask them not to support the Israeli state by playing there.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Correspondence can be sent to Starla Angel, the news director of the <br> >official<br> >=A0=A0 Peppers website. Her address is starla-AT-redhotchilipeppers.com.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Please ask the Chili Peppers to do the right thing. Any concert in a <br> >country that is<br> >=A0=A0 brutally repressing a civilian population is not just another tour date. <br> >It's a statement<br> >=A0=A0 that what's going on doesn't really matter that much. And the fates of <br> >people like you<br> >=A0=A0 and me -- even if they speak a different language and live in another <br> >part of the world<br> >=A0=A0 -- should matter very much.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0 Nigel Parry<br> >=A0=A0 <a href="http://nigelparry.com/" eudora="autourl">http://nigelparry.com</a><br> ><br> ><br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 From: Raja Swamy<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Date: Thu Jul 5, 2001 8:14 pm<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Subject: Please do not Play in Israel!!!<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Dear Red Hot Chili Peppers band,<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 You are scheduled to play in Israel on August 28, 2001. It was<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 revealed that you reconsidered your earlier decision to desist after<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 former U.S. President, Bill Clinton intervened on behalf of Israel.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Consider this:<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 You live in a country where you are the minority group. Now the vast<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 numbers of the minority group happens to be 'IN' "your country" on<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 account of your government having militarily attacked, and <br> >militarily<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 occupied their land and lives.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Imagine this: for 33 years, the minority group faces tanks, <br> >barricades,<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 soldiers with machine guns, as they walk to school everyday, plant <br> >their<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 crops, go to work, drink a cup of tea with friends, sing a song in <br> >the<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 sunset, play soccer with friends, mourn the loss of relatives, <br> >attend each<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 others' weddings, and so on: military occupation that is accompanied <br> >by<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 constant abuse, physical, and mental abuse, irregardless of whether <br> >you<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 are a 4 year old boy innocently playing in your home or an 80 year <br> >old<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 retired farmer, watching the sunset in his backyard.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Abuse at the hands of soldiers, abuse at the hands of new European<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 people who have suddenly appeared in your backyard, in your<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 frontyard, in your homes, everywhere, ready to take what is yours <br> >for<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 generations and generations. The newcomers are spiteful, and covet<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 your land; they want to see you and your people dead or gone. The<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 soldiers are their buddies; the 'settlers' attack, the soldiers <br> >'defend' and<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 you and your community is reduced, reduced, reduced from homes to<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 camps, from smiles to tears, from peace to continuous nightmares, <br> >from<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 seeing the young tender plants grow in the ancient farms to being<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 drowned in seas of blood; 500 Palestinians have been killed by the<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Israeli armed forces since October 2000.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Palestinians have no army, nothing comparable even in the remotest<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 sense to the armed forces of Israel. They use stones, as did little <br> >David<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 against the giant Goliath; is that violence, or is it violence to <br> >launch a<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 missile from a helicopter against three unarmed elderly ladies <br> >shopping<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 for vegetables in the marketplace? The latter happened, and what did<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Israel do? They blamed the Palestinians! Is this for real man?<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 You, dear band, represent the culture of youth, rebellious, <br> >innocent, and<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 yet daring; daring to challenge the arbitrary norms and values <br> >imposed<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 by the cultures of older generations; it is tyhe rebelliousness that <br> >you<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 show today, that inspired your parents' generations to overthrow the <br> >evil<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 of segragation. Today, Israel practices the worst form of <br> >segragation<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 against Palestinians, whose land it ocupies illegally.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Did you know, if you are a Palestinian, you have to drive a car with <br> >blue<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 license plates? Did you know, if you are a Palestinian, and get <br> >attacked,<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 killed or abused by an Israeli, your attacker will get away scot <br> >free, with<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 perhaps a scolding from a judge? On the other hand, did you know <br> >that<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 if you were an Israeli, and accused a Palestinian of anything, most <br> >likely<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 that Palestinian would be dealt with as if he or she were guilty?<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Did you know, Israel sanctions torture while most countries reject <br> >it?<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Did you know Israel has young children, (among whom could be many<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 of your young fans!), in prison, who are locked up with adult <br> >criminals,<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 subject to horrendous torture and sexual abuse? For what? For<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 throwing stones on an Israeli tank? FOr being Palestinian? For being<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 alive? Is this something your conscience can overlook? I doubt it!<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Dear, Red Hot Chili Peppers. What would you have sung about if you<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 were Palestinian? Could you hold true to your conscience and still<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 perform to entertain a nation that engages in such brutality? Could <br> >you<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 look into the face of a Palestinian child after doing this and feel <br> >good<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 about yourselves?<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 I think not, dear band. Please reconsider your decision. It will be <br> >a great<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 sign of support for human rights, democracy and the equality of all<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 human beings, as you will help bring Israel to account for its <br> >wanton<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 cruelty against the Palestinian people.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 If you would like more information on this issue, I would be more <br> >than<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 happy to point resources to you and share with you facts and <br> >figures.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 I urge you to reconsider your decision to play in Israel. If your <br> >sponsors<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 insist, then you should insist in playing a solidarity peace concert <br> >in<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 occpuied Palestinian to a Palestinian audience too! That would be<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 something eh!? If not, just imagine, how would it have been if the<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Beatles were made to play in a country where six million people were<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 being massacred while German officers and their wives were drinking<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 and dancing to 'Its been a hard day's night...' Just imagine!<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 P.S. If you want to know of other artists who have boycotted Israel <br> >as<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 an act of outrage against Israel's human rights violations of <br> >Palestinians, I<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 will be happy to send you the info.<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Sincerely,<br> ><br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Raja Harish Swamy<br> >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Manchester, CT<br> >_________________________________________________________________________<br> >Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at <a href="http://www.hotmail.com/" eudora="autourl">http://www.hotmail.com</a>.<br> > </font> <BR> </html>
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