anti-Semtiism – praag.org

Roger Waters: Another pig in the wall?

by Rolena Marks

Someone please get Roger Waters a new hobby. May I suggest knitting or macramé? Something that keeps him busy and takes his attention away from offending Jews.

At a recent concert, Waters released an inflatable pig with a Magen David (Star of David) painted on it. A “pig-drone” of sorts. The song was “Run like Hell”. Now far be it for me to drone on (pun very much intended) but displaying a sacred religious symbol next to fascist symbols like the hammer and sickle that represent communism smacks of something far more nasty.

Now we know Roger is the poster child for BDS and has a penchant for walls and kangaroos (excuse my very lateral reference to the Russel Tribunal!) and would balk at any allegations that would insinuate that he is anti-Semitic. Isn’t he just an artist exploring his creativity?

Flying pig... the inflatable pig used by Roger Waters at his concerts with the Star of David showing — Flying pig… the inflatable pig used by Roger Waters at his concerts with the Star of David showing

No Rog, you aren’t. Your politics are well known. While you have the right to spout your anti-Israel, BDS drivel, however misguided it may be, you have crossed the line. This time you are not making loaded statements about Israeli policy, this time you are taking a holy symbol and aligning it with the most hated forms of political governance. Straight out of the Goebbels propaganda handbook.

The preferred tactics of the anti-Israel brigade is to disguise their intentions under the cover of concern for the Palestinians of other minority groups in Israel. It is a thinly veiled disguise. I think we should ask Waters where is the pig with the Ahmadinejad head? Where are the effigies spray painted with the likes of the most heinous human rights abusers? If you are at a loss, we have a whole neighborhood full of them in the Middle East. Some throw opponents off the top of buildings, some throw acid on young girls in attempted honor killings, hell some even call for the destruction of a whole country!

With rising levels of anti-Semitism around the world, this kind of action is not only offensive, it is irresponsible and alarming. It is just not kosher for a variety of reasons. This does not make you a creative and lyrical genius, all it show is that you have completely lost the plot.

Roger may I suggest you run like hell. Run yourself along to a much needed reality check.

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Rolene Marks is a passionate advocate for Israel and has appeared on radio, television and has been published in numerous global publications. Rolene is a member of the Media Team Israel, an advocacy body that fights media bias. Currently residing in Modiin, Israel, Rolene volunteers for WIZO and previously represented the organisation on the World Zionist Congress. Rolene can be heard frequently on Chai FM, a Johannesburg-based radio station giving political commentary. In 2007 Rolene participated in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs Young Jewish Diplomats Leadership course.

Designer John Galliano ‘didn’t mean’ anti-Jewish remarks

legion-d-honneur-a-john-galliano — John Galliano receiving his Legion d'Honneur from former French president Nicolas Sarkozy

Iconic British designer John Galliano, sacked by Dior in 2011 for making drunken racist tirades, says he is “grateful” for his fall from grace because it forced him to confront his drug and alcohol demons.

In what was billed as the designer’s first sober interview since the career-shattering scandal that saw him ousted from the French fashion powerhouse, Galliano told Vanity Fair he had been in denial about his substance abuse for years.

“It sounds a bit bizarre, but I am so grateful for what did happen,” Galliano told the magazine in an interview published Tuesday on its website.

“I have learned so much about myself. I have re-discovered that little boy who had the hunger to create, which I think I had lost. I am alive.”

The 52-year-old was hit with suspended fines totaling 6,000 euros ($8,400) after being found guilty of making anti-Semitic insults in public — an offense under French law — following separate incidents in 2010 and 2011.

Galliano underwent treatment at an Arizona rehabilitation center in the wake of the scandal, which broke after the emergence of a video capturing his anti-Jewish rant towards fellow patrons in a Parisian bar.

“When I saw it, I threw up,” Galliano said of the damning video evidence. “The feeling was like I was about to take a step out onto the street and a bus or truck whooshed past me and the blood was drained from my legs.”

“I was paralyzed from the fear.”

Galliano told Vanity Fair he remained baffled by the nature of his remarks, insisting he “didn’t mean” what he said.

“It’s the worst thing I have said in my life, but I didn’t mean it … I have been trying to find out why that anger was directed at this race,” he said.

“I now realize I was so … angry and so discontent with myself that I just said the most spiteful thing I could.”

Galliano meanwhile painted a picture of a life that had spiraled out of control shortly before the scandal, believing he would have ended up “in a mental asylum or six feet under” if he hadn’t changed his lifestyle.

“I never drank in order to be creative, or to do the research,” he said. “I didn’t need alcohol for any of that. At first alcohol was like a crutch outside of Dior. Then I would use it to crash after the collections.”

“I’d take a couple of days to get over it, like everyone. But with more collections, the crash happened more often, and then I was a slave to it.”

“Then the pills kicked in because I couldn’t sleep. Then the other pills kicked in because I couldn’t stop shaking. I would also have these huge bottles of liquor that people got for me. Towards the end, it was whatever I could get my hands on.”

“Vodka, or vodka-and-tonic. Wine, in the belief it would help me sleep. Wrong. I did manage to stop the voices. I had all these voices in my head, asking so many questions, but I never for one second would admit I was an alcoholic. I thought I could control it.”

Galliano, who spent nearly 15 years at Dior, is widely considered to be one of the most brilliant fashion minds of his generation.

However, his rehabilitation following the racism scandal has been difficult. Last month, New York’s Parsons School of Design canceled a workshop he had been set to give at the prestigious fashion college. – AFP

South African Jews shocked by French shooting

The Jewish community is shocked at the murder of four people outside a Jewish school in Toulouse, France, the SA Jewish Board of Deputies said on Tuesday.

“This tragedy has demonstrated how frighteningly vulnerable innocent people can be when pitiless killers driven by irrational hatred target them for attack,” national chairwoman Mary Kluk said.

In a statement, she called the murder on Monday of a rabbi, his two sons, aged five and four, and a young girl, aged seven, cold-blooded.

Kluk extended the Jewish community’s heartfelt sympathy to the affected families and to the French Jewish community.

“We commend the French government for the seriousness with which they are responding to this atrocity and hope that the perpetrator will soon be brought to justice.”

On Tuesday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy admitted that authorities did not know the identity or motivations of the killer.

“Anti-Semitism is obvious. The Jewish school attack was an anti-Semitic crime,” he told reporters in Paris.