Fine to take political stands in lyrics and performances (we always did - check out my It's Good News Week, aged 19) - but both sides please (remember the Hamas attrocity took place at a music festival). And no ARRESTS or MEDIA HOWLING because the Government disagrees with one side or the other. Balance. It's SOO obvious except to superficial humanity today.

But no - media (great story) condemn those who urge Gaza to fight back though they never condemned Brits for knocking the Nazis (one of the best lyrics ever - Don't Let's Be Beastly To The Germans; Noel Coward would have the Met onto him today). BALANCE but don't stop people on either side suggesting solutions. I really think most of Israel would support Netanyahu being overthrown and possibly be sent away for war crimes. Just as most of humanity feels every hostage, dead or alive, should be returned today. Not tomorrow. TODAY.

The Mail says "Arrest Punk Band who led "Deaths to the Gestapo"... oops, no, it's not 80 years ago and, of course, the family that owned the Mail would never have supported anti-Nazi expression.

The very same hysterical media outlets that made Kneecap an intentional name are doing the same for Bob Vylan!

Israelis.. presumably mainly Zionists, routinely gather en mass in Israel and chant "Death to Arabs" or gather on hills overlooking Gaza in arm chairs to celebrate the bombs dropped on Gaza without a word of condemnation printed in the international media.

In fact the media do print photos of various people signing bombs that will be reigned down on Palestinians. But not a peep of condemnation.

I'm wondering how all this is playing out with the MAGA crowd who tend to be isolationist.

Do they realize there are 800,000 Settlers in the West Bank who do not work and get free healthcare, welfare benefits and free housing, all paid for by the US taxpayer.

It's the stupid media again knowing that A GOOD STORY doesn't need thought. And stupid Starmer taking the oppportunistic route of condemning the wrong people. No - the only point to be made is that a decent artiste should also have condemned the stupid Hamas Oct 7th action at a music festival. BOTH sides need commenting on and BOTH sides need to be heard. Enough of stupid censorship.

I don't understand people who condemm murder (Palestinians) and at the same time exhort murder ("death to the IDF").

What is it they object to? Not murder, clearly.

What a world we live in.

British Jews (and for that matter Australian Jews, some several 100) can travel to Israel and join the IDF and murder in cold blood, Palestinians and Arab children without a word of condemnation and return to their homelands without a single criticism or police investigation, but one rapper says "kill whoever" and the establishment is up in arms while the media hyperventilate while the fuzz screeches "investigation"..

I do not recall in all my years when governments were so perverted in their statements and mass murder was basically ignored or accepted.

It's now accepted that vile murder and genocide is perfectly acceptable but words are a crime.

And yes, HAMAS are appalling.

hedda wrote:
What a world we live in.

British Jews (and for that matter Australian Jews, some several 100) can travel to Israel and join the IDF and murder in cold blood, Palestinians and Arab children without a word of condemnation and return to their homelands without a single criticism or police investigation, but one rapper says "kill whoever" and the establishment is up in arms while the media hyperventilate while the fuzz screeches "investigation"..

I do not recall in all my years when governments were so perverted in their statements and mass murder was basically ignored or accepted.

It's now accepted that vile murder and genocide is perfectly acceptable but words are a crime.

And yes, HAMAS are appalling.

What has happened to the Palestinian media coverage?

It seems that hot weather and aggressive hip hop acts have squeezed the ongoing deaths out of the news.

What a world indeed Hedda...

I share the despair in your post.