Re: Red Hot Chili Pepper fans

<html>
Go flatter yourself!!! I mean lets get on the WANK
train!!! 
 
At 01:53 AM 11/07/01 -0400, you wrote: 
>Dear Red Hot Chili Peppers fans... 
> 
>=A0=A0 by Nigel Parry 
> 
>=A0=A0 Nigel Parry worked at Birzeit University between 1994 and 1998.
His 
>journal 
>=A0=A0 from the time, A Personal Diary of the Israeli Palestinian
Conflict, 
>available 
>=A0=A0 at nigelparry.com/diary, documented the post-Oslo experience
of 
>=A0=A0 Palestinians in the Ramallah area. He is also one of the founders
of 
>=A0=A0 electronicIntifada.net,"a resource for countering myth,
distortion, and 
>spin 
>=A0=A0 from the Israeli media war machine." 
> 
> 
> 
>=A0=A0 The following e-mail was sent out on 6 July 2001 to several 
>=A0=A0 Red Hot Chili Peppers mailing lists, and posted on several 
>=A0=A0 bulletin boards relating to the band. The best way to raise
an 
>=A0=A0 issue outside of the usual audience remains... raising the 
>=A0=A0 issue outside the usual audience. A protest address is 
>=A0=A0 included for those who wish to write their own letters to=20
the 
>=A0=A0 band. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Dear Red Hot Chili Peppers fans, 
> 
>=A0=A0 I understand that this message probably isn't the kind you're use=
d
to on 
>the list, but I 
>=A0=A0 ask you consider the contents of it thoughtfully. 
> 
>=A0=A0 All of you will remember that when South Africa was still
operating under 
>an 
>=A0=A0 Apartheid system, bands used to refuse to play there. Sun City,
the most 
>famous 
>=A0=A0 venue there, was the subject of at least one protest song. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Bands wouldn't play there because to do so generated income for
the White 
>South 
>=A0=A0 African system, and implicitly suggested that they didn't really
mind 
>that a racist 
>=A0=A0 government had stamped their entry visa. The taxes that were paid
on the 
>venue by 
>=A0=A0 the promoters went towards prolonging Apartheid, and the venue --
of 
>course -- was 
>=A0=A0 "for whites only". 
> 
>=A0=A0 Sadly, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are turning the clock of musical
 
>conscience back 
>=A0=A0 by playing in Israel. This venue will similarly be "for
Israelis only". 
>All 3 million 
>=A0=A0 Palestinians are prevented by Israel from travelling to Tel Aviv
and are 
>currently 
>=A0=A0 under siege in their towns. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Recent news reports said that the Chili Peppers had decided not t=
o
go 
>because they 
>=A0=A0 were worried about the "security situation." When he
heard about this, 
>Bill Clinton 
>=A0=A0 rang them and urged them to go, and they changed their mind. They
are 
>playing on 
>=A0=A0 August 28 in Tel Aviv:
<a href=3D"http://redhotchilipeppers.com/tour/"=
eudora=3D"autourl">http://redhotchilipeppers.com/tour/</a> 
> 
>=A0=A0 Here's the news piece: 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 "Clinton has the Red Hot Chili Peppers for
Israel" 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 The Jerusalem Post, 3 June 2001 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 One of the biggest rock bands in the world today=
was about to
cancel 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 its planned concert in Tel Aviv, until a former Am=
erican
president 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 intervened. That, at least, is according to the=
Hebrew daily
Yediot 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Aharonot. 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 The paper suggests that Red Hot Chili Peppers was =
considering
the 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 move because of the security situation. 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Former president Bill Clinton reportedly heard of=
the plan
and 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 personally called the band's lead singer Anthony=
Kiedis to
suggest 
>the 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 concert go ahead. 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Clinton said the performance would be a vote of=
confidence in
the 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 diplomatic process and regional peace. 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 As a result, the band will play on. 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 The concert is scheduled for Tel Aviv on August=
28. 
> 
>=A0=A0 I have nothing against the band but am writing to you on principl=
e
 
>because they are 
>=A0=A0 setting an unacceptable example for the millions of people who
love their 
>music. 
>=A0=A0 There is nothing at all wrong with asking them as fans to
reconsider this 
>tour date on 
>=A0=A0 the basis of supporting human rights for all. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Why exactly is their playing in Israel a bad idea? 
> 
>=A0=A0 The news here gives the impression that the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict 
>is some sort of 
>=A0=A0 war between equal forces, that all Palestinians are terrorists,
and that 
>poor Israel has 
>=A0=A0 done all it could to make peace with the Palestinians. 
> 
>=A0=A0 This is as far from the truth as it could be. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Palestinians have been living under a military occupation for 34
years. 
>If you were 
>=A0=A0 Palestinian, and under 34 years of age, all you would know is the
 
>presence of a 
>=A0=A0 foreign army in and around your towns. 
> 
>=A0=A0 I had the opportunity to experience what that was like between
1994-1998, 
>when I 
>=A0=A0 lived in the West Bank town of Ramallah and worked at Birzeit
University, 
>Palestine's 
>=A0=A0 Harvard or Oxford. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Life there on the ground was bad news for Joe or Jane Palestinian=
,
who 
>you should 
>=A0=A0 be aware are not any different from Joe or Jane American or Joe o=
r
Jane 
>European. 
>=A0=A0 The shocking but banal truth is that the vast majority of
Palestinians 
>are normal 
>=A0=A0 people just like you and me, living in an abnormal=20
situation. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Just as Americans aren't responsible as a whole for the actions o=
f
people 
>like Timothy 
>=A0=A0 McVeigh, neither are the Palestinians as a whole responsible for
the 
>actions of the 
>=A0=A0 few of them who carry out terrorist acts. 
> 
>=A0=A0 After the Oslo process began in 1993, the reality is that things
got very 
>bad on the 
>=A0=A0 ground for normal people. Very bad. Most human rights violations
 
>continued or 
>=A0=A0 worsened. And today, it's even much worse. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Since 29 September 2000, when the Second Intifada began, Israel
has 
>killed over 
>=A0=A0 500 Palestinians, crippled 1,500 more, and seriously injured
another 
>15,000. Many 
>=A0=A0 of these are children. About half of these deaths and injuries
took place 
>out outside of 
>=A0=A0 clash situations. That means it happened to people in their homes=
,
on the 
>way to 
>=A0=A0 school, in restaurants. 
> 
>=A0=A0 When I was living there, I regularly attended clashes as an
observer and 
>journalist. 
>=A0=A0 The normal attendee at these were young Palestinians, protesting
the 
>occupation with 
>=A0=A0 stones thrown at the foreign army on their own land. The foreign
army 
>responded 
>=A0=A0 with live ammunition and the so-called "rubber" bullets
(in reality steel 
>balls with a 
>=A0=A0 millimeter of rubber or hard plastic coating) that regularly kill
and 
>maim. 
> 
>=A0=A0 In every single case I witnessed, at the 30 or so clashes I
attended, 
>those Palestinians 
>=A0=A0 that were killed were shot out of stone throwing range, ie. at a
distance 
>where they 
>=A0=A0 posed no threat to the Israeli soldiers. In September 1996,
soldiers 
>danced as they 
>=A0=A0 shot people dead, giving each other high fives. 
> 
>=A0=A0 It really was that bad and things are not as they seem on the TV.
There's 
>a lot of 
>=A0=A0 reasons for that, and some of the following links will give you a=
n
idea 
>why. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Here's another short intro to what really goes on at clashes, a
photo 
>story from just 
>=A0=A0 one day in March 1997:
<a href=3D"http://nigelparry.com/diary/abughnaim/martyr.html"=
eudora=3D"autourl">http://nigelparry.com/diary/abughnaim/martyr.html</a><br=
>
> 
>=A0=A0 For more about this, see my online photo diary from the time, A
Personal 
>Diary of 
>=A0=A0 the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, found at
<a href=3D"http://nigelparry.com/diary/"=
eudora=3D"autourl">http://nigelparry.com/diary/</a> 
> 
>=A0=A0 If you want the short version of what's going on now, here's a
Flash 
>multimedia 
>=A0=A0 summary:
<a href=3D"http://nigelparry.com/flash/"=
eudora=3D"autourl">http://nigelparry.com/flash/</a> 
> 
>=A0=A0 Today, since the May 22 "unilateral cease-fire" was
announced (for which 
>the Israelis 
>=A0=A0 have been unjustifiably commended by countries around the world
for 
>"keeping") it's 
>=A0=A0 mind-blowing what's going on on the ground: 
><a href=3D"http://electronicintifada.net/chronology/"=
eudora=3D"autourl">http://electronicIntifada.net/chronology/</a> 
>=A0=A0 is a day-by-day account of Israeli actions against Palestinians
since the 
>"cease-fire". 
> 
>=A0=A0 As you read it, imagine living there, and being able to do nothin=
g
except 
>survive. 
>=A0=A0 Israeli activist Jeff Halper, sent out a report yesterday that wa=
s
 
>similarly shocking, a 
>=A0=A0 report about ethnic cleansing going on away from the camera
lenses: 
>=A0=A0
<a=
href=3D"http://electronicintifada.net/features/articles/20010705halper.html=
"=
eudora=3D"autourl">http://electronicIntifada.net/features/articles/20010705=
halper.html</a> 
> 
>=A0=A0 Finally, here is a recent report from Human Rights Watch (a US
 
>organisation) for 
>=A0=A0 those that want a broader overview:
<a href=3D"http://hrw.org/campaigns/israel/"=
eudora=3D"autourl">http://hrw.org/campaigns/israel/</a> 
> 
>=A0=A0 Back to the Peppers. The letter that follows below is written to
the 
>Peppers from 
>=A0=A0 another fan concerned about the Palestinian people, from his
heart. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Protest 
> 
>=A0=A0 If any of this makes you think that it's a bad idea for the
Peppers to 
>play Israel as 
>=A0=A0 long as Israel continues its repressive military occupation
against the 
>Palestinian 
>=A0=A0 people, then write and let them know you're a fan and that this
bothers 
>you. We used 
>=A0=A0 to support bands like U2 and Peter Gabriel for taking stands
against 
>South Africa. 
>=A0=A0 This should be no different. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Keep it simple, be polite, ask them to take a stand for human
rights 
>worldwide, and 
>=A0=A0 ask them not to support the Israeli state by playing there. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Correspondence can be sent to Starla Angel, the news director of
the 
>official 
>=A0=A0 Peppers website. Her address is
starla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Please ask the Chili Peppers to do the right thing. Any concert i=
n
a 
>country that is 
>=A0=A0 brutally repressing a civilian population is not just another tou=
r
date. 
>It's a statement 
>=A0=A0 that what's going on doesn't really matter that much. And the
fates of 
>people like you 
>=A0=A0 and me -- even if they speak a different language and live in
another 
>part of the world 
>=A0=A0 -- should matter very much. 
> 
>=A0=A0 Nigel Parry 
>=A0=A0
<a href=3D"http://nigelparry.com/"=
eudora=3D"autourl">http://nigelparry.com</a> 
> 
> 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 From: Raja Swamy 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Date: Thu Jul 5, 2001 8:14 pm 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Subject: Please do not Play in Israel!!! 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Dear Red Hot Chili Peppers band, 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 You are scheduled to play in Israel on August 28,=
2001. It
was 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 revealed that you reconsidered your earlier=
decision to
desist after 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 former U.S. President, Bill Clinton intervened on=
behalf of
Israel. 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Consider this: 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 You live in a country where you are the minority=
group. Now
the vast 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 numbers of the minority group happens to be 'IN' &=
quot;your
country" on 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 account of your government having militarily=
attacked, and
 
>militarily 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 occupied their land and lives. 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Imagine this: for 33 years, the minority group=
faces tanks,
 
>barricades, 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 soldiers with machine guns, as they walk to school=
everyday,
plant 
>their 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 crops, go to work, drink a cup of tea with=
friends, sing a
song in 
>the 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 sunset, play soccer with friends, mourn the loss o=
f
relatives, 
>attend each 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 others' weddings, and so on: military occupation=
that is
accompanied 
>by 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 constant abuse, physical, and mental abuse,=
irregardless of
whether 
>you 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 are a 4 year old boy innocently playing in your=
home or an 80
year 
>old 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 retired farmer, watching the sunset in his=
backyard. 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Abuse at the hands of soldiers, abuse at the hands=
of new
European 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 people who have suddenly appeared in your=
backyard, in
your 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 frontyard, in your homes, everywhere, ready to=
take what is
yours 
>for 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 generations and generations. The newcomers are=
spiteful, and
covet 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 your land; they want to see you and your people=
dead or gone.
The 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 soldiers are their buddies; the 'settlers' attack,=
the
soldiers 
>'defend' and 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 you and your community is reduced, reduced,=
reduced from
homes to 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 camps, from smiles to tears, from peace to continu=
ous
nightmares, 
>from 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 seeing the young tender plants grow in the ancient=
farms to
being 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 drowned in seas of blood; 500 Palestinians have=
been killed
by the 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Israeli armed forces since October 2000. 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Palestinians have no army, nothing comparable even=
in the
remotest 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 sense to the armed forces of Israel. They use=
stones, as did
little 
>David 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 against the giant Goliath; is that violence, or is=
it
violence to 
>launch a 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 missile from a helicopter against three unarmed el=
derly
ladies 
>shopping 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 for vegetables in the marketplace? The latter=
happened, and
what did 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Israel do? They blamed the Palestinians! Is this=
for real
man? 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 You, dear band, represent the culture of youth, re=
bellious,
 
>innocent, and 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 yet daring; daring to challenge the arbitrary=
norms and
values 
>imposed 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 by the cultures of older generations; it is tyhe
rebelliousness that 
>you 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 show today, that inspired your parents'=
generations to
overthrow the 
>evil 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 of segragation. Today, Israel practices the worst=
form of
 
>segragation 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 against Palestinians, whose land it ocupies=
illegally. 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Did you know, if you are a Palestinian, you have=
to drive a
car with 
>blue 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 license plates? Did you know, if you are a=
Palestinian, and
get 
>attacked, 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 killed or abused by an Israeli, your attacker will=
get away
scot 
>free, with 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 perhaps a scolding from a judge? On the other=
hand, did you
know 
>that 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 if you were an Israeli, and accused a Palestinian =
of
anything, most 
>likely 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 that Palestinian would be dealt with as if he or=
she were
guilty? 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Did you know, Israel sanctions torture while most =
countries
reject 
>it? 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Did you know Israel has young children, (among=
whom could be
many 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 of your young fans!), in prison, who are locked up=
with adult
 
>criminals, 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 subject to horrendous torture and sexual abuse?=
For what?
For 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 throwing stones on an Israeli tank? FOr being Pale=
stinian?
For being 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 alive? Is this something your conscience can=
overlook? I
doubt it! 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Dear, Red Hot Chili Peppers. What would you have=
sung about
if you 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 were Palestinian? Could you hold true to your=
conscience and
still 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 perform to entertain a nation that engages in such=
brutality?
Could 
>you 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 look into the face of a Palestinian child after=
doing this
and feel 
>good 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 about yourselves? 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 I think not, dear band. Please reconsider your=
decision. It
will be 
>a great 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 sign of support for human rights, democracy and=
the equality
of all 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 human beings, as you will help bring Israel to=
account for
its 
>wanton 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 cruelty against the Palestinian people. 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 If you would like more information on this issue,=
I would be
more 
>than 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 happy to point resources to you and share with you=
facts and
 
>figures. 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 I urge you to reconsider your decision to play in=
Israel. If
your 
>sponsors 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 insist, then you should insist in playing a=
solidarity peace
concert 
>in 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 occpuied Palestinian to a Palestinian audience=
too! That
would be 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 something eh!? If not, just imagine, how would it=
have been
if the 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Beatles were made to play in a country where six m=
illion
people were 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 being massacred while German officers and their=
wives were
drinking 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 and dancing to 'Its been a hard day's night...' Ju=
st
imagine! 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 P.S. If you want to know of other artists who have=
boycotted
Israel 
>as 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 an act of outrage against Israel's human rights=
violations of
 
>Palestinians, I 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 will be happy to send you the info. 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Sincerely, 
> 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Raja Harish Swamy 
>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Manchester, CT 
>________________________________________________________________________=
_ 
>Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at
<a href=3D"http://www.hotmail.com/"=
eudora=3D"autourl">http://www.hotmail.com</a>. 
> 
 
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