According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the pig-shaped balloon emblazoned with the Star of David, as well as dictatorial symbols, dropped from the ceiling while Waters performed on last week in Belgium.
The
69-year-old rocker has been using the inflatable pig for years to
display political messages, serving primarily as a symbol of greed,
fascism and oppression.
In a message on Twitlonger.com, a related Twitter site that allows one to send tweets that require more than 140 characters, Draiman — who has extensive family in Israel, including his brother, Jerusalem-based folk rock and ambient musician Ben Draiman, as well as his grandmother — wrote: "My brothers and sisters, my blood,
"Regarding Roger Waters' usage of a flying pig with the Star of David on it during his performances;
"I have personally been a fan of Mr. Waters' work for many years. I think that PINK FLOYD are one of the most groundbreaking and visionary acts of all time. Mr. Waters' position on the Palestinian/Israeli crisis is well known, and has been well publicized.
"Whether
or not you agree with the policies of the Israeli government (and there
are times where I myself, a half Israeli Jew, with a large number of
relatives still living in Israel, including my brother and grandmother;
do not agree with some of their policies), nothing excuses the usage of
the Star of David (the symbol of the Jewish people as a whole, not
Israel or its government) emblazoned on a flying pig/zeppelin during his
performances for 'The Wall'. It is uncalled for, abhorrent, and blatantly Anti-Semitic.
"If the pig is in fact a symbol of greed and tyranny as described in the song from 'The Wall' called 'In the Flesh', then affixing the symbol of the Jewish people to it, is an attempt at
reinforcing an age old anti-Semitic stereotype that is unwarranted and
beyond offensive. All he is doing through such symbolism is encouraging
hatred and teaching his fans that Jews are greedy tyrannical people,
which could not be further from the actual truth. If he wanted to make a political statement against the policies of the Israeli government
(which I would not be in agreement with either, but would be political
and not religious/racial, and therefore understandable), he should have
had an image of the Israeli flag on it, the symbol of the government,
and not the lone star of David, the symbol of the Jewish people as a
whole.
"Hitler himself used the star of David as a badge
of identifying Jews with the word 'Juden' under it, marking ALL Jews as
they were mercilessly driven into the cattle cars that lead to the death camps in his maniacal attempt at genocide.
"Once again, this is not an issue of freedom of speech, or expression, as Mr. Waters is well within his rights to say and display anything he chooses, even
if it does incite hatred, but it does NOT mean that we as responsible
individuals against hatred and anti-Semitic imagery, have to sit back
and just take it. Freedom of speech and expression is a two way street,
and sometimes you will reap what you sow.
"I therefore urge all
of my followers, friends, and colleagues, and certainly the Jewish
people within the entertainment community to take issue with this
anti-Semitic symbolism, and to demand that the Star of David be stricken
from the flying pig, and that a formal apology/explanation be given
from Mr. Waters himself."
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