The Wild Horse Nine actor had been due to appear on stage in The Music Critic in Tel Aviv – but pulled out over PR firm’s ‘unacceptable and untenable’ attribution of statement
He gave what I thought was a thoughtful explanation of why he was planning to go:
“Throughout my long career, I’ve been lucky to perform across a quite wide swath of the world – in countries with governments whose values or culture I do not share and in front of audiences of many differing faiths and ideologies,” he wrote. “Travelling to places whose view of the world may not align with mine has given me a chance to observe and to listen and learn and to share my idea of what makes good storytelling and what makes beautiful music and how they can complement each other and illuminate the human condition.
“My appearance in any country, even my own, does not constitute approval of said country’s policies, nor actions, nor its elected or unelected leaders. My appearances would also not condone nor mean that I am in supposed ‘solidarity’ with any particular political cause, nor with the killing of innocents, nor with any acts of terrorism, nor any other kind of barbarity.”
I’m not surprised at all by what I read there, because it’s the same mealy-mouthed output anyone else would use in that position.
It’s disappointing to hear a false equivalence between the country he lives in and has little choice in, versus one he chooses to visit wilfully.
Also, language like “ in countries with governments whose values or culture I do not share” is also weak as urine to allude to a place carrying out genocide.
Edit: he mentioned killing of innocents, but did not really specify who he is talking about.
If he’s talking about an event that he pulled out of specifically because they misrepresented his presence as having ‘solidarity’ with Israel, who do you think the statement is about? 🙄
He gave what I thought was a thoughtful explanation of why he was planning to go:
Yeah but who needs a thoughtful explanation when you already have a cherished narrative? /s
I appreciate the excerpt.
I’m not surprised at all by what I read there, because it’s the same mealy-mouthed output anyone else would use in that position.
It’s disappointing to hear a false equivalence between the country he lives in and has little choice in, versus one he chooses to visit wilfully.
Also, language like “ in countries with governments whose values or culture I do not share” is also weak as urine to allude to a place carrying out genocide.
Edit: he mentioned killing of innocents, but did not really specify who he is talking about.
If he’s talking about an event that he pulled out of specifically because they misrepresented his presence as having ‘solidarity’ with Israel, who do you think the statement is about? 🙄