Comments on: Don’t Let Atzmon Hoodwink America’s Jazz Scene

By: Marion L.

Marion L. — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:35:37 +0000

So much for the bogus claims of Mondoweiss to be “merely” anti-Zionist and not anti-Semitic! This Jewish feminist lover of jazz is appalled by Gilad Atzmon and by anyone who would act as an apologist for him!

By: Ehud

Ehud — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:53:07 +0000

David

I get your point, so the question that comes up, what makes Gilad appealing.
Music…….. well you and me know he is LOW.
Antisemitic…… well he is a jewel to all Antisemites, and its a 2 coin use, they use him as a great bull story (Musician, Israeli Soldier…..) and he uses them (Get publicity and gigs so he can get a buck).
Question is how do u lower this combination, as I mentioned there are few Ex… (Israelies, Jews u name it) that are pushing thier hate for a long time in the UK and in the US, but I guess no one made a career and a living out of it.
As long as he gets more and more arrogant and extreme in his critics and hate spew and since he must get a momentum and not bore the public he has too, people who are not basicly Antisemites will get his point and will recognize his game.
But as Antisemites rises (when didn’t is rise) they will go for it, as they used all kind of issues and persons like Gilad for 2000 years.

By: David Adler

David Adler — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:37:22 +0000

Why bother - because Atzmon has gained a sympathetic hearing and was just presented by a “Social Justice Council” in the U.S. as a legitimate voice. Otherwise, no, of course, I wouldn’t bother. There’s a larger issue here beyond Atzmon - the acceptance in some (not all) leftist circles of explicitly antisemitic rhetoric. That is the story.

By: Ehud

Ehud — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:27:40 +0000

As an Israeli who is more or less in the age of Gilad and is involved in the music industry, I never understood what is he using more, his EX Israeli Jewish belonging to push his average Music skills or uses both to get some publicity and gigs he would never achieve.
It always mentions he was a soldier….. and had an awakening regarding the Israeli policy, well he played sax in the Airforce orchestra………..
He never made it in Israel and played as a Klezmer in weddings and Hasidic performances but was never in the Jazz leading musicians.
So…… best way to push a career is make a public issue from himself.
Have you ever heard of a Jazz musician who says: I HATE MY PEOPLE, I HATE MY COUNTRY now go and buy my music in my web site.

Why talk about an average sax player, with nothing special, as a musician he is Zero nothing more then an average sax player.

You want him as a scholar……. well he is nothing
BTW in Israel he is rarely known and no one cares about his comments, as he is one of about 20-30 anti Israeli Anti Jews Israelies, who say the same thing and I guess compete to be the number one anti Zionist Israeli .

SO WHY BOTHER ?

By: yonah

yonah — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 03:32:19 +0000

AS an American I am thankful that America does not have laws criminalizing Holocaust denial. This is different from thinking that Holocaust denial is a good thing, which seems to be Rich Siegel’s opinion.

Gilad Atzmon has described himself as an ex Jew and as a proud self hating Jew. He uses terms like Christ killer and Judas to describe Jews whom he detests. He is despicable and arrogant and deserves all nonviolent protests that any thinking human being is capable of. He does not promote peace, he promotes hatred.

By: David Adler

David Adler — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:48:14 +0000

You’re against racism, Mr. Siegel?

Atzmon has written that the Nazis never engaged in carpet bombing or “total erasure of populated areas.” This is not only Holocaust denial, but a falsification of WWII history more generally. He has also written that Hitler started his campaign against the Jews in 1933 because the Jews had declared war on him. And it’s your “pleasure and honor” to share the stage with this Nazi sympathizer.

These quotes are not “cherry-picked” or “out of context” - that is Atzmon’s standard defense, but the statements are entirely representative of his political output. He has never disavowed the quotes in question.

But then, you yourself have written that it’s an open question whether Holocaust denier and fringe-rightist David Irving is right about the Holocaust. You’ve made very clear what you’re for, Mr. Siegel, and it’s not “peace” or any of the other things you list above. The greater outrage, however, is that a “Social Justice Council” in Rochester would lend support to your hatemongering and stupidity.

By: Rich Siegel

Rich Siegel — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:19:18 +0000

A very natural addition indeed. As one who is for peace, justice, equal rights, and against racism, apartheid, colonialism, occupation, and in particular against Israel’s occupations- both the 43 year and 62 year occupations, and as one who supports freedom of scholarly inquiry into any aspect of history without restrictions imposed by ideological bullying, it is indeed a pleasure and an honor for me to appear on a bandstand with a kindred spirit who is also an amazing musician!

By: Daniel McGowan

Daniel McGowan — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 02:33:11 +0000

Would any of those who replied care to define what Holocaust denial is and then explain how Atzmon fits the definition?

His appearances in Rochester and Geneva were both successful in raising money for DYR Scholarships and many Jews attended and gave generously. They were especially outraged by the attempt of a Rochester rabbi to prevent Atzmon and Siegel from speaking.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:32:07 +0000

Atzmon’s Geneva appearance is a $100 per ticket fundraiser for Deir Yassin Remembered’s scholarship fund to send American students to study in Palestine. I think that it would be counterproductive to spend the money and go to the event to protest (and probably get thrown out immediately), because you’d still be giving Atzmon and the Holocaust deniers of DYR a $100.

By: David Adler

David Adler — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:52:07 +0000

Respectfully, AbeBird, the notion that only Jews and/or Zionists should be offended by Atzmon’s poison is exactly part of the problem. Any person of any background, with any shred of decency, should be able to recognize and denounce anti-Jewish and pro-Nazi sentiments. And they should speak out, rather than leaving Jews to do it by themselves.