Plan B Forum

Former Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters has fallen into a bitter race row after a leading rabbi branded him an 'open hater of Jews' because of a prop he used on stage during his recent world tour.

The musician, who is a vocal pro-Palestinian campaigner, came under fire last week after he floated a balloon of a giant pig emblazoned with the Star of David above the stage in Belgium. The move sparked fury within the international Jewish community, including that of Rabbi Abraham Cooper, of the human rights group Simon Wiesenthal Center, who branded the showpiece a 'grotesque display of Jew-hatred'. Video of the concert posted online shows the pig, also painted with dollar signs, the logo for oil conglomerate Shell and the Communist hammer and sickle symbol, drifting over the crowd during the climax of the show's finale.

'With this disgusting display Roger Waters has made it crystal clear: forget Israel, never mind "limited boycotts promoting Middle East Peace", Waters is an open hater of Jews,' Rabbi Cooper told Jewish website The Algemeiner. 'The video is beyond shocking. The only books this bigot should be getting should be with the Mullahs in Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood.' But Waters almost immediately issued an impassioned retort on Facebook, in which he called Rabbi Cooper's remarks 'so wild and bigoted they demand a response'. 'I hold your outburst to be inflammatory and un-helpful and would suggest it can only impede progress towards peace and understanding between people,' he writes. 'It is also extremely insulting to me personally in that you accuse me of being ‘Anti Semitic’, ‘A Jew Hater’ and ‘Nazi Sympathizer’.

Refuting the accusations, he goes on to say he also put 'the Crucifix, the Crescent and Star, the Hammer and Sickle, the Shell Oil Logo and The McDonald’s Sign, a Dollar Sign and a Mercedes sign' on the pig.

'The Wall Show, so lamely attacked by you,' he continues. 'Is many things. It is thoughtful, life affirming, ecumenical, humane, loving, anti war, anti colonial, pro universal access to the law, pro liberty, pro collaboration, pro dialogue, pro peace, anti authoritarian, anti fascist, anti apartheid, anti dogma, international in spirit, musical and satirical.' He goes on: 'In a functioning theocracy it is almost inevitable that the symbol of the religion becomes confused with the symbol of the state, in this case the State of Israel, a state that operates Apartheid both within its own borders and also in the territories it has occupied and colonized since 1967.

'To peacefully protest against Israel’s racist domestic and foreign policies is NOT ANTI-SEMITIC.'
The row broke out after Pink Floyd fan Alon Onfus Asif, an Israeli expat in Belgium, posted a video of the pig online after attending the concert. 'I came to the concert because I really like his music, without any connection to his political stance toward Israel,' he told Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot. 'And I had a lot of fun, until I noticed the Star of David, on the inflatable pig.

'That was the only religious-national symbol which appeared among other symbols for fascism, dictatorships and oppression of people. 'Waters crossed the line and gave expression to an anti-Semitic message, beyond all his messages of anti-militancy.'

Refuting the accusations, he goes on to say he also put 'the Crucifix, the Crescent and Star, the Hammer and Sickle, the Shell Oil Logo and The McDonald’s Sign, a Dollar Sign and a Mercedes sign' on the pig.

but not inherently anti-semitic.

anyone who criticizes Israel is labeled "antisemitic".

The racism towards blacks is contiguous with their racism towards Palestinians (both Christian and Muslim). And it is tied to their religion.

And I did not say that the Jewish religion is inherently racist. Yet another stupid lie. From one who lies all the time.

Video of the concert posted online shows the pig, also painted with dollar signs, the logo for oil conglomerate Shell and the Communist hammer and sickle symbol, drifting over the crowd during the climax of the show's finale.

Refuting the accusations, he goes on to say he also put 'the Crucifix, the Crescent and Star, the Hammer and Sickle, the Shell Oil Logo and The McDonald’s Sign, a Dollar Sign and a Mercedes sign' on the pig.

I suspect that it is more likely that there is ONE version of the pig that has ALL of those symbols on it

Roger Waters solo tours

During a concert in Summerfest 2006, the pig had a message printed on it reading "Impeach Bush"

During Waters' performance at the 2008 Coachella Festival, one of the giant inflatable pigs being used as a prop became untethered and floated away into the California desert. Organizers of the festival have offered a $10,000 reward plus free lifetime tickets to the festival in return for the pig's recovery. The pig was found three days later at a nearby country club.[8]

Likewise, during the concert in Dallas, TX on 2 May 2008, and Houston, TX on 4 May, the pig floated away.

In a concert in Argentina on 2007, a pig flew and ended up on the Río de la Plata.

At Argentina tour dates in 2007, the pig had the "Nunca Más" (Never again) inscription on its chest, referring to the famous slogan with which the Argentine people referred to the Dictatorship when 30,000 people "disappeared" and were killed in the 1970s.

Lord Jim wrote:I'm sorry, I misread that, I thought he had used those other symbols with the pig on other occasions, not all at once...

Okay, not specifically an anti-semite then...

Just a flaming ignoramus....

(Or somebody trying to get a little publicity to revive a flagging career by being as offensive as possible...)