I was pleased to see that Elvis Costello has, after examining his own conscience, decided against performing in the apartheid State of Israel. This is excellent news for the boycott, divestment, sanctions movement, and represents a significant shift forward in momentum and broadening of the scope of the movement. And how did the Israeli government respond: predictably with a whine and a snivel: “An artist who boycotts his fans in Israel is not worthy of performing in front of them,” said Limor Livnat, Israel's sport and culture minister.
Luckily, cultural boycotts against apartheid governments are not a new invention. Artists United Against Apartheid, the brainchild of the E Street Band's own Steven Van Zandt, was supported by some of the best and brightest of the pop world, including U-2, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, legendary jazz artist Miles Davis, Kool DJ Herc, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Ruben Blades, Herbie Hancock, Ringo Starr and his son Zak Starkey, Lou Reed, Run DMC, Peter Gabriel, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Darlene Love, Bobby Womack, Afrika Bambaataa, Kurtis Blow, Jackson Browne and then-girlfriend Darryl Hannah, U2, George Clinton, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Bonnie Raitt, Hall & Oates, Jimmy Cliff, Big Youth, Michael Monroe, Peter Garrett, Ron Carter, Ray Barretto, Gil-Scott Heron, Nona Hendryx, Pat Benatar, and Joey Ramone. These artists refused to perform in South Africa, because to do so would have seemed to condone apartheid.
Using the Israeli culture minister's logic, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis and Bruce Springsteen were not worthy to perform for South African fans. Let's just hope that these artists continue to follow the same righteous path, and are likewise "unworthy" to perform for Israeli fans. We fans in the U.S. promise to fill their concert halls.
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