Israel / Palestine

[farfromtheland]

support spot

Alas, poor Eddie-baby

 

[AndyRM]

If only Ed Sheeran wasn't pals with Macklemore and wasn't aware he'd made political statements both with his music, and at gigs in the past...

 

[AuroraSaab]

Well you have a point there. It's not like Macklemore hasn't made his views clear, and he's been the subject of controversy previously. And Sheeran has been pro Ukraine at gigs so it's not like he has a total politics ban.
My point is that ES isn't going to bin off his whole tour for one guy or even a political view he might share (to whatever degreee) because the jobs/money involved are astronomical.

 

[AndyRM]

He didn't have to.

He could quite easily have stood by his pal and let the promoters make the decision to carry on with the tour or not.

 

[farfromtheland]

because the jobs/money involved are astronomical.

That's no excuse!
Quite the opposite.

 

[farfromtheland]

That's no excuse!
Quite the opposite.

Ok, please fess up Aurora, are you

a) a well-meaning ingenue?
b) a sophisicated provocateur?
c) other? and if so please describe your motivation.

 

[AuroraSaab]

He didn't have to.

He could quite easily have stood by his pal and let the promoters make the decision to carry on with the tour or not.

Knowing that they likely wouldn't? At which point thousands of people who had paid $200 each to see him (not Macklemore) couldn't, and hundreds of people would lose jobs/money?
It wasn't small gigs in small venues. I think you're asking too much of ES.

 

[AndyRM]

Knowing that they likely wouldn't? At which point thousands of people who had paid $200 each to see him (not Macklemore) couldn't, and hundreds of people would lose jobs/money?
It wasn't small gigs in small venues. I think you're asking too much of ES.

I really don't think I am.

If he had done, and the promoters had cancelled the tour (having to refund tickets and likely have action taken against them by venues), they come out looking like the d!ckheads and he doesn't.

 

[Rusty Nails]

While I am really no fan of Israel, far from it, nor of Ed Sheeran, I just get a bit fed up of people pontificating on how others should protest.

If Sheeran wants to make a huge protest statement, or statement in support of Palestine/Gaza, or does not, it is his business, as is the reason behind his decision.

We do not need protest police setting the standards for the correct level of protest that others should follow.

 

[AuroraSaab]

I really don't think I am.

If he had done, and the promoters had cancelled the tour (having to refund tickets and likely have action taken against them by venues), they come out looking like the d!ckheads and he doesn't.

Maybe he's weighed looking like a dickhead against disappointing the remainder of the 750k fans who bought tickets and have yet to see the shows.

 

[AndyRM]

While I am really no fan of Israel, far from it, nor of Ed Sheeran, I just get a bit fed up of people pontificating on how others should protest.

If Sheeran wants to make a huge protest statement, or statement in support of Palestine/Gaza, or does not, it is his business, as is the reason behind his decision.

We do not need protest police setting the standards for the correct level of protest that others should follow.

What's wrong with pontificating?

I don't see anything wrong in having an opinion about how he could have handled things better.

I'm not saying what he should have done.

 

[farfromtheland]

While I am really no fan of Israel, far from it, nor of Ed Sheeran, I just get a bit fed up of people pontificating on how others should protest.
We do not need protest police setting the standards for the correct level of protest that others should follow.

That's not what this is.
I had become a fan of Ed Shearan, but whether or not, it takes the biscuit for him to have a 'right' to pontificate and me to be expected excuse his lack of solidarity with his friend and colleage - on financial grounds.

If Ed has other grounds let him say so up front on stage and bloody loud, if not now on socialite media.

 

[Rusty Nails]

What's wrong with pontificating?

I don't see anything wrong in having an opinion about how he could have handled things better.

I'm not saying what he should have done.

Without pontificating this forum would not exist. And you know the old saying about opinions.

I am not sure where the line is drawn between saying what someone should do and saying what they could have done.

 

[farfromtheland]

Without pontificating this forum would not exist. And you know the old saying about opinions.

I am not sure where the line is drawn between saying what someone should do and saying what they could have done.

No, and drafting of such lines is what makes debate meaningful and necessary.
However if I think what he could have done is better than what he did do I'll say so.

 

[Rusty Nails]

That's not what this is.
I had become a fan of Ed Shearan, but whether or not, it takes the biscuit for him to have a 'right' to pontificate and me to be expected excuse his lack of solidarity with his friend and colleage - on financial grounds.

If Ed has other grounds let him say so up front on stage and bloody loud, if not now on socialite media.

It is exactly what this is.

How is he pontificating?