Tonya Pinkins-Helmed BROADWAY SUPPORTS BLACK LIVES MATTER Concert Cancelled at Feinstein's/54 Below

Well, this should be interesting.

Thread here that's worth reading:

https://twitter.com/BenFerber/status/773899137901289474

Their explanation is a certainly fair and valid one, which the owners of a private entity are also fully entitled to; regardless of whether you like it or not. Although I fully support the concept of "Black Lives Matter," I too am concerned with the use of language related to divestment of Israeli businesses in the official policy platform of an organization tasked with acting as the authorized representative of aforementioned concept/movement. It's a shame the organization had to tarnish the validity and legitimacy of their own movement with such hyperbolic and, possibly to some, threatening language against another group also wrongly oppressed all over the world on a daily basis.

That is just the beginning

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/09/theater/black-lives-matter-benefit-feinsteins-54-below-canceled-israel.html?

yeah, Israel is like a big deal here

qolbinau said: "I didn't realise such a wide support for Israel in the USA. I have been 'taught' that Israel has essentially stolen Palestinian land and continues to do so.







"

You were "taught" wrong!!!

Can someone link me to some information to inform me about this issue? Assuming it doesn't have religious propaganda that they have some god given right to the land, which is obviously false because there is no God.

I can fully understand them not agreeing with certain points of the platform and not wanting to support something they don't agree with. However, I am curious as to whether they discussed this with the artists and tried to reach a compromise. If they talked with artists and couldn't reach a decision they could both live with, cancelling makes sense. If not, they probably were just looking for any reason to no longer host the event.

The reason is totally valid.

Call_me_jorge said: "BroadwayConcierge said: "qolbinau said: "I have been 'taught' that Israel has essentially stolen Palestinian land and continues to do so."

Not true.



"

While I don't agree Israel has stolen land from Palestine. I do believe they have overstepped their powers in stripping basically all fundamental rights from the Palestinians and they need to agree to a two party state. Israel is just stubborn.

I don't believe qolbinau is wrong, because Australia is right most of the time.

OH I don't think so....

Same-sex unions are treated as de facto unions under Australian federal law, though each Australian state and territory is entitled to create their own laws with respect to same-sex relationship registers and same-sex partnership schemes. Civil unions and domestic partnerships are available to same-sex couples in most states and territories. Same-sex couples are prevented from marrying by the definition of marriage contained within the federal Marriage Act(1961), as amended in 2004 by the Howard Government."

"

It's not likely you're going to get "the truth" from the AJC. A marvelous organization... but fairly extreme toward folks who criticize Israel's policies (including pointed criticisms of Tony Kushner and Barack Obama).

As with all difficult situations, there's one side's truth and the other side's truth. If you're interested, I'd encourage you to seek out sources that incorporate multiple viewpoints. Though somewhat dated, David Hare's Via Dolorosa does a pretty marvelous job incorporating various voices on the issue.

It's fairly irresponsible that 54 Below would cancel this concert so close to the date. The views of BLM on Israel were widely publicized weeks ago. I don't necessarily agree with BLM views on Israel, but it's their right to have those views and not have it effect their very powerful work on police brutality and race dialogue here in the US. There are several, several, several conservative policies endorsed by the Israeli government that it's doubtful many US liberals would agree with... however that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of value in Israel. It seems odd to say... "HOW DARE BLM SUGGEST AN ISRAELI BOYCOTT BECAUSE OF PROBLEMATIC POLICES! WE FIND THEIR POLICIES PROBLEMATIC SO WE ARE GOING TO BOYCOTT THEM!"