Ed Sheeran’s North American “Loop” tour has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The British singer/songwriter has been under serious fire since his opener Benjamin Hammod Haggerty, better known as Macklemore, was kicked off Sheeran’s tour
after pressure from stadium owners.
Macklemore was allotted to play eight of Sheeran’s locations as an opener. However, stadium owner Robert Kraft refused to let Sheeran play at Gillette stadium if Macklemore was to open for him. Kraft gathered other stadium owners on Sheeran’s tour to act in solidarity.
Macklemore was seemingly punished for saying two words “Free Palestine.” Macklemore has been a loud advocate for the rights of the people in Palestine, often letting his beliefs be known on large stages. Macklemore has even released a song in support of Palestine called “Hind’s Hall,” a reference to an act of protest that took place at Columbia University. “Hind’s Hall” was a direct reaction to the death of six-year-old Hind Rajab who was killed by the Israeli military in Gaza.
Kraft said in a statement, “Based on Macklemore’s recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.” However, what Macklemore did and has done is not antisemetic. There is a common misunderstanding that any criticism of Israel and their actions in Gaza are antisemetic. This is simply not true.
Macklemore said at the very show Kraft speaks of “to all of my Jewish brothers and sisters criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, in no way is a criticism of you … My message is for peace, love, for all human beings to be treated with dignity and respect and equality.” Support for Palestine has somehow become associated with hate speech as seen with the reaction from Kraft. Kraft and others like him have weaponized the word “antisemitism” in order to silence the voices of those willing to speak out against the genocide in Palestine.
Historically, the arts are a reflection of the political climate at the time. Even more true to this fact is those in power will try to censor the arts when they don’t fit the narrative they want painted. We see history repeating itself now in the situation between Macklemore and Ed Sheeran. One was silenced for their unbending morals and beliefs and the other, though they may not agree with the decision made, was complicit in the censorship.
Censoring artists without repercussion indicates that complicity is the new normal. There is a clear distinction between hate speech and saying things that those in power deem offensive. Macklemore’s only crime was refusing to be silenced and refusing to be complicit to those who wish to brush Palestinian suffering under the rug.
