Roger Waters to sing in Israeli-Arab peace town

[method77]

Roger Waters has moved the venue of an upcoming rock concert in Israel to a mixed Jewish-Arab village seen as a symbol of peace following Palestinian protests and chose to hold his June 22 show in Neveh Shalom, a small community near Israel's boundary with the West Bank, instead of the coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv, to encourage co-existence.

Waters has been an outspoken critic of Israel's West Bank "wall" -- a vast network of razor-wire fences and concrete barricades that puts large swathes of occupied territory under Israeli control.

According to Reuters, 35,000 tickets have so far been sold for the Waters concert.

[Ken]

That's great that he's playing in a Jewish-Arab village as a symbol of peace.

Let's clarify though that a symbol of peace in the form of a rock concert won't help a damn with the actual conflict.

Playing music doesn't make it all better. As a matter of fact, it has never done that in the history of mankind.

[DudeAsInCool]

I would argue that music played a big role in the downfall of Communist Russian--perhaps just as much as Reagan's nuclear buildup. So you are right, a concert won't make a different - but culture can have a big affect if it wins the hearts and minds of the population - and who better to spread the notion of a better world than artists?

[Ken]

I would argue that music played a big role in the downfall of Communist Russian

I disagree completely.

Russia's military spending and the bureaucracy (specifically the economic departments that communicated with the outside with regards to global trade) were the reason for its downfall. Also, it had a little to do with the CIA's various programs to incite revolutions and counter-revolutions, where deemed necessary.

They didn't streamline their trade and they spent themselves to death. It was a "guns and butter" economy thing, and they chose guns.

but culture can have a big affect if it wins the hearts and minds of the population

That's a big buzz phrase these days, "Winning the hearts and minds".

All bullshit, especially with conservative Islam and corrupt war hawk governments in the business of reactionary politics (Israel) and social separation. Besides, there is no "the population". There are so many people it's becoming harder and harder to appeal to the "masses". Too much factioning.

Look at it this way. Hamas is a conservative Islamic body. Hamas was elected by (some or most of) the very people that this music is supposed to "win over". How do you win over conservative Muslims with a rock concert?

That's like trying to get a conservative Christian to sodmize Chef's black ass.

[Redneck4sure]

and who better to spread the notion of a better world than artists?

More liberal diatribe.

Just what I need to enlighten me. Some mofo that plays a guitar while maxed out on drugs.

I can get the same quality opinions from crack whores and beach bums. :happy:

For a real high quality opinion on the notion of a better world just ask some gun nut/redneck/sheep poker. :P

[DudeAsInCool]

I can get the same quality opinions from crack whores and beach bums. :happy:

Since when have you decided to lower your standards from mutton to not'in?

I would argue that music played a big role in the downfall of Communist Russian

I disagree completely.

Well, then we agree to disagree

[Ken]

Well, the we agree to disagree laugh.gif

I do not agree to agree with our disagreement.

I agree that you disagree with my assessment of your disagreement, but I......................(at this point Ken's head a' splodes).

(Don't forget to include the actual counter-argument next time Dude Dastardly).

[method77]

I agree that music did not play a role in Russia but Ken has to agree that art is there to "wake up" people. Get them involved. Let them know that there is a problem there. It won't solve problems.

We are here talking about it so Waters' idea worked.

[Redneck4sure]

Since when have you decided to lower your standards

Standards?

[Ken]

but Ken has to agree that art is there to "wake up" people.

Art has the ability to do that (and I never said otherwise), I was just touching upon Dude's idea that it can wake up a large mass of conservative Muslims and their Jewish counter-parts.

We are here talking about it so Waters' idea worked.

What is Waters' idea exactly? If you're saying that Waters' idea is to get people to think/talk about what he's doing then of course that's going to work. He has "celebrity" status and a following.

If you're saying that Waters' idea is to attempt to "reach" conservative muslims, then you're both in for a disappointment.