In case you didn’t get the memo, former Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten aka John Lydon is really not so rotten. Back in 2010, he rejected calls to boycott Israel to play here himself.
Fast forward to now, and I am pleased to see that time has not dulled his senses. In a recent interview, he showed he is still is on the right side of history.
Bonus: The interview was with the Irish Independent (because the Irish in particular need to hear this):
Public Image Limited played in Tel Aviv in 2010. Would he play Israel again?
“I played to real human beings, not a bunch of politicians. At that time, there were a lot of Arab nationals and they get the same rights as a Jew. The country is more mixed than you’re led to believe, it’s not just ‘Jews only’, far from it. There were lots of Muslims in the audience when I played there. That was special because no Muslim nation has invited me, not ever.”
But can he see why people object to it? “Unacceptable that you would find it unacceptable because you’re working on what you’ve been told rather than what you found out for yourself. The education system turns people indoctrinated rather than educated and they all seem to be flowing this one poisonous way that does not accept freedom of differences of thought. If you want diversity, accept diverse opinions, then talk about what is right or wrong.”
The day we speak, Trump posted an AI-generated video of hotels on the Gaza Strip. “A wicked sense of humour,” says Lydon, but hardly funny for the people living there? “I think as a citizen, I’d welcome the influx of money. Hamas are basically just Jew exterminators, that’s their only real purpose, they don’t correct the environment for its citizens. I think the citizens would be welcoming. Commerce, that’s what he’s introducing. Started out as a mad idea but there are some good possibilities there to end the troubles.”
What moral clarity.
Meanwhile, his press conference from when he was here in 2010 still ranks up there as one of the all-time classics!
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