Pop Culture and the South Africa/Israel Boycotts
Alright, I’ve become a bit obsessed with the South Africa anti-apartheid boycott. I’ve already posted about Linda Ronstadt and Paul Simon breaking the boycott to the scorn of anti-apartheid activists/the world. There were lots of others - Frank Sinatra, Tina Turner, Queen, Ray Charles, Cher and Elton John to name a few - who often became the subject of boycotts themselves upon their return home from performing in South Africa.
Part of my obsession is simply that I like reading about 80s pop stars (even if their complicity in South Africa’s apartheid upsets me deeply. Why Cher!?). The other part of my obsession is seeing how the current Israel boycott compares with the 1980s South Africa one. Will pop stars performing in Israel soon be submitted to the same level of scrutiny and scorn as those that performed in South Africa? Are they already? Where do those that stood so firmly against South Africa’s apartheid - Bono, Harry Belafonte, Stevie Wonder - stand with regard to Israel’s apartheid?* Will the Israel boycotters ever come up with a protest song as catchy and awesome asthe one below by Artists United Against Apartheid?** And, lastly, will the artists united against Israel’s apartheid ever be as A-Listy as the Artists United Against Apartheid?
* Is it fair to equate South Africa with Israel? Can what’s happening in Israel be accurately called ‘apartheid’? This celestial ledger has the answers to all.
** The list of artists that make up the ‘Artists United Against Apartheid’ include, amongst others, Bruce Springsteen, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Pat Benatar, Ringo Starr, U2, Jackson Browne, Darryl Hannah (wha? oh, she was dating muso Jackson Browne at the time. Carry on), Keith Richards, Peter Garrett (He’s an Aussie politician now! What’s his stance on Palestine?!), Bonnie Raitt and Hall & Oates.
*** Also check out this 1985 Jet article asking whether it is ethical of African-American artists to break the boycott. Some interesting quotes there from some who broke the boycott and regretted it (eg. Tina Turner).
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