Frank Turner on Israel Boycotts

One of BB’s favourite artists, Frank Turner, is back in the news following a series of controversial dates within the Israeli borders.

Obviously, and quite rightly, the recent actions of the Israeli government regarding their enforcement of the blockade of Gaza has drawn a great deal of attention internationally, both from the public and private sectors, from diplomats and punks alike. Similar to the kind of reception Arizona’s new immigration laws have received, the overwhelming calls have been for swift political action, sanctions and boycotts of Israel, as if these actions would somehow honour the lives of those gravely effected by Netanyahu and his cronies.

To draw from Propagandhi’s A Public Dis-service Announcement From Shell, “it’s easy enough to sit in your comfortable homes in the West, calling for sanctions and boycotts … but you have to be sure that knee-jerk reactions won’t do more harm than good.” Sure, these words may have originated with the Shell petroleum company, but that doesn’t mean they don’t apply. This is where Frank Turner comes in.

In a blog posted on his website following his return to more ethical and democratic shores, Frank posted a lengthy update on his travels, defending his actions and generally outlining what he saw/did. Obviously, because he didn’t fly the punker flag and flip Israel the ol’ bird once the first floatilla was fired upon, he was criticised by the greater punk rock community. He did not boycott, and instead honoured both his commitment to the shows and the integrity of the greater Israeli population, in the belief that the actions of the government are not representative of the greater Israeli consciousness. In his defense he writes,

“For what it’s worth, I think the basic problem of two competing nationalisms claiming the same territory is a thorny one. I think Israel has a real problem in that its leadership schooled itself in an era of genuine existential threats (1967, 1973, to say nothing of the Holocaust) but is applying that mindset to a fundamentally different reality with a different balance of power. I think the Palestinians are suffering, but I think too many people are too quick to overlook what an awful bunch of shits Hamas are.

It’s not at all clear to me that, even if I did unconditionally condemn the Israeli government (which I don’t), I shouldn’t play shows there. The shows were organized by private citizens without any state involvement, and I’m not in the habit of judging individuals by the actions of their government. We in the UK and the USA, after all, have the Iraq war and occupation hanging over our collective heads. Of course I’m aware that some artists are boycotting Israel, as is their right; however it seems morally duplicitous to me to boycott Israel and not (say) the USA. Maybe big artists can afford to boycott one small state for the sake of some media grandstanding, and not the other, their main cashcow?”

Again, I hate harping on the same topics over and over, but this makes a hell of a lot more sense to me than anything ever spewed out of the mouths of Anti-Flag or bands of that ilk. For the record, I think that boycotts in certain situations can be effective, but the circumstances under which this ideal application can be made do not and cannot exist in contemporary society. That being said, I think that depriving a state like Israel or a state like Arizona (note that I used state in two different ways in one sentence – spiffy!) of something as trivial as a Frank Turner gig is just that – trivial. I understand if the gig or performance in question has some kind of connection to the state in question, then it can be effective. However, to deny the masses live entertainment will have the most minimal of impact on their overall existence, and will not spur political change. ESPECIALLY because Frank Turner, let’s face it, just isn’t a worldwide phenomenon commanding the allegiances of hundreds of thousands. If anything, in the event of a boycott-related cancellation, those who would desire to watch him perform in Israel would see Frank Turner as a dick, something that I just don’t think he is.

I think I’ll end this post on that note.