First things first, thanks to Mizrashki Jewess for these inspirational words, that 100% reflect my view on this conflict and its effects on our daily lives:
“Imagine if the war wasn’t treated like a sporting event where sides are picked but instead where human life is centered and valued no matter whose it is.
It makes sense for Jews, Israelis and Palestinians to feel more inclined to center their own people and trauma.
It doesn’t make sense for those not affected to do so or to fan the flames of war with more hateful chants and demands.Our hearts can simultaneously break for Israelis and Palestinians.
We can denounce Hamas while also heavily disagreeing with Netanyahu.
We can condemn both the attacks of October 7th and the atrocities of the Gaza conflict.
It’s called empathy.
Let’s practice it!”
And here is summary what have happened in the past weeks + some comments on my first statement:
Let’s start with my statement, as it contains a summary of things leading to publishing a statement anyhow.
Good morning everybody,
I hope you had a wonderful weekend.
I had a fantastic one until my Sunday started a little weird – When I woke up, I found myself being labeled as “confirmed Zionist who supports genocide” on the interwebs.
Here is what happened so far:
TRIPSUN (that’s a band) and some individuals posted several accusations online on their own social media channels and also commented on postings of artists playing Booze Cruise 2024Here you will find some screenshots in case you were occupied with other matters yesterday and didn’t have the chance to follow punks on instagram:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/7ijeo5ysd3iusmnxffkln/AGRNJH6ZKLqQeZ1XgLUusSY?rlkey=4ayt8r4umvcsnx2vyobg5gcqs&dl=0As you can see, I follow:
- Jufodig, an NGO supporting the exchange between Israel and Germany, fighting against growing anti-Semitism.
- Unrwa_monitor, a monitor for the link between the UN aid fund for Palestine and Hamas.
I’m not sure if this makes me (as a TRIPSUN member referred to me on X) a “confirmed Zionist who supports genocide” yet.
Chances are that Jeremy Tadros from COSMIT and AUSTEROS have already contacted you, possibly threatening you if you continue to participate in Booze Cruise 2024. I apologize for any inconvenience caused by this.I was also informed that an individual from TRIPSUN would conduct further investigation into my background. I am very flattered that a stranger would invest so much time and effort in thoroughly examining all the photos of dogs, tattoos, and vegan recipes I’ve liked over the years. Here’s what I could find myself liking across my way too many Instagram accounts that are in some way linked to the Middle East:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/38ciugomcqwoo1bzqszdx/ALBQaTwFDb7nUgeLJPAyaQo?rlkey=sfz94k5h5u4fjn0s72kyeoazk&dl=0Again I’m not sure if those make me (as a TRIPSUN member referred to me on X) a “confirmed Zionist who supports genocide” yet.
I have been questioned in multiple messages about my stance on the – let me quote Jeremy from COSMIT / AUSTEROS here – “situation in Gaza”. While I cannot fathom how my personal opinion (a festival promoter from Northern Germany, sitting in bed while typing this) can have a significant impact in this enduring conflict that has spanned decades, and has confounded generations of politicians in search of a diplomatic solution, but if individuals on the internet think differently, who am I not to give it a try:
I have no idea what your grandparents did between 1933 and 1945; mine were involved in some horrific war crimes that led to over 6,000,000 dead Jews, millions of deceased foreign soldiers, millions of deceased civilians, destroyed families, shattered circles of friends, and decimated art scenes – all due to Germany’s megalomania. So, I carry that German guilt within me and I am deeply ashamed of our past. I am grateful that today Jews can live in peace, and I understand that Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas and other adversaries.
Like many Jews and citizens of Israel, I do not support the current Israeli government, nor do I have any knowledge about Israel’s settlement plans.
The pacifist optimist in me would love to see two peaceful states, Hamas incarcerated, Netanjahu out of office, and Palestinians free to travel, work, and love whomever they choose.So, if you hold a different viewpoint on the existence of Israel, Booze Cruise might not be the right platform for your band. If you believe that shouting “from the river…” is an acceptable statement, then the stages at Booze Cruise are not the right stages for you. If you post terms like “i$rael”, “z!onist”, “gen0cide”, then fuck all the way off already.
If you no longer wish to participate in the festival, please let me know.
If you simply wish to discuss this further, feel free to reach out.
It seems that open dialogue could be beneficial in these challenging times.Cheers,
Stefan
I acknowledge that some of my statements were confusing to some of you and I am truly sorry for that. Specifically, I want to apologize for the way I phrased two sentences in my initial statement:
“If you post terms like “i$rael”, “z!onist”, “gen0cide”, then fuck all the way off already.”
Reflecting on it, I realize I came across much harsher than intended. Please let me clarify what I was trying to address:
I am not against the use of those words, I just didn’t understand why some were being used in code on the internet. Why not use the real words’ spelling and give them the seriousness they deserve? Connecting Israel with currency signs feels antisemitic to me, though. You know, money, Jews, not a good mix. In any case, I’ve learned that those codes are used because of certain algorithms that might lower the reach of posts when the correct spelling is used. My bad. Sorry, I didn’t know that.
“…. I understand that Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas and other adversaries.”
I did not intend to sound like this war is an act of self defense.
Let me be clear: Nothing can justify both the killings on Oct 7th and the ongoing killing of innocent Palestinians.
This war must end immediately!
Let me quote Standing Together on this one:
“The situation in Gaza has become a humanitarian catastrophe, with over 85% of residents displaced, many sheltering in overcrowded shelters and camps, and the entire population suffering from food insecurity, lack of drinking water, and lack of access to medical care. We know that the Israeli government’s plan to “eradicate Hamas” lacks a precedent for success, and will not make any of us, Jewish or Palestinian, any safer.”
After I published the statement my inbox And Instagram feed turned into hell afterward.
But that’s not all. Many of you reached out with uplifting messages and supported me during these challenging times.
I want to express my sincere gratitude for your kind words; they have truly helped me navigate through this period of stress.
Thank you very much :-*
Also the press found out about this incident.
Here are some press releases:
Since 2016 Booze Cruise has been an open minded boozy gathering.
We believe in tearing down walls rather than building new ones within our community. We connect more people than Nokia and we love being a hub for the international punk scene.
2024 will be our last dance and we want to dance it with y’all!
“I always dance the last dance of the season. This year someone told me not to. But I won’t be stopped. I will dance.” What applied to Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing applies to us this year too, ‘The Time Of Our Lives’ and go.
