{"id":23537,"date":"2026-07-29T12:54:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T20:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/?p=23537"},"modified":"2026-07-29T12:56:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T20:56:48","slug":"re-boy-georges-pro-israel-song","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/2026\/07\/29\/re-boy-georges-pro-israel-song\/","title":{"rendered":"Re-Boy George&#8217;s Pro-Israel Song"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>(Note: This is essentially all of the responses I received, posted in approximate order of their arrival in my inbox.)<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Bob,<\/p>\n<p>Hollywood didn\u2019t lose its moral compass after October 7. It revealed that it never had one.<\/p>\n<p>The industry has largely broken into four groups:<\/p>\n<p>1. The moral frauds.\u00a0They loudly championed BLM, LGBTQ rights, Stop Asian Hate, and every fashionable cause, then suddenly discovered \u201cnuance\u201d when Jews were raped, kidnapped, and murdered. Their humanity was conditional. Plenty of them are Jewish.<\/p>\n<p>2. The anti-Israel obsessives.\u00a0They hold Israel to standards they apply to no other country or conflict. When the world\u2019s only Jewish state is uniquely demonized and denied the right to defend itself, \u201canti-Zionism\u201d becomes a convenient disguise for something much older.<\/p>\n<p>3. The cowards and sheep.\u00a0Probably the largest group. They know better, but they know which opinion keeps them safe at dinner parties, on sets, and in group chats. An industry obsessed with congratulating itself for its courage has shown how little courage it actually has.<\/p>\n<p>4. The tiny minority willing to stand up.\u00a0The people who defend Jews, condemn antisemitism, and defend Israel\u2019s right to exist and protect itself even when there\u2019s a cost. I\u2019m proud to be in that hated little group alongside Boy George.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for posting this, Bob and kudos to Boy George for bravery none of us saw coming.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m sick of the fake humanitarians, the cowardice, and the selective morality that somehow extends to everyone except Jews. \u00a0Some of which have been dear friends.<\/p>\n<p>Send people to my Instagram @leetrink. For nearly three years, I\u2019ve been defending our people and Israel publicly through relentless venom, antisemitism, and death threats.<\/p>\n<p>xo?Lee Trink<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Bravo Bob.??I\u2019m so tired of having to explain what true genocide looks like.??It\u2019s not dropping leaflets, alerting residents of incoming air strikes?It\u2019s not polio vaccines?It\u2019s not food distribution??Want to know what genocide looks like..???Any of the transports that went to the camps (like Auschwitz) and straight into the gas chamber, especially if you were a child (or over 50 or pregnant). Poof &#8211; gone.??Over 1.5 MILLION children (and babies) were murdered in the Holocaust. That\u2019s 90% of the Jewish children in pre-war Europe.??And yet the Palestinian population has grown. That\u2019s not genocide. No one is denying the suffering and pain &#8211; but that\u2019s war, not genocide.??No one talks about the Rwandan genocide, where 800,000 Tutsis (and moderate Hutus) were killed in 100 days.??Or the Armenian genocide, where the Ottomans killed 1.5 million Armenians between 1915-1920.??Thank you Bob, and Boy George!!<\/p>\n<p>Simma Levine<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for this.<br \/>\nIf you want to educate those that will challenge that there is no genocide<br \/>\nThis is an explanation by an Arab Christian<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DbI-9wsNaGT\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:500px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DbI-9wsNaGT\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Stuart Wax<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thanks to you and Boy George.??It seems that each day, Jews are attacked in the U.S., or Canada or Europe or Australia. \u00a0Of course, if anyone attacked Muslims because they are mad at Hamas or Iran, or Chinese because they are mad about the Uyghurs, or Russians because they mad about Putin\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, such an attack would be universally condemned. \u00a0But not when the victims are Jews. \u00a0Why is that? \u00a0Some would blame the attacks on Jews on the (non) genocide in Gaza. \u00a0It would be the only \u201cgenocide\u201d in history where (a) the \u201cvictim\u201d starts a war by killing and sexually assaulting as many innocent people as they can, (b) the \u201cvictim\u201d takes hostages and starves them and assaults them and holds them for ~2 years, (c) the \u201caccused\u201d provides millions of meals to the \u201cvictim,\u201d (d) when the \u201cvictim\u201d finally releases the emaciated hostages of the \u201caccused,\u201d the war ends that day, and (e) the population of the \u201cvictim\u201d has increased overall, not decreased.\u00a0??Hoping for peace for both sides.??Regards,?Phil Tretiak<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>I stand with Israel! And have no time at all for the \u201cpoor Palestinians\u201d. Those poor Palestinians have been whining about Israel since 1948, and for what? The elimination of the Jewish state. Sorry, the Holocaust is real! At least 6,000,000\u00a0Jews and others (and probably more) people were killed by the Nazis. The Jewish state is here; they are fighting for their lives.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>What totally bewilders me is that the left-wing fringe is the one for the Palestinians. Probably because they have been propagandized by them for 20 years or longer now. I remember there was a fringe group around my college in the late \u201870s. The fringe left sucks that trash up under their \u201cpoor, poor pitiful me\u201d side. oh f*cking hell. They\u2019ve never met a \u201cminority\u201d that their heart couldn\u2019t bleed for (and demand that the entire US Treasury be spent on giving said minority undeserved cash.)<\/p>\n<p>Thanks and Best Regards,?Gordon Shenkle<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s a misreading of the facts, maybe Boy George will set you straight.<\/p>\n<p>I hope so.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Nope.??Keep hoping, Bob.<\/p>\n<p>Mark Balletto<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Boy who? \u00a0That\u2019s a lot of weight on the word \u201csystematic\u201d. \u00a0Whatever gets you and Netanyahu to sleep. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>danielcronindwyer<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Not going to unfollow.\u00a0Disagreeing with you, entirely. It\u2019s a genocide. It was a war until Israel won and kept going. Just because no one in surrendering doesn\u2019t mean it should go on. The country had been destroyed. Now Lebanon. When is enough enough\u2014it\u2019s gone on so long that the UN recognizes\u00a0it is, in fact, a genocide. They called it in 2025 ffs.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/09\/16\/g-s1-89014\/israel-gaza-genocide-un-inquiry<\/p>\n<p>Vicki Whicker<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Bravo to Boy George for being brave enough to release the song and for you to write about it!??Nate Benditzson<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Amen, brother<br \/>\n?David Lizerbram<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Good for him. It takes Balls.\u00a0<br \/>\nScary to think what will happen to the Jews in a Post-Trump world.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Thanks,<br \/>\nErnie Canadeo<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Cheers to you. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Lizzz Kritzer<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Wow, this is one of your worst emails! As a fan of yours I\u2019m disappointed. Go visit the West Bank sometime and see what Palestinians are facing. Absolute nonsense bob.<\/p>\n<p>Hassan El-Tayyab<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>It has been said that if the Palestinians put down their weapons today there would be peace in the region tomorrow, and if the Israelis put down their weapons today there would be bloodbath tomorrow.<br \/>\n\u00a0 \u00a0<br \/>\ndennis\u00a0brent<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>And it&#8217;s a good song too.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Bruce Greenberg<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>As usual I agree with you whole heartedly and I love the Boy George song and his support. Thank you for continuing to speak up.<\/p>\n<p>Jed Garfunkel<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Hi Bob-?I doesn\u2019t matter if you agree with Boy George\u2019s position or not.\u00a0?You have to appreciate the fact he is channeling the long, lost 60s\/70s Rock Star. The artists who wrote songs about opposing the war in Vietnam, equal rights for blacks and women, opposition to nuclear power and much more. Many of whom paid a price for voicing their convictions and became legend with others.\u00a0?Long Live Rock\u2026.??Mark Maheu?Barrie, Ontario<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thank you, Bob.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Amy\u00a0Krak\u00f3w<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Gaza is not a genocide? The systemic control and withholding of basic supplies for living doesn\u2019t meet your definition of a genocide?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>andres reyes<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Right on Bob, truth to power!<\/p>\n<p>Bruce Foster<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>The rest of the world is forming a different opinion and assessment. Maybe focus on the government of the country and not the country itself. It might help you and BG better understand that not every opinion falls under \u201cantisemitism\u201d.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nKinda like\u2026Americans do not prefer blowing up an all girls school \u2026but \u201cAmerica\u201d did that, as well as shot and killed their own citizens in the street.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nTrump and his policies around the world have most definitely created a fiercely negative view of America \u2026.just as Bibi has with Israel.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nAben Eubanks<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for speaking up. We are at defcon 1 when it comes to antisemitism. We should just call it Jew hate. The propaganda started by the Islamists has merged with the socialists and here we are. Enemies on the extreme left and extreme right. We should have learned from history but too many are just not paying attention.?Anat<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m not a Jew, but I agree with you. The hypocrisy of the average &#8220;antizionist&#8221; is staggering. And it is nice to hear someone pro-Israel speak out against the settlements. I am anti organized religion in general as it seems the large religious institutions seem to inflict death, pain and suffering upon people in order to maintain their power. So, as you said, I assume the average Israeli is a decent person just as is the average Protestant, Catholic, Hindu or Muslim. It is the governments of theocracies that are usually the true evil.<\/p>\n<p>Matt\u00a0Grandi<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;But if you&#8217;re not willing to risk being castigated for going against groupthink, you&#8217;re not an artist, you&#8217;re a pussy.&#8221;<br \/>\nF*ckin&#8217; A, brother&#8230;.<\/p>\n<p>Todd Schnick<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>So few things that hit my inbox these days make me feel hopeful. This was one of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Sincerely,<br \/>\nC Goldstein\u00a0<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>The mystery to me is the October 7 attack. It\u2019s almost impossible to believe that Mossad, the best intelligence service in the world, as well as U.S. intelligence and others, could\u00a0miss that this attack was coming.\u00a0??John Small<br \/>\nFlorida\u00a0<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>I stand with Israel and the Jews. And even you, you crazy leftist. Grow up and abandon your lefty BS. Prayers and blessings.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Douglas E. Quinn<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Good on him. \u00a0Good on you.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211;Charlie Sanders, Zionist and humanist<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>The UN has concluded Israel has met 4\/5 of the criteria to commit genocide in Gaza<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/en\/press-releases\/2025\/09\/israel-has-committed-genocide-gaza-strip-un-commission-finds<\/p>\n<p>Van Patton<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Excellent missive, Bob. Don\u2019t worry about the haters trolling your inbox. They\u2019re on the wrong side of history and humanity, though their drunken ignorance tells them otherwise. Am Israel Chai!??Andrea Bergman\u00a0?Toronto<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thank you Bob.<\/p>\n<p>Marc Sussman<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Debate me live you coward.<\/p>\n<p>Ash Avildsen<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Hey Bob,<br \/>\nThat is pretty amazing of Boy George. Never a big fan, but certainly aware of CC and his music, etc.<br \/>\nYour lines: &#8220;But I do know the rest of the world defines me as being a Jew. Someone who doesn&#8217;t conform. Who is loud and has an opinion. And I know even if I try and behave like them, they still see me as the other, a Jew.&#8221;, sound just like my father and stepfather! Both proud Jews. Gone 50 and 20+ year now.<br \/>\nThe song is pretty good, hard to sing along, great lyrics.\u00a0<br \/>\nWe will dance again will be on my brain for a while! If you&#8217;re ever confused&#8230;.<br \/>\nThanks,<br \/>\nAvrum Miller<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Bob, those who unfollow will be the \u201cantizionism isn\u2019t the same as antisemitism\u201d group, and honestly, they\u2019re not the brightest of the bunch anyway.<\/p>\n<p>Dorit Kalev<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Boy George<br \/>\nThis is great Bob&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Jack Tempchin<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Cmon Bob, you know better than this. People who are pro Palestinian don\u2019t hate the individual Jew; they hate Bibi and his militaristic murder. The government, not the people.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re smart enough to know the difference.\u00a0<br \/>\n&#8212;<br \/>\nPaul Bordenkircher<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for the post.<br \/>\nBest,<br \/>\nBrian Levi<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>I always loved Boy George.?Good for him.?\u201cChurch of the Poison Mind\u201d was his masterpiece, IMO. A sophisticated love song, like many he wrote, but that was his best.\u00a0?\u2014Emory Damron<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for this.<\/p>\n<p>Jay Shore<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Bravo<\/p>\n<p>Thank you,<\/p>\n<p>David Wolle<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Is Boy George the new Bono???I stand with you and all the Jewish people Bob.??Keep going as you always do\u2026..??Kevin O\u2019Donnell<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>keep yer Zionism and yer faith Bob.\u00a0 we&#8217;ve earned it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>David Elkins<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Amen Bob. \u00a0Incredibly well articulated. \u00a0We all need to spread this message verbatim. \u00a0 Very scary and precarious time for us as Jews. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Thank you for standing up and speaking the truth as usual no matter how personally risky or costly. \u00a0 \u00a0 Andrew (fellow 4-22 birthday boy whose 23 and me came back 99.5% ashkenazi). \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Andrew M. Zacks<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Every human rights org on earth calls this a genocide\u2026you have the definition wrong yourself! Which is a common result of Israel\u2019s PR efforts.<\/p>\n<p>Boy George was probably the worst person they could have contracted for this (and yes, Israel is paying for it, the details of their influencer operation and contract structures was leaked already) &#8211; I do not know anyone in the gay community who wants him speaking for them, he\u2019s a known abuser.<\/p>\n<p>We Jews really have to get away from this victim stuff. We are not the victims here, it\u2019s just such a bad look for us. Bleh.<\/p>\n<p>Ryan Darlinbg<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>You can be a non-Jew (or in my case, a no-longer-practicing Jew) and still be an aggressive advocate for our people. I do my best each day, even when the Hamas-lovers try to kill me. Huzzah to Boy George!<br \/>\n?Adam Guillette<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for speaking up. Kids don&#8217;t know history, most of them going to see the Odyssey this weekend had never even heard of it (including 2 of my own expensively educated 30-somethings). They don&#8217;t know history, or the classics.\u00a0 But they were impressed.\u00a0 I listen to Dan Senor&#8217;s podcast. He&#8217;s great.<\/p>\n<p>Cathy Hausman<br \/>\nMamaroneck NY<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve been enjoying your writing since 2013. I especially love it when you parse out albums from the 60s and 70s. But this piece, imho, is far and away the most incisive one you have ever written. It captures my thinking exactly, especially about the kind of Jews who voted for Mamdani. Thank you,?<br \/>\nFrom an ardent NJ Zionist,?<br \/>\nFran Denmark<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>I find this truly sad, been a decades long subscriber. Some of the most respected Jewish genocide scholars call it exactly what it is, a genocide. Read Omer Bartov&#8217;s essay in the NY Times last week, or read Ungrounding by Eyal Weizman, The Architecture of Genocide (published this year). There are so many more Jewish incredible scholars and academics that speak to the horrific things happening to Palestinian people (Norman Finkelstein, Naomi Klein, Gabor Mate and many others). I won&#8217;t say more on it. This has nothign to do with antisemitism, but everything to do with an extremist government carrying out some of the most attrocious crimes against humanity, ones they themselves were victims of less than 100 years ago. Brave are those musicians taking an actual stance on this.??Marlon Ray<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>F*ck off gay boy&#8230;\u00a0 Trumpstein lover&#8230;good old Natty is the puppet master&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Robert McMullin<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for bringing this to my attention. My respect for Boy George is all encompassing. What a beautiful way of expressing solidarity and hoping for peace and love for the future. Let\u2019s hope we can all dance again soon.<\/p>\n<p>Best\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Rob Scott<br \/>\nFounder\u00a0<br \/>\nSource Music Australia<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Hey Bob, Let me first say that I was born into the Jewish diaspora. No one asked my permission. I was bar mitzva H\u00e0&#8217;d. That was the last time I cooperated with peer pressure to act Jewish. I don&#8217;t like cultural dividing lines. I think the Jews do. They like to be different, special.??Let me say this as clearly as I can: Netanyahu is a war criminal. He has access to 21st Century American-made war technology, and he is using it against a people who are helpless to defend themselves against repeated bombings and assaults against women and children. This is not a &#8220;war,&#8221; it&#8217;s a genocide. Boy George (bless his heart) is delusional. If he wants to stand by the side of Netanyahu, let him deal with the consequences when the chips fall.\u00a0??Don&#8217;t you know that Netanyahu is doing all this for one simple purpose? To forestall his inevitable trial for corruption. At least the Israelis, unlike the Americans, have a democratic judicial system to hold these scoundrels accountable. Take a look at Trump, then at Netanyahu. You see a difference? I don&#8217;t.??Yer pal,?Ted Myers<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Amen! You go Boy!<\/p>\n<p>Dan Wiethorn<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Great song. I wish it had a bridge. I want to hear more bridges in new music.<\/p>\n<p>Alex Walsh<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for this, Bob.<\/p>\n<p>Jon Gordon<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Ummm, Israel absolutely has been committing a genocide.\u00a0 Why do you think Netanyahu is a designated war criminal with international warrants out for his arrest?\u00a0 Just because you\u2019re Jewish doesn\u2019t mean you have to downplay genocide and war crimes from Israel\u2019s government.\u00a0 You\u2019re totally tripping and wrong on this, and just because Boy George made a pro-Israel song doesn\u2019t mean he is right on the issue.<\/p>\n<p>Gabe Lehner<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Brilliant! Boy George is a hero on so many levels and Lefsetz calls it straight.<\/p>\n<p>Mark Gresser<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Another proud Jew here Bob. \u00a0Boy George\u2019s \u00a0song is the best thing to happen for the Jews worldwide in a long time.. we need all the non- Jewish allies who can cut through the bullsh*t and show the truth!!\u00a0?<br \/>\nDayle Levy<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Great.??Thank you.??Andrew Lurie?Mint Artist Managwmwnt<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m surprised at this angry, simplistic rant from you Mr Lefsetz &#8211; your binary way of thinking leaves out so much nuance and historical context, effectively suggesting everyone who disagrees with you is an anti-semite or stupidly uninformed. As a Jew of a similar vintage and secular inclinations like you, I try to leave room for critical perspectives of the conflict, its history and its perpetuation, that includes empathy for the innocents of both Palestine and Israel, for Muslims and Jews, who have suffered so much. The murderous horrors of October 7 and the killing of 10s of thousands of Palestinian citizens and near complete destruction of their country &#8211; neither can be justified nor supported. It doesn\u2019t help to blame it all on one side or the other. Both are complicit. There has to be another way that acknowledges both realities. Would that perspective make for a good pop song? \u00a0Probably not. Nor is it a perspective that will make headlines. So we remain stuck in the mud. Shame.<\/p>\n<p>Robert<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for this Bob. \u00a0Horrified and disgusted every day here. \u00a0Thank you for using your voice to speak this. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Kia Kamran<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Great column. I&#8217;m proud of you. You&#8217;re a real mensch.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks,<br \/>\nJay Lewis<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t agree with you very often politically, however on this I agree 1000%.<\/p>\n<p>I was talking with my wife today and mentioned a similar situation where if the same things were being said and done to ANY other race, how most of the country would be in an uproar. \u00a0But it seems because it\u2019s the Jews, the response is muted.<\/p>\n<p>That, in and of itself, is sad.<\/p>\n<p>I have long wondered how Jewish people in the US can support, primarily the Democratic Party with Omar, AOC and some others actively against the Jewish people simply because they are Jewish.<\/p>\n<p>We have to get back to simply respecting each other for our differences and appreciating those differences before we\u2019ll begin to heal as a country.<\/p>\n<p>It starts with each of us, one action at a time. Speaking up against one injustice at a time. \u00a0Not a perceived injustice, a real injustice.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s hard, it takes balls, but it\u2019s the right thing to do, and doing hard things is supposed to be hard.<\/p>\n<p>Joie- Florida<\/p>\n<p>Joie Davis<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Beautifully said<\/p>\n<p>Steve<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for making your people and ancestors proud.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Nick Scapa<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>GFY<\/p>\n<p>Michael Montes<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thanks Bob<\/p>\n<p>Thomas Kornfeld<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Excellent! Thank you.\u00a0??Etan G<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thank you, Bob.<\/p>\n<p>David Pearl<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for this.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Wendy Leitman\u00a0<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Great for Boy George to take a stand. I\u2019m so sick of the left and its pro Palestinian bullsh*t.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m starting to hate the leftist f*cking socialist Jew hating traitorous Mandami loving \u00a0quisling Dem party. I voted for Kamala in 2024\u00a0and frankly wonder why. Only Trump is addressjng Iranian terror state. Obama caved. Bernie Warren Kamala all represent entrenched labor unions govt unions universities big pharma anti AI rhetoric. Anti entrepreneurs anti growth and anti progress. I associate Dems w major labels. Like that bitch Hillary Rosen who helped sue Napster users. F*ck the major labels. Trump is an ass but I\u2019m thinking he is better than the commie Dem alternatives \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Derek Morris<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Get a clue Bob, watch real journalism<\/p>\n<p>Apartheid in Palestine: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=dsVDPzJzc98&#038;t=2236s<\/p>\n<p>Peter Ferioli<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>I wonder how many people in the U.S. have seen this?<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Hamas Massacre-Documented War Crimes&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/www.hamas-massacre.net\/<\/p>\n<p>best,<br \/>\nMichael Laskow<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Hi Bob\u00a0<br \/>\nA Jewish Israeli here. \u00a0Thank you for this. \u00a0I couldnt agree more.?One love<br \/>\nOrly Marley<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Well said Bob, and well sung Boy George.\u00a0??Much love from a gentile,??Peter Brentnall<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>As my dear late Grandma would say \u2018&#8221;A lebn af dayne kishkes!&#8221;\u00a0(Yiddish:\u00a0?? ???? ???? ????? ??????)\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for being a mensch as ever<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for being here<\/p>\n<p>Gezunt af dayn kop<\/p>\n<p>Sheldon<br \/>\n?Sheldon Lazarus????<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Well said Bob!?And bravo Boy George, a true mensch!??Jamie Danan from London<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Palestinians who&#8217;ve perished as a result of the activities of Hamas, blaming it all on Israel.&#8221;<br \/>\nPalestinians, in MULTIPLE DOZENS OF THOUSANDS have perished at the hands of the Bibi gang.<br \/>\nHowever vile the monsters of Hamas are, you cannot deny that the countless deaths in Gaza have been caused by the activities of Israel.<br \/>\nIt&#8217;s not a misreading of the facts, it IS THE FACTS.<br \/>\nStop falling into a trap of arms-length cultural fear, look at the political reality and get a sense of proportion.<br \/>\nMark Studden<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Wow, you went there.\u00a0?Two positions can be true at the same time.\u00a0?Antisemitism is awful and a stain on humanity.\u00a0?But 100 years of displacement and brutality against Palestinians is equally horrendous &#8211; and the latest escalation over the past few years is disproportionately cruel.?Conflating antisemitism with disdain for a rightwing, racist and hateful Israeli government and its ministers is schoolboy error 101.?Maybe you should moderate a talk with Boy George and Roger Waters\u2026 that would be fun.<\/p>\n<p>Louis Warner<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Point of fact, &#8220;genocide&#8221; is a technical term whose definition can be read here:\u00a0https:\/\/www.un.org\/en\/genocide-prevention\/definition<\/p>\n<p>You may have a different definition; but, when genocide scholars declare what Israel is doing in Gaza to be a &#8220;genocide&#8221;, this is the definition they&#8217;re using.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Just to be clear, I do believe antisemitism is a problem. However, when you conflate Judaism with the actions of the Israel government, then you contribute to the problem.<\/p>\n<p>Paul<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>We just hate Zionists who want to link the USA and Israel together bro. Chill out. And why did so many Gaza children have 5,56 rounds to the face???? \u00a0That\u2019s odd isn\u2019t it??? Thousands of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Dank 215<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Hi Bob?I just want to thank You and Boy George for standing up for decency. All the best,?\/\/Bengt Kirschon<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Hello Bob<br \/>\nThank you so much for your current email and alerting us to what is going on and the release of this song. I think it really took courage for Boy George to put himself out there and come up with such a strong statement that had great conviction.. if somebody was going to do this, it just couldn\u2019t be some half assed song that was just thrown together.<\/p>\n<p>This is a work of quality up and down from the song to the production, and that speaks volumes about what this all meant to him. It means a lot to me and it can\u2019t be denied what he is saying.. it\u2019s amazing and the truth for him to say how many Jewish friends has had in his life and now is not the time to abandon them. Many can say the same thing.. and I hope they do.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s see how strong this message is and how many people come and embrace it.. I will just say I\u2019ve got incredible respect for him, his courage and his artistry to put this all together<\/p>\n<p>Peace,Jason Miles<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>You are on the wrong side of history. My father was a Jewish teenager from New Jersey when he helped liberate the\u00a0Leipzig-Thekla concentration camp toward the end of World War II. He was on the right side of history his entire life (including telling our family he would move us to Canada if either of my two older brothers were drafted for the Vietnam War).<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry\u00a0&#8220;released a report concluding that Israeli authorities and security forces committed acts meeting four of the five definitions under the 1948 Genocide Convention: killing, causing serious bodily or mental harm, inflicting conditions calculated to bring about physical destruction, and imposing measures to prevent births.\u201d\u00a0The International Association of Genocide Scholars &#8220;passed a resolution stating that Israel&#8217;s conduct in Gaza fulfills the criteria for genocide.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This is not what my father and millions of other soldiers fought for. If my dad was alive today, he would be appalled.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not going to deny that antisemitism exists \u2013 it has for centuries. But being anti-genocide, anti-war and\/or anti-Netanyahu are not acts of antisemitism.<\/p>\n<p>Neil Krupnick<br \/>\nAmerican Immigrant in Porto, Portugal<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for speaking out\u00a0<br \/>\n?Aaron Stern<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Jews support Mamdani. Jews are Democrats. Democrats hate jews. Bob, that&#8217;s who you are too. You vote for the Democrats to hate Jews.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>No sympathy for Isreal or Gaza because you&#8217;re both stupid.<\/p>\n<p>Chris Badynee<br \/>\nDetroit\u00a0<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Wow! Thank you for sharing this. News of this song would have otherwise not reached me. And your analysis is spot on (accept for maybe the settlement piece).<\/p>\n<p>Meditesh Rock_N_OM<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Pretty much agree on your stance of Israel. I happened to get invited to a golf trip with seven very successful jewish guys and me. Most traditional liberals voting D. \u00a0The topic of Israel came up. I mentioned that I though Israel was in real trouble when the Democrats come back into power. It got pretty quiet.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nI get people truly hate Trump and are lifetime liberals but not quite sure how anyone could support the democratic party given where it is going. That was before the DSA, which seems to be making significant inroads on the party.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nEd Crowley<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nPS \u2013 I\u2019m small c conservative and think both parties suck<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>If \u201csystematic elimination of an entire populace\u201d was the operative definition of genocide, then we may as well argue that what Myanmar is doing to Rohingya Muslims, and China to Uyghurs, is not genocide since there are still Rohingya and Uyghur people.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For your convenience, here\u2019s the UN\u2019s definition of genocide: \u00a0https:\/\/www.un.org\/en\/genocide-prevention\/definition<\/p>\n<p>And the reason why public opinion has turned so sharply against Israel is not because Hamas has found their Goebbels. It\u2019s not because every Gentile who criticizes them is antisemitic, and every Jew who criticizes them is self-hating.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s because murdering kids and innocent civilians shocks the conscience, and when people see Israel doing that in 4K on a routine basis, it\u2019s hard to defend the indefensible.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Count me in as a lobbyist for Big No Dead Kids.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Garrett Gravley<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thank you Bob and Boy George for expressing how myself and \u00a0my family feel today as Jews in America. My father recently turned 100 and he somehow managed to escape Genocide growing up in Poland in the 1930&#8217;s. He lost his parents, 5 siblings and basically the rest of his relatives as The Nazi&#8217;s systematically destroyed Jewish Life in Eastern Europe . That is the definition of Genocide . Why are people including many Jews so ignorant to the facts .\u00a0<br \/>\n?My son went to see Phish at The Garden Monday night. Phish has incorporated several Jewish themed songs into their live set since their inception . Monday night \u00a0for the second time during this summer tour they played Avinu Malkeinu . It&#8217;s a prayer mostly associated with the Jewish High Holidays but it is also recited in times of crisis . A very cool thing happened in The Garden as the crowd picked up on it ,and joined in the band in singing this unique hymn. The young adults are feeling the same isolation as the older generation Jews are feeling . Why did Phish Avinu Malkeinu Monday night ? Phish bassist Mike Gordon&#8217;s father recently passed . Mike and Phish drummer Jon Fishman are Jewish . Mike&#8217;s Dad Bob Gordon founded one of the country&#8217;s most active grassroots organizations supporting Soviet Jews . Millions of Jews in The Soviet Union in the 1960&#8217;s and 1970&#8217;s were prevented from practicing Judaism openly. In addition many were denied permission to to emigrate to Israel or elsewhere . This is when Bob Gordon decided to take action and founded &#8216; The Action for Soviet Jewry &#8216; in Boston . Over time more than 1.6 million Soviet Jews were able to emigrate . Many settling in Israel and The United States .\u00a0?Perhaps Mike and Jon are feeling just as isolated as we are and were crying out for help . Hopefully this cry for help will galvanize the young people to continue the work of Bob Gordon .<\/p>\n<p>Ray Glenn<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Hey Bob,??Thanks for speaking to this.??David Draiman from Disturbed is another artist who is taking a strong stand?against antisemitism. Billy Corgan does a great interview with him on?Billy&#8217;s &#8220;The Magnificant Others&#8221; podcast. If you haven&#8217;t already, have a?listen. David is extremely articulate and he&#8217;s \u00a0well versed on the subject.??Thank you,?Robert Budowsky<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Bob&#8211;Did you hear Billy Corgan&#8217;s interview with David Draiman (Disturbed) on his &#8220;The Magnificent Others&#8221; Spotify podcast April 15? David was clear and strong; worth your time if you missed it. But you&#8217;re right&#8211;two voices out of how many?!<\/p>\n<p>Jim Greenberg<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>An EXCELLENT piece of writing. \u00a0Thank you, Bob.??Best regards,??Ron Zeelens<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>I love this, as a Republican ( the only Pro Israel party ), you are going to get tons of sh*t from your lib friends for this email. I am a Christian , but feel the anti Jewish sentiment has never been stronger in in life ( I am 52) and it all comes from your beloved left.<\/p>\n<p>Anthony Taylor<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>I love you Bob! You&#8217;re a tzadik. Keep shining light, speaking the truth&#8230; and f*ck the haters.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you, thank you,\u00a0thank you.<\/p>\n<p>Brad Pasternak<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Bob!<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nGo for it. Love this note.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nYou know my stand on this issue as I am a Zionist from way back, and 10\/07\/2023 simply made the truth obvious. Unfortunately, your beloved TikTok is super successful at spreading the opposite from Hamas-fluffers like Hasan Piker and NYC mayor (as an aside, how can such an incredible filmmaker of a mother raise such a dimwitted monster?).<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nAs a late Boomer in grade school, I learned from an early age what \u201cNever Again\u201d meant and why. It\u2019s been unfortunately forgotten. It\u2019s the world\u2019s oldest hate, and to paraphrase Bari Weiss (love her &#8211; sorry not sorry), antisemitism is the canary in the coalmine of a society in decline.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nPeople who think anti-Zionism isn\u2019t antisemitism are beyond help. They need castigation and utter contempt from people with a soul + brain.\u00a0<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nI never back down on this issue in public or private \u2013 keep up the good work. And G-d Bless Boy George!<\/p>\n<p>Edward Ryan<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>You&#8217;d better be careful. Those are some mighty conservative opinions there!<\/p>\n<p>afleming<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>The world has always hated the Jews and I don\u2019t f*cking get it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Over the last 70 or so years Palestine has had every opportunity for peace and they refuse.\u00a0<br \/>\nThen October 7th\u00a0came and VERY CLEARLY forced Israel\u2019s hand and here we are.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Kudos to you Bob<\/p>\n<p>T. Craig Toutant<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thank you, I shared this with about 50 people.<\/p>\n<p>Brad Cole<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Culture Club was on my TV Show Rock of the 80\u2019s, while I was at Paramount, airing on Showtime.??While I never asked bands for an encore, I did ask George if he could do another.??He grabbed by cheek and said, \u201c for you I will do a few more\u2026 Boychick.&#8221;??He was and is a mench.??Marty Schwartz,<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thanks Bob.\u00a0 Well said, as a Canadian Jewish person, I believe it is worse in Canada than the US.\u00a0 There are at least some leaders in the US who are taking action.\u00a0 In Canada, Carney is just looking at vote counts.\u00a0 Our local police (Winnipeg) do a pretty good job working with the Jewish community to stop the violence.\u00a0 However, in our major cities (Toronto, Montreal) it is running wild, and has become scary stuff.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As a man in his mid 60s, whose mother fled Nazi Germany, I never ever thought I would see this.\u00a0 I guess we grew up in the &#8220;good times&#8221; for Jews, and now we all have to buckle up and take action to turn around the &#8220;bad times&#8221;.\u00a0 It could take a generation.\u00a0 However, I certainly hope not.<\/p>\n<p>Take care,<br \/>\nAl Shpeller<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0Your piece on Boy George has been sent to all my Jewish family and friends. As I just celebrated my 84th birthday, maybe before it&#8217;s over I learn what we did so wrong as JEWS.<\/p>\n<p>Hugs,<\/p>\n<p>Ron Alexenburg<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Bob I&#8217;m 68 I never thought I&#8217;d see in my lifetime such a resurgence of antisemitism. I&#8217;ve actually had a cab driver say to me it&#8217;s not the Jews they are against but the Zionists. Here in Canada the hate crimes against Jews have skyrocketed recently. In Toronto just this week two Jewish bakeries were shot at. Numerous synagogues and schools have either been fire bombed or shot at.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>These criminals must be caught and prosecuted.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I give Bob George full props for his song and stand!!!!<\/p>\n<p>Doug Gillis<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Dear Bob,<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nwell said, thank you for your article. The Guardian newspaper here and the BBC journalist,\u00a0head of middle east news, Jeremy Bowen,<br \/>\nsides\u00a0with the IRGC\/Palestinians and does not accept Hamas as a terrorist organisation. They somehow seem to think that Israeli&#8217;s should\u00a0pack their bags and go where? and hand the keys back to an oppressive\u00a0brutal regime. I won&#8217;t go on. but thank you, so many Jews staying silent \u00a0and worse like Zack Polanski (David Paulson) leader of the Green party in UK, \u00a0are loudly anti Israel even though he himself is Jewish and \u00a0gay where it is a criminal offence, punishable by prison, flogging or death penalty in Iran.\u00a0 What makes some Jews deny this is beyond my understanding. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Kind regards<br \/>\nSusan Collins<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thanks Bob,<\/p>\n<p>I felt so exhilarated by Boy George&#8217;s honesty To express what so many feel People don&#8217;t seem to realize that Jews are the canary in the coalmine of democracy .<\/p>\n<p>Greetings, Angela Ballas<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>On too many pro-Israel emails Bob. Love your music emails. Can\u2019t read one more email defending genocide. See ya.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Andrew Matthews<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Hi Bob,??Kudos to you for the Boy George essay. \u00a0It takes guts for Boy George and it takes guts for you to speak the truth in this misinformed and hostile environment.\u00a0?Every line in your essay is on point.\u00a0??Thank you, thank you, thank you. \u00a0Truly from the bottom of our hearts.??Kevin Keegan??(PS. yeah you\u2019ll lose some followers. \u00a0I forwarded it to almost a dozen people. \u00a0Most have already replied with a thumbs up or chimed in with a \u201cGood one\u201d )<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>In the 1977\/79, my best friend lived in Isreal because her stepfather worked for McDonnell Douglas and was a F-16 aircraft engineer. Her and her family&#8217;s social circle were mainly American Embassy and military personnel. What surprised me is that her circle of young Jewish\/Israeli friends were pro-Palestinian, with the Ambassador&#8217;s daughter performing on the outlawed, offshore, Palestinian radio station ship. She returned to the US with both an Israeli flag and a keffiyeh.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Marion Merritt<br \/>\nRecords with Merritt (retired)<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;being a Jew. Someone who doesn&#8217;t conform. Who is loud and has an opinion. And I know even if I try and behave like them, they still see me as the other, a Jew.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>I feel the same way.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, the big shots in power like especially Stephen Miller are the opressors and dont realize that their policies mirror those of the National Socialists.<\/p>\n<p>Also tech bro Zuckerberg thinks he is big pimpin and he can get in bed with the facisists in the GOP for financial gain&#8230; good luck.<\/p>\n<p>Also, I recently read Gengis Khan by McLynn.\u00a0 There was a time when the Mongols were invading Europe in the 13th\u00a0century.\u00a0 Conspiracy theory at the time was that Gengis was in Kahoots &#8220;with the Jews&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Alex Specht<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Bob. we love you, but you&#8217;re too old\u00a0<br \/>\nand on the wrong side of history.<\/p>\n<p>first of all, this Boy George song<br \/>\nsounds like dogsh*t.<br \/>\nthis is not taking a stand.<br \/>\nis it even him singing?<br \/>\ni doubt it. sounds like ai,<br \/>\nor he has autotuned the<br \/>\ncrap out of his voice.<br \/>\nwhatever. misses the point.<\/p>\n<p>Israel is comitting SOMETHING.\u00a0<br \/>\nso you don&#8217;t wanna call it genocide,<br \/>\ngrrrrreat- i will give you a slow Pelosi clap.<br \/>\nDenial is more than a river in Egypt.<\/p>\n<p>so your answer is just kill\u00a0<br \/>\nALL the Palestinians then?<br \/>\nbecause you offer no alternative<br \/>\nin the worldview you present here.<br \/>\nand that is what Israel seems intent on doing.<\/p>\n<p>Israeli settlers committing crimes against<br \/>\nPalestinians&#8230;.you don&#8217;t need links.<\/p>\n<p>how many children have been murdered?<br \/>\nhow many journalists? on and on and on.<\/p>\n<p>how many international organizations have<br \/>\nsaid if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck,<br \/>\nsmells like a duck, it&#8217;s genocide.<\/p>\n<p>it&#8217;s a word. a rose by any other name<br \/>\nsmells just as deadly.<\/p>\n<p>all the world sees is Israel attacking<br \/>\nall the countries around it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/en\/press-releases\/2025\/09\/israel-has-committed-genocide-gaza-strip-un-commission-finds<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;For now, Israel\u2019s impunity will enable its Jewish citizens to continue to ignore the genocide, the\u00a0consequences\u00a0of which will be a deepening\u00a0degradation\u00a0of Israeli\u00a0ethics\u00a0and morality, erosion of the rule of law, internal police violence against the state\u2019s Palestinian and Jewish citizens and the undermining of whatever is left of Israeli democracy. Beyond being deprived of any justice and accountability for their suffering, the Gazan victims of Israeli actions will continue to live in dire conditions, under military supervision and with very limited prospects.&#8221;<br \/>\n?<br \/>\nhttps:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/07\/21\/opinion\/israel-gaza-palestinians-genocide.html<\/p>\n<p>also your Bob Cavallo interview was amazing.<br \/>\nthis political stuff is so boring.<\/p>\n<p>Rob Preuss<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Hi Bob, well said\/written. I have an ongoing battle with NY Times and their toxic demonizing of Israel and enabling it&#8217;s enemies. Why, nobody seems to know? Their last Saturday featured anti-Israel op ed by noted born in Israel, Jewish professor at Brown, Omer Bartov was despicable. &#8220;The Grim Lesson of Israel&#8217;s War in Gaza.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>I sent the below to times editors and to that schmuck Bartov. But who knows if they got it or read it. But I send something rejecting their support of Hamas consistently, never get a response?<\/p>\n<p>ALAN SEGAL\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>To the Editors:<\/p>\n<p>As someone who has spent a lifetime studying history, media, and public rhetoric, I was stunned by Professor Omer Bartov\u2019s recent oped,\u00a0\u201cThe Grim Lesson of Israel\u2019s War in Gaza.\u201d\u00a0The New York Times presents Bartov as a distinguished scholar of genocide, yet the argument he offers rests almost entirely on casualty numbers that originate from Hamas\u2019s Gaza Health Ministry\u2014numbers that Israel has never \u201cadmitted,\u201d contrary to Bartov\u2019s claim.<\/p>\n<p>There is no public statement from the Israeli military confirming 70,000 deaths or 200,000 wounded. These figures appear only in Hamascontrolled reporting, which does not distinguish combatants from civilians and has a long record of inflating numbers for propaganda purposes. For a genocide scholar to treat these figures as verified fact is academically indefensible.<\/p>\n<p>Equally troubling is what Bartov omits. He never mentions Hamas\u2019s October 7 massacre\u2014the largest mass killing of Jews since the Holocaust. He never acknowledges Hamas\u2019s use of human shields, kidnapping and torture of hostages, its embedding of fighters in hospitals and schools, its theft of humanitarian aid, or its explicit commitment to Israel\u2019s destruction. He never acknowledges that thousands of Hamas fighters are counted as \u201ccivilians\u201d in the very statistics he cites.<br \/>\nGenocide is a grave accusation. It requires evidence of intent, not speculation based on casualty numbers supplied by a terrorist organization. Bartov provides no documentary evidence, no policy evidence, and no operational evidence of Israeli intent to destroy a people \u201cin whole or in part.\u201d He simply asserts it.<\/p>\n<p>Opinion pages should welcome strong views. But they should not grant unearned credibility to claims that rely on unverifiable numbers and omit the central facts of the conflict. When a scholar of genocide adopts Hamas\u2019s casualty figures and erases Hamas\u2019s role in the war it initiated, the result is not analysis\u2014it is advocacy.<\/p>\n<p>alan segal\u00a0 san diego<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for fearlessly raising this chilling subject with your subscribers in the hope that any that may be mindless anti-Zionist sheep will look at their consciences to see reality and help turn this relentless baffling tide of hatred for Jews.??You made some really good points, especially the complacency amongst younger Jewish communities, it\u2019s the same here in the UK, thinking we&#8217;re blending in to an increasingly diverse mix of cultures over here, but that odium is there crawling out of the woodwork yet again just like it did in the thirties and past centuries.??Alas, I came to realise a long while ago that antisemitism must be embedded in humankind&#8217;s DNA, a proven fact throughout our long history. I&#8217;m a Jewish atheist very much like you, simply proud to be one of the tribe and who were finally given a Jewish home, a place for Jews to stand up for the right to exist and to live our lives.??I briefly chatted with Boy George on the tarmac in Bulgaria in 1994 as we were boarding a plane home. We were both seated in the last row in business class with his band taking up the first rows in economy behind us.\u00a0<br \/>\n?George had reserved all 3 seats to my right and stretched out to crash after their previous night&#8217;s gig in Sofia. His shoeless feet were hung into the gangway, and I had a quiet chuckle noticing both his well-worn brightly coloured stripey socks had large holes in them.<br \/>\n?Must&#8217;ve been his lucky ones he wore for concerts as he&#8217;s still a famous celebrity in Blighty and much loved all these years later for his music and unique charisma and here he is again, standing on his platform to speak out against antisemitism&#8230; Thanks a bunch BG, you\u2019re the man!??Bob, keep your entertaining and informative dailies coming, I luv &#8217;em all to read with my morning cuppa&#8230; even if some of your US jargon goes way over my head!??Stephen Levy?London, UK<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Well said, Bob.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I have stood up repeatedly for Jewish people over the years in various musical projects and songs, and have experienced first hand the sting of cancellation; ie, curtailment of bookings, especially in Poland, a country I used to perform in regularly.<\/p>\n<p>I am of Polish-Jewish descent, was raised a Reform Jew, and learned at a very young age in 1958 about Anne Frank and the fate of my European family from my mother,\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>after the Anne Frank diaries were serialized worldwide, and Anne&#8217;s photo was featured on the cover of Look Magazine.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat happened to our European relatives?\u201d I asked after my mom stunned my siblings and me with stories of the Holocaust, reading us excerpts from Anne Frank\u2019s diary.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll the Jews in the town of Jedwabne where our family hails from were rounded up and herded into a barn by order of the German army, which was then set on fire.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The entire Jewish community of Jedwabne perished\u2014principally through the actions of their Christian neighbors, who willingly rounded up the Jews and then pushed them into the barn.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>They then seized all their property and homes. The Jewish community had lived peacefully beside their Christian neighbors for hundreds of years. And then&#8230;\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This was shocking, frightening news. Especially when I did the math and realized that this incident had occurred a mere 17 years previous.<\/p>\n<p>From that moment on, I have constantly scanned the world press and the horizon in general for signs of a recurrence of anti-semitism.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Years later in July 2001 all surviving family members of the Jedwabne Massacre were invited to Poland for an official apology ceremony by the then liberal Polish government\u2014<\/p>\n<p>and I was asked to be our family\u2019s Designated Mourner. No one else in my family had the stomach for it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I brought my acoustic guitar with me, and after the official ceremony, which got a significant amount of international coverage, I played mournful music in the desolate Jewish graveyard nearby.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A rabbi who had flown in from Israel (there were mourners there who flew in from all over the world) took me aside and urged me to commemorate the Jedwabne pogrom in a song.<\/p>\n<p>I took up the challenge and wrote \u201cJedwabne&#8221;, shortly thereafter and recorded it with my band Gods and Monsters.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I put the song on my subsequent album \u201cThe Ordeal of Civility\u201d:\u00a0https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/garylucas\/jedwabne-gary-lucas-gods-and\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The next summer I performed this song at the annual Jewish Heritage Festival in Krakow\u2014a city I had performed in at that point numerous times.<\/p>\n<p>It caused a mini-scandal among the crowd, which mainly consisted of Polish Gentiles (there are very few Jews left in Poland, needless to say), who come every year to the festival to enjoy good old&#8211;fashioned klezmer music&#8211;which I can play and have played,\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>but prefer to stick to my own guns.<\/p>\n<p>My song proved to be Beyond the Pale, controversial after my public debut in Krakow in the Kazimierz district, a bizarre recreation of a Jewish shtetl from the 19th century built for Steven Spielberg\u2019s \u201cSchindler\u2019s List\u201d film, and owned and operated ever sincefilm wrapped as a tourist trap for American and European Jews looking to wax nostalgic about their roots, eat chicken soup etc.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0And I was never invited back to perform in Poland again.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Well, their loss.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0I&#8217;m proud of my song and proud to stand up for Jewish people\u2014especially Now.<\/p>\n<p>I agree with you Bob that this is the worst outbreak of anti-semitism worldwide imaginable. And sad to say, I don&#8217;t see it blowing over any time soon.<\/p>\n<p>I think it was a total mitzvah for Boy George to write and sing his song. I pray it changes some hearts and minds.<\/p>\n<p>But in our era of dumbed-down mediocrity, I\u2019m not holding my breath.<\/p>\n<p>Frank Zappa sang \u201cIt Can\u2019t Happen Here\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s happening again, now.<\/p>\n<p>Gary Lucas\u00a0<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Bob for the record, I&#8217;ve never once thought of you as that &#8220;Jewish guy&#8221; who publishes a blog I love reading in my email feed. You&#8217;re Bob Lefsetz, an individual. I never even knew you were Jewish until you brought it up at some point. But then I don&#8217;t have good radar for that sort of thing, possibly because I&#8217;m a Goy..? \ud83d\ude09<br \/>\nI get that your people have been the most persecuted in history. It&#8217;s the oldest bigotry on Earth. But then I can&#8217;t help but notice how you then denigrate &#038; castigate everyone else you mentioned here (Jewish milennials, college students, Palestinians, Muslims, Christians, GENTILES..etc.-your caps-).<\/p>\n<p>As for anti-semitism, it hasn&#8217;t been a socially accepted bigotry since the late 20th Century. Meanwhile, you can still get away with saying Italians are greasy, smell like garlic and are all in the mob. And Irish people love to drink &#038; fight, and not only is it a socially accepted bigotry, it still gets laughs out loud in almost any room you&#8217;re in. I&#8217;m not saying we should bring bigotry back, but let&#8217;s at least be consistent. The double-standards are glaring when you actually stop, look &#038; reflect.<br \/>\nAs for Israel, there IS a difference between being an American Ashkenazi, Israeli, Orthodox Hebrew, Sephartic, and most notoriously, Zionist. Zionists apparently look down at all other Jewish denominations the same way they have seething contempt for the Goyim, do they not? Have you seen the footage online of Orthodox Jews being beaten in the streets of Israel for protesting the war in Gaza and what their government is doing? That really made me tilt my head when I first saw it. I didn&#8217;t think the Israeli military would attack their own.. but again, I&#8217;m merely a Goy and not well versed in your people&#8217;s culture, apparently.??As for Gaza, the plan was always a systematic exile of the &#8220;other&#8221;. They never wanted a 2-state solution (at least not the Zionist fanatics who whisper in Bibi&#8217;s ear, most certainly, as well as the infamous banking dynasty that started all of this long ago, from their base in the UK).<\/p>\n<p>And next is Lebanon, whom Israel has declared MUST become a &#8220;failed state&#8221; (source: a former CIA operative confirmed this). This is all part of a greater plan, a grander scheme, The Greater Israel Project. Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Yemen &#038; Saudi Arabia are next on their chopping block to carve out a greater Israel. The idea that they&#8217;ll remain on a plot of land the size of NJ is ludicrous. No, they have bigger, more lucrative plans than most realize.<\/p>\n<p>So this idea that this is solely about Hamas is ludicrous. As for Iran, Bibi has been propagandizing that they&#8217;re now THIS close to obtaining nukes for over 30 years now. You can look this up. It&#8217;s not about nukes. Iran is the last of the &#8220;7 countries in 5 years&#8221; General Wesley Clark admitted he was told the U.S. needed to take down. WHY? Because they wouldn&#8217;t get on board with the Central Banks to form their 1-world government and obtain their dream of a 1-world digital currency. That&#8217;s when ALL sovereignty will come to an end, if that comes to pass. But I digress..<\/p>\n<p>Power attracts the worst of the worst, regardless of race, religion, or political leanings. Politics is the control of wealth &#038; power. The easiest way to get to the bottom of any issue is, &#8220;follow the money&#8221;. Who benefits? Which billionaires stand to profit from these wars of attrition?<\/p>\n<p>And please don&#8217;t infer that I&#8217;m referring to Jewish bankers. That&#8217;s the eschewing of lazy psuedo-intellectuals blaming the Jews &#038; Jew bankers for everything. It&#8217;s so short-sighted. The one thing people fail to realize every time they bring up that lazy, myopic trope is,\u00a0the Rockefellers &#038; The Morgans were\u00a02 of the wealthiest banking dynasties in the history of the U.S.<br \/>\nNeither of them are Jewish.<\/p>\n<p>But ALL billionaires have agendas. As a billionaire once said, &#8220;The United States is like our country club, and the president is merely our towel boy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>-Rick Marino<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not religious but I have never understood the hate on Jews! Are people that uneducated or stupid? My answer is probably so! Most aren\u2019t successful so whose fault is it? Obviously it\u2019s the Jew who is their boss or landlord or their doctor! The problem is us Jews are too good at almost everything! Most people don\u2019t see how we are pushed from childhood to do better! For example they don\u2019t see us getting screamed\u00a0at by our parents for getting a 98 on a test and seeing my father ask about where is the other 2 percent! I think that most people don\u2019t understand the struggle or the journey in being born a Jew and growing into your skin! When I was a child I remember some experiences growing up! I went to the u school in Davie fl and on the bus I remember kids talking about this religion that was so horrible and I went home and hoped I wasn\u2019t that religion but I found out I was I was crushed I was 6 years old! I was a Jew! I remember at u of miami in college when Dave Phelps from Connecticut called me a dirty Jew and not one of my other roommates did anything! From embarrassment to a proudness that I will never hide or shirk from! I know nobody has contributed more than us and that bothers everybody as we do it so easily or it just appears this way! When you are born a Jew it doesn\u2019t mean you will be a millionaire or successful! We are different from most in the way we are raised! We can challenge each other and this is an important fact! When we have dinners sometimes or other meals we discuss and this might look like an argument but it isn\u2019t it\u2019s just a way we do things! If you were in a gentile family and answered your father or mother the way a Jewish kid does you would get smacked across the mouth! I have seen this in the homes of many of my catholic or Episcopalian friends!\u00a0<br \/>\n?As you stated there are about 56-57 Muslim countries and NOBODY wants the Palestinians! They are a prop used by the world and mostly the Arabs to harm the Jews! This isn\u2019t so tough except that a group of people don\u2019t want another group to have a country! In our history when a country or countries are defeated then usually that status quo remains intact until it changes! I don\u2019t see people especially these disgusting democrats standing up for Rwandans or Catholics who are oppressed in many countries or Indians in the USA! The Arabs tried to ruin and destroy Israel but they lost and this is the way it is! Tough luck! You lost and it ain\u2019t going back! We aren\u2019t walking into ovens or being tricked into them! If Israel\u2019s ingenuity didn\u2019t solve the problems of bombs and missiles being lobbed at them with the Iron dome or David\u2019s sling then Israel would be destroyed! It\u2019s not for lack of trying! It is sad to watch these esteemed pillars of education become these bastions of antisemitism and hate and intolerance! I now look at university in a different light and I am no longer impressed by these Ivey schools ! Harvard schmarmard! People shouldn\u2019t be angry at Jews they should be angry at Germany as Germany basically made Israel come to fruition with the holocaust! Now this great Germanic country that was run by an Austrian painter let the whole world in! It really has no semblance of what they wanted or were from world war 2! So Israel comes to fruition and the geniuses or idiots like Javier Bardem and too many to list say Israel commits genocide! I think that they say this to needle or bother Jews as there has been no genocide! If Israel wanted to commit genocide they can drop a bomb and poof the Arabs in the Jewish area are vaporized, gone, kaput! But us Jews aren\u2019t like that! We take every effort to protect life and these animals build under schools and hospitals! What is Israel supposed to do? When I hear people saying that Israel is committing genocide they are either uneducated or misinformed or very stupid or a combination there of! The people against Israel are either saying this because they are stupid or because they are b*stardizing the world holocaust and genocide! Israel is the farthest thing from this! Let\u2019s call a spade a spade! If the Muslims could then they would wipe out Israel and all the Jews everywhere! It\u2019s not like they ain\u2019t trying or have tried! I believe that certain left people try and needle Israel or universalize this word genocide to bother the Jews! To take a word that means so much historically and now label an action as this when it isn\u2019t shows hate, anger and complete and utter failure of the word! It\u2019s misdirection and it\u2019s dangerous! If I walked onto a campus and said the N word I would get my ass kicked but it\u2019s ok to be horrible to Jews! Then u have people saying Israel takes all the USA money but they never say what Israel has contributed back to the world in technological advances that the USA uses in their everyday lives! I am in my fifties so I don\u2019t know how long I will be here but anybody that says Israel is an apartheid state is a fool! You can have gays you can have Arabs in Israel! The Arabs are the ones committing apartheid! <\/p>\n<p>There are no Jews in any Arab state! Whatever the people are accusing Israel of it\u2019s actually the accusers who are doing this behavior!<br \/>\n?I don\u2019t know what else I can say but people are really stupid! G-d bless Israel and her people and the IDF! Boy George is amazing! I cannot believe how stupid people are! It gives me much hope !<br \/>\n?Javier Bardem and these other useful idiots are a*sholes of a huge proportion! It\u2019s really quite scary!?<br \/>\nRegards,?Jack Berman<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>A Boy Named George and the Courage to Just Be Human<\/p>\n<p>Somewhere between the third TikTok explainer on \u201cfrom the river to the sea\u201d and the fourth celebrity apology tour for a tweet nobody read, a fifty-something British pop icon in eyeliner did something almost nobody in music has the spine to do anymore:\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>he told the truth and hit \u201crelease.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Boy George \u2014 yes, that Boy George, the one who taught the \u201980s how to wear a hat \u2014 dropped a song standing with Israel.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0Not a press release.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Not a carefully lawyered statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A song.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>With a chorus.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That people will actually sing.<\/p>\n<p>And the world short-circuited.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what gets me: nobody needs a justification to be human.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0Nobody should need a footnote to say \u201craping and murdering people at a music festival was evil\u201d or \u201ca nation being shot at by its neighbors is allowed to shoot back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That used to be the starting line for a conversation, not the finish line for a controversy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Somewhere along the way, being decent became a political position, and the people most afraid of holding it are the ones who make their living being provocative for a paycheck.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll say plainly what I believe, because I\u2019m not interested in disappearing into a crowd to avoid being noticed:\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m a Christian, I believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I believe that God has never once let go of Israel \u2014 not through Babylon, not through Rome, not through the twentieth century\u2019s worst nightmare, and not now.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>History has tried to erase the Jewish people more times than anyone can count, and history has lost every single time.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not a coincidence.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s a pattern, and patterns tell you something true.<\/p>\n<p>So no, I\u2019m not shocked Boy George got attacked for singing about October 7th like it actually happened.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m shocked it took this long for a musician to say it out loud.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Being pro-Israel isn\u2019t a brand deal.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It isn\u2019t a costume you put on for Passover season.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s just refusing to look away from what\u2019s true because looking away would be more comfortable.<br \/>\n__________________________________<\/p>\n<p>Dance again? Sure.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But first, somebody had to be brave enough to say the music stopped for a reason \u2014 and that reason had a name, a date, and a body count that nobody wants to put in the caption.<\/p>\n<p>George put it in the caption anyway.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel Kannan<\/p>\n<p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>(Note: This is essentially all of the responses I received, posted in approximate order of their arrival in my inbox.) __________________________________ Bob, Hollywood didn\u2019t lose its moral compass after October 7. It revealed that it never had one. The industry has largely broken into four groups: 1. The moral frauds.\u00a0They loudly championed BLM, LGBTQ rights, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23537","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p96vPs-67D","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23537"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23537\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23539,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23537\/revisions\/23539"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}