Finally, after Gilad Atzmon’s antisemitism became too obvious for all but the most thickheaded anti-Zionist to ignore, the Socialist Workers Party has taken a stand: they’ve invited him to participate in a “Cultures of Resistance” fundraising concert December 9. (What would the SWP do without the word “resistance“?)
Gilad declared, “I will be playing at the Cultures of Resistance concert because I support the Socialist Worker appeal.
“I refuse to view jazz as a technical adventure. It isn’t about the speed with which I move my fingers or the complexity of my rhythmic figures.
“I insist that jazz is a form not of knowledge but spirit. Jazz is a world view, an innovative form of resistance.
“For me to play jazz is to fight the BOB (Bush, Olmert and Blair) world order and to fight US colonialism.
“It is to campaign for the liberation of my Palestinian and Iraqi brothers.”
Occasionally someone posts a comment here suggesting that quite a few SWPers are uncomfortable with the ties between their party and Atzmon. Sometimes an SWPer will even go public with his doubts (“Atzmon’s views are disgraceful, incoherent and completely at odds with what the SWP stands for”). But apparently those in a position of power have decided otherwise.
Michael Rosen (aka isakofsky) has been particularly withering in his denunciations of Atzmon recently. I hope this latest SWP travesty will persuade him to cut his ties with the party, although last August he was at some pains here to explain why he has participated in SWP-sponsored Marxism conferences which also included Atzmon.
Perhaps Mr. Rosen or other SWP members/sympathizers can explain their current thinking on the seemingly indissoluble bond between the party and the antisemite.
(Hat tip: David Hirsh at Engage.)