Macklemore issued a lengthy statement on social media on Wednesday following his remarks at the Palestine Will Live Forever Festival in Seattle over the weekend.
After a performance that led to chants of “Fuck America” at the event, the artist received a lot of backlash and was removed from the inaugural Neon City Festival in Las Vegas in November.
He began his statement by pointing out that he sometimes makes gaffes and does not always express his thoughts and feelings in the best way.
“I always strive to lead with love to bring people together and never create further division,” he wrote. “The Palestine Lives Forever festival that I performed at was rooted in peace, love and solidarity. Two words overshadowed the historic events of my hometown.
The “Thrift Shop” rapper continued: But the truth is, I’m not okay. I’ve never been there. The last 11 and a half years of witnessing genocide unfold before our eyes have been excruciating on a spiritual, emotional, and human level. I have no faith in how our government is presenting itself at this moment in history. I don’t think I’m alone. ”
Macklemore went on to say that she witnessed children being pulled out of the rubble in Gaza and took photos of her own children. He hears the cries of his parents, his cries of pain and helplessness. He explained that sometimes his emotions feel out of control and boil over because he pretends to be okay.
“The fact that America lacks funding for health care, affordable housing, and education, yet pumps billions of dollars into Israel to commit internationally recognized war crimes. I am outraged,” he wrote. “After another horrific school shooting, we watched Democrats sign a bill banning semi-automatic assault rifles, then turn around and use the same ink to send the same weapons to Israel to kill Palestinian children. I feel like I’m insane. …Some days I don’t know how to love something that hurts others.”
The artist then took a moment to praise all those who are protesting in the streets on behalf of those “killed by the (Benyamin) Netanyahu regime.” He was joined by members of the Jewish community who marched in solidarity holding posters that read “Not in our name” and “Never again means never again for all” at the protest. He said he was inspired by.
He also said he found hope in the young people who put their degrees on the line and joined university encampments to demand a ceasefire.
“But sometimes the darkness outweighs the light and the path to justice becomes difficult to see. We are left wondering what our world has become,” Macklemore continued. “Some days my soul can’t see the genocide on screen so clearly,” he says, muttering to himself, “Fuck America.”
However, he pointed out that his use of the word “fuck” is incompatible with the word “hate.” “There’s a difference between being angry and disowning,” he wrote. “My ‘fuck you’, my anger, is not rooted in contempt for the place I came from, but in anguish over how we can collectively allow this situation to continue. There is.”
Macklemore made it clear that his anger is not directed at the American people, but at the government and politicians who refuse to listen to the American people. He said the Free Palestine Movement is calling on Americans to “rather than succumb to our own indifference, stand up and recognize our collective power.”
“I’ve slipped before the world before, and I’m sure I’ll do it again. But they won’t silence my voice, they won’t close my heart,” he concludes. started. “I lost support, I lost shows, I lost business connections. I’m still here and my support for a free Palestine is unwavering.”
Read the full statement below.
