Israeli band Teapacks has created quite a storm with its song "Push the Button". It's been selected to represent Israel in the coming Eurovision song festival. While it does not seem (at least to me) to have sufficient artistic merit to win, stranger things have happened. But the Finnish contest organisers have made sure that it does get ample publicity. Accusing the song of being inappropriately political, the Finns are scrambling for ways to ban the song from the competition.
The lyrics are a protest against nuclear weapons in the hands of unstable political leaders. And Kobi Oz , teapacks' founder and lead singer, probably knows what he is singing about. He comes from the southern Israeli town of Sderot - now best known as a target for Palestinian rocket squads firing from the Gaza Strip.
Blogger Tundra Tabloids points out that the Finnish 1982 Eurovision entry was the group Kojo, titled "Nuku Pommin" ("Bomb Out" or better yet "Sleep while the bombs fall"), which told of the threat to Europe during the height of the Cold War when most of Europe were against the US deployment of nuclear tipped cruise and Pershing missiles. So while you ponder the hypocrisy of Finland joining the club of people offended by Jews objecting to being the victims of another holocaust, you can click the links and decide the musical merits for yourself.
First, it was European Holocaust.
Now, it's European Hypocrisy.
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4 comments:
Yisrael, thanks for stopping by at the Tundra Tabloids and the honorable mention of the TT on the My Right Word.
I write more on the subject as the situation developes. *L* KGS
Naturally sharing Israeli contestants’ concern, one could suggest that a past Finnish nuke- related above mentioned entry was perhaps already not the best choice for an entertaining international event.
If, according to media, Jewish music-lovers had recently been prohibited by a particular Israel-based Rabbi from Dana International performing, does this internationally acclaimed Israeli singer become less talented and popular?
Dear Michael, if I understand your position, you are a bit criticial and try to do that with a bit a disguised sarcasm. If the Finnish entry two decades or more or so was bad, should Israel emulate and if Dana International was opposed by Rabbis, who says any other entry is to be allowed. Right?
Well, I don't see it that way. I hate double standards and if Finland suggested this year to ban Israel's entry on the basis of politics and not mentioning nuclear bombs so as not to upset Iranians in Finalnd or wherever, well tough luck. We can make our own mistakes all by ourselves.
And as for Rabbis, really now, when did secular, entertainment-oriented Israel listen to a Rabbi, even when a transgender person participated?
Michael, there has to be equality of comparison so that you can criticize but there isn't.
Rabbi had responded to a non-secular Israeli at the time as Iran had announced his nuclear capabilities worldwide more recently.
I am much more concerned with most recent news from the UK where in-charge officials consider avoiding of any info on Holocaust at schools in order not to offend some local Muslim pupils not believing in the Tragedy, rather than with Eurovision context, because a path of actions towards Iran became much clearer even to his traditional European appeasers.
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