Et Tu, Rod Stew?

I don’t follow celebrities. The people in People magazine are not my people. And the people who follow those people are also not my people.

You could say, I don’t need people…

I’m not a fan. Not of anyone famous, at least. Fan is short for fanatic.

So, when Rodger Waters announced his Jew hate so many years ago, I didn’t know who he was. Oh, Pink Floyd, whatever, that’s fine…I’m not a fan.

And then came more Hollywood types, some that I recognized, most that I didn’t, and many up-and-coming bands that hopped on the bandwagon.

But a week ago Rod Stewart announced his support for Hamas…in so many lyrics. Something along the lines of “what Netanyahu is doing to Palestinians, is exactly like…”  Well, you can finish that line of logic.

And at first, I was disappointed. I had thought better of him. But really, why should I? I never thought about him at all. I don’t know him, except for a few songs, that have nothing to do with Israel or me. I don’t believe that Maggie May was politically active.

So, what, then? Why do I care? Because it is so bewildering. Why does he choose the wrong side? And why don’t any of these people strive to see that it is a complex situation, to put it simply.

And then I understood. It isn’t about any genuine concern for the people in Gaza. He sees a chance to be in the news once again. To reclaim his fame by latching himself to a cause. Now I’m sure many people already know this, but for me it was a revelation. I’m a slow learner. Greta Thunberg’s Mediterranean cruise was helpful — not for the Palestinians — but for the cogent and harsh condemnations slapping her down. More than even the swirl around her climate activism, this latest stunt provided a clear explanation, at least for me. These people are grasping for célèbre.

How crass. How shallow. I’m not a fan.