Why I’m Boycotting Cirque Du Soleil
A few notes on tonight’s Cirque Du Soleil Boycott, and why I — a person who deeply respects and appreciate culture — am boycotting.
- Boycott is a strategy (a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim), not a principle (a fundamental truth that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning).
- It’s okay to disagree, that’s what civil society is about.
- Cultural, academic and economic boycotts or sanctions have been part of our human rights history for the longest time. They are effective tools for exerting pressure to bring about change.
- Culture does not operate in some special, apolitical space – just like academic institutions in Israel are also not removed from complicity in systematic human rights abuses.
- The Israeli government and advocacy groups are deliberately seeking to use culture as a means of ‘rebranding’. In 2008, Israel’s Foreign Ministry hired a British firm to “craft” a “new image” for the country based on “Israel’s scientific and cultural achievements”. After the Gaza massacre in 2009, Israel announced more money for ‘cultural diplomacy’, with an official declaring a plan to “send well-known novelists and writers overseas, theater companies, exhibits” to “show Israel’s prettier face”.
- The cultural boycott of Israel is bringing about discourse, and discourse is good.
- The cultural boycott of Israel is “troubling” senior Israeli politicians: a law passed by the Knesset last year means that people who call for a boycott could be sued in court. The Israeli government has also set up a committee to look at how to compensate Israeli promoters in the cases of “politically motivated cancellations”.
- Calls for a boycott are supported by hundreds of artists around the world, from the film director Ken Loach to former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters and the author Alice Walker. Artists such as Carlos Santana and Elvis Costello have cancelled shows after pressure from campaigners in recent years; Coldplay, U2 and Bruce Springsteen have declined invitations to play in Israel without supporting the boycott publicly.
Dave
June 26, 2012 @ 3:59 pm
Ok, you described what a boycott is and why you feel it is valid to impose one. What you failed to explain is what Cirque du Solieil has done to warrant your boycott.
Roba
June 26, 2012 @ 4:00 pm
Pressure, Dave, pressure. The Cirque are performing in Tel Aviv after Amman.
Apeksha
June 26, 2012 @ 4:05 pm
Bravo Roba! This blog really put to rest the questions in my head about the boycott and whether it is right. Thank you!
Husam D
June 26, 2012 @ 4:05 pm
So? You fail to explain how Sirque de Solei’s ambition to play in as many countries as possible shows how they support Israel in any way that warrants this course of action. If anything, you are culturally boycotting Jordan, not Israel.
While you’re boycotting I’ll be enjoying an amazing show. Have fun.
Donna Dallal-Ferne
June 26, 2012 @ 4:24 pm
Dave’s right, Roba…. I didn’t understand either, and anyone else who is not in Amman right now, might not either. I support your boycott. It is important that your audience appreciate how important it really is.
Dave
June 26, 2012 @ 4:35 pm
So you don’t support Israel’s right to culture as much as Jordan’s right to culture? One might presume that more cultured societies may be one step closer to solving one’s differences.
Roba
June 26, 2012 @ 5:01 pm
Apeksha, thank you :)
Husam, enjoy the show :) I will be at the gym. But to clarify, a cultural boycott is about everyone, regardless of from where, boycotting Israel, and it’s a way to add pressure in order to spread awareness. It is a strategy, like I said, not a principle. Artists such as Carlos Santana and Elvis Costello have cancelled shows after pressure from campaigners in recent years.
Donna, thank you. The boycott isn’t about getting everyone on board, it’s just about spreading awareness, and that’s my point.
Dave, that’s a great point, but culture can also be used as a weapon, which is what Israel does.
Majd
June 27, 2012 @ 11:25 am
i totally agree, we should all definitely boycott the cirque, first of all, cirque du soleil is a canadian company, and we all know how mean these people are, actually being canadian alone is reason enough to boycott them.
secondly, the show they are performing here “saltimbanco” is described by its creators as a “celebration of life” and that they have developed it “as an antidote to the violence and despair prevalent in the 20th century” (these are actual quotes from wikipedia), pffft, an act of art to reflect peace being performed throughout the middle east, WHO WANTS THAT!!! peace is a ridiculous concept being forced down out throats by western media.
and a part from that, circus is for idiots, i mean come, unless you are an idiot, you wouldn’t attend a circus, its just a bunch of grown ups trying to be funny and doing stupid acrobatics, that’s all there is to it, so we are actually doing you a favor by letting you save your money for something much more beneficial and important, like cigarettes and argeela
Dave
June 27, 2012 @ 3:21 pm
Majd, hilarious. I applaud you. :)
Majd
June 27, 2012 @ 5:09 pm
thx Dave, it was amazing BTW
ahmed khalidi
June 27, 2012 @ 5:11 pm
totally agree Ruba
Hala
June 27, 2012 @ 11:28 pm
A well known figure refusing to perform in Israel, is so different from boycotting an event that is bringing a class A event to a cultural-events-thirsty city like Amman.
Help me understand, should we boycott every performer who previously performed in Israel? run a history check? what if that performance was 10, 15 or 20 years ago? is there a time frame? or is it the fact that they are going to the neighboring city right after Amman? ain’t that good business sense from their part, logistics wise?
And what do you mean by raising awareness? are you teaching the masses what the meaning of boycott is? or are you trying to generate bitterness out of an art performance?
The only thing that is making me not go to the event is the flaming cost of the tickets (i am sure someone will manage to prove that ticket-money will fund an underground project that aims at destroying the foundation upon which our cultural sense and sensibility is built), other than that, i am so jealous of all of you enjoying a night of fine art.
I like how we like to boycott everything to try and find some sort of value to our otherwise empty hands, and in the spirit of that, i am boycotting the boycott until i find something worthy of boycotting, and only then, my boycott of boycotting will cease.
Majd
June 28, 2012 @ 10:59 am
“boycotting the boycott”…. epic comment is epic
Roba
June 28, 2012 @ 11:37 am
Guys, that’s cool. I’m not asking to change your mind. I’m just explaining my reasoning. I am actually happy to see such stringent support of culture. It is uplifting.
Husam D
June 30, 2012 @ 7:59 am
I hope you had a very exciting workout at the gym, because you missed out on one of the quintessential visual/aural experiences on the planet. You missed out on synesthesia.
You’re better than this. Most of the boycotters only did it for one of two reasons:
1. They want to give purpose and meaning to their pathetic sad little lives. They convince themselves that by boycotting they actually have a place in this world and actually contribute to a positive cause.
2. Can’t afford ticket, make fuss about it so no one else gets to have any fun.
I was glad that the seats were almost full. Rarely do prominent artists give a damn about this place and I for one hope that more of these acts make their way towards us.
Majd, I salute you.
GW
July 28, 2012 @ 7:54 pm
You confuse the issue of the deeply problematic Israeli occupation in areas taken over during six day war, with the existence of democratic and vibrant Israeli state. I suggest that your energies are directed on reaching out and communication with Israeli people and not on futile attempts to intimidate, which only have the opposite effect.