Unofficial Bob Dylan website bans Israelis in wake of Gaza flotilla
Dylanchords says block is a contribution to the cultural boycott of the state of Israel, over its 'absurd inhumanity.'
By Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news Gaza flotilla
One of the largest fan sites dedicated to Bob Dylan songs, dylanchords, has recently blocked Israeli IP users access over the Israel Defense Forces' raid on the Gaza –bound Freedom Flotilla two weeks ago.
Israelis who wish to learn how to strum the Dylan song "The times they are a' changing," will have to look elsewhere, as the webpage redirects Israeli web users to the webmaster's blog.
"As of today, visitors from ip-addresses in Israel are blocked from dylanchords," the online message says. "As a contribution to a cultural boycott of the state of Israel - a long overdue reaction to the absurd inhumanity that is demonstrated in its actions and that goes against everything that I and this site stands for—access to dylanchords has been blocked for visitors from Israel."
"I consider my blockade as part of a cultural boycott of the same kind as that against South Africa in the 1980's," the blog post under the title "Cultural Boycott- some reflections".
The music site, which supplies guitar chords and tabs of tens of Bob Dylan songs, including news and biographical information for the fervent fans, was founded by Danish music expert Eyolf Østrem several years ago, yet it was closed down in 2005 due to American copyright violations.
Since the site was officially shut down, it has run on unofficial mirror versions.
Last week, veteran American rock band Pixies canceled their upcoming concert in Israel, the organizers of a festival in which the band was to participate.
The announcement followed recent concert cancellations by the Klaxons and the Gorillaz Sound System in the wake of Israel's raid of the Gaza flotilla.
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Bob Dylan. |
| Photo by: Getty Images |
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Posted to Eyolf Østrem's blog: Which other IP's have you blocked? Iranian given the dictatorship there and the murder of people opposing the regime? Turkish for the oppression of the Turks? Chinese for the oppression of Tibet. Gazan for the deliberate shelling (3500 rockets) of civilians in Israel and the murder of PLO members? Syria for the murder of 30 000 opponents of the regime? etc etc So, Eyolf, why have you chosen to focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? My answer: deep down antisemitism.
aha ... none! selective action against israel = antisemitism
This is an UNOFFICIAL website. It has nothing to do with Bob Dylan and it offers little. So let them ban Israelis, who cares? Better to check out the official website where Israelis and Palestinians alike can surf til they tire themselves out. Just as it should be. Just as he would want it to be..I'm sure.
Dylan critizes in this song the absurdity and hypocrisy of people like those running this website. Those outside Israel should google it and flood this website with it!
Boycott by the anti-semite thugs of non-political Israeli companies, organizations and individuals is a form of collective punishment and as such is both immoral and unethical.
Collective punishment indeed..
Economic boycotts, divestment, sanctions, including cutting military aid to Israel are all appropriate. But cultural boycotts are no different from Israel's own acts of banning Noam Chomsky. You can't blockade ideas. You shouldn't blockade the people who express them.
You have to culturally boycott Israel and its supporters for showing no respect to human norms. Boycotting them in that manner will let the decent people there to think twice whom they are going to give their votes for!
Well.. if this webmaster thinks that blocking access to a website is good for him, then why does he complain about others doing the same with borders? Do as I say, not as I do, he! he!
Just use any online proxy service.
You that hide behind walls There’s a battle outside and it is ragin’ But I hope:: the times they are a-changin’
what israeli racism are you talking about? If I am not mistaken the saudi's,iranian's et al are the racists but everyone is to filled with hatred towards Israel to understand who the barbarians at the gate are.BTW no outrage at the hanging of a 7 year old by muslims
I guess these fans aren't aware of Bob Dylan's song, "Neighborhood Bully". They should listen to the words, the song describes their actions quite accurately.
... they are all coming to Beirut for concerts this summer. Na na na na naaa na !
I hope that some day we could welcome each other to each other's countries for concerts, and more. Greetings from Beirut.
I invite you to coffee and humus. Bring your own Humus. I'll bring mine. We will swap and thne both enjoy the meal. Eyolf Østrem is not invited. But then he wouldn't even know what Humus is!
They're stealing from Dylan.
Wow! This will really show us Israelis! And a real tribute to the American concept of "innocent until proven guilty"
Well then, if it's good for Israeli's it must be good for Gazan's too?
If the collective punishment of Palestinians by Israel in Gaza is wrong, and nothing seems quite so wrong as the punishment of the innocent along with the guilty, how do so called liberal, or one time liberal internet sites justify punishing innocent Israelis along with the guilty?
The logic is correct but Israel started the game so will play it....
between individuals and groups boycotting to object to a policy, and states that use blockades to cause humanitarian crises. No one will suffer from lack of the Dylan site. I wish the same could be said for the Gaza blockade.
Well, the neighborhood bully, he’s just one man His enemies say he’s on their land They got him outnumbered about a million to one He got no place to escape to, no place to run He’s the neighborhood bully The neighborhood bully just lives to survive He’s criticized and condemned for being alive He’s not supposed to fight back, he’s supposed to have thick skin He’s supposed to lay down and die when his door is kicked in He’s the neighborhood bully The neighborhood bully been driven out of every land He’s wandered the earth an exiled man Seen his family scattered, his people hounded and torn He’s always on trial for just being born He’s the neighborhood bully Well, he knocked out a lynch mob, he was criticized Old women condemned him, said he should apologize. Then he destroyed a bomb factory, nobody was glad The bombs were meant for him. He was supposed to feel bad He’s the neighborhood bully...
Thanks for showing Dylan's hypocrisy. If anyone is a neighborhood bully, it is he. Considering the age group in the US that listen to Dylan, and it is pro-Israel, boycotting his website is a good idea.