After years of trying to sell his Antisemitism and anti-Israel hate, Roger Waters has turned his attention to convincing the world of his feelings about the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Russia good, Ukraine bad).
Roger Waters, the man who broke up the band Pink Floyd, sang the above song on “Dark Side of the Moon,” one of the greatest albums ever. Note for some of you, who are in their 30s or younger when Dark Side came out, an album was a collection of audio recordings issued on a vinyl disc. packaged in a cardboard sleeve. “Dark Side of the Moon” holds the record for being on the Billboard top album/tape list longer than any other album in Billboard history, 969 weeks (18.5 years).
After 4 more albums, Waters left the group, mainly because he wanted to run everything the group did. That included the themes and writing all the songs for every album.
The rest of the group David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Rick Wright, continued to issue very successful albums and sold-out concerts. For those of you who haven’t figured it out yet, Pink Floyd used to be my favorite group.
After Waters left the group, he became an anti-Jewish and anti-Israel activist. Anytime a performer announced a show in Israel, Waters, and his followers sent letters and spoke to the press, trying to pressure that performer to cancel the Israel performances. He narrated a 2016 documentary, “The Occupation of the American Mind: Israel’s Public Relations War in the United States.” It claimed that Israel was able to shape American public opinion.
After Waters left Pink Floyd, he went on a solo tour. His concerts featured a pig balloon, imitating a Pink Floyd prop. Waters’ pig was different. It wore Jewish Stars.
In a 2013 interview with CounterPunch, he used anti-Semitic canards and called for action against what he described as the Nazi-like actions of Israel, the “right-wing rabbinate,” and “the Jewish lobby.”
Two years later, Howard Stern ranted about Roger Waters’s hatred. It has vulgar language, so it is not posted, but if you wish, you can see it here.
While he’s spewing hatred toward the Jews and their eternal homeland, he’s added another country to receive his putrid venom—Ukraine.
A week before the Russian invasion of Ukraine last February, Waters was interviewed on the Russian network RT. During the interview, Waters claimed that “that talk of a Russian invasion was “b ***s*** … anybody with an IQ above room temperature knows [an invasion] is nonsense.” After the invasion, he took a step back. He “condemned the invasion calling it “the act of a gangster.” And also condemned “propaganda to demonize Russia.
Seven months later, Waters published an open letter to Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska. He argued that the West should not support Ukraine with weapons and that the West, led by the US, is interested in prolonging the war.
The remaining members of Pink Floyd taped a video demonstrating their support of Ukraine called Hey Hey, Rise Up. The video featured the group playing back up to Andriy Khlyvnyuk of the Ukrainian rock group, Boombox. See it here.
On February 8, 2023, Waters (and his dog) spoke to the United Nations Security Council about the Ukraine-Russia war. He was invited to make the speech by his friends in Russia.
“The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation was illegal. I condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” he said via video link. “Also, the Russian invasion of Ukraine was not unprovoked, so I also condemn the provocateurs in the strongest possible terms.”
I suppose Roger believes a country living in peace is a provocation and should be invaded.
“He continued: “So what do the voiceless millions have to say? They say thank you for hearing us today. We are many who do not share in the profits of the war industry. We do not willingly raise our sons and daughters to provide fodder for your cannons. In our opinion, the only sensible course of action today is to call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. Not one more Ukrainian or Russian life is to be spent, not one. They are all precious in our eyes.”
Our?
Does Waters have multiple personality disorder?
Roger Waters is a socialist who believes he controls the world (and Pink Floyd). Next time he tries to lecture the UN, he should be told to take the same action he did when he disagreed with Pink Floyd, get the heck out.
To paraphrase the last line of the Pink Floyd song Brain Damage “there is no dark side of Roger Waters. As a matter of fact, he’s all dark.”
Jeff Dunetz is editor/publisher of the blog "The Lid." and a contributor to Israel National News and The Jewish Press. He is a weekly Thursday Guest on The Schaftlein Report, a National Board Member of Herut North America and Herut Representative on The AZM Board