U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) decried what he described as Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters’ antisemitism.
“Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters describes himself as ‘pro dialogue, pro peace, [and] anti authoritarian.’…[But f]ar from standing ‘in defense of Mistress Liberty,’ Waters has become an advocate for antisemitism, Vladimir Putin’s imperialism, and the Chinese Communist Party’s genocide,” said Rubio on Tuesday, in an opinion piece published in The Floridian.
The senator described Waters’ history of activism and statements against the nation of Israel.
“For years, the British rocker has expressed violent, unjustified hatred for the state of Israel, referring to it as an ‘apartheid state’ and the construction of a ‘settler-colonialist cabal.’ He accuses Israel of ethnic cleansing and genocide and publicly supports the radical Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, known to harbor many antisemites. Meanwhile, he refuses to condemn Palestinian terrorist organizations like Hamas,” Rubio said in the opinion piece.
“[T]he Anti-Defamation League makes clear Waters’ rhetoric and activism is antisemitic … . Miami’s vibrant media landscape will have a chance to hold [him] accountable when he comes to FTX Arena on August 23. Every reporter covering the concert should note, at a minimum, that Waters has a history of antisemitic comments,” added the senator.
Rubio encourages reporters to “dig deeper” into the Pink Floyd co-founder’s history of rhetoric and criticizes his stances on the Ukraine conflict and China’s treatment of the Uyghurs and Tibet.
“If reporters want to dig deeper, Waters provides plenty of material for stories, much of it similarly unflattering … . [I]n his new show he calls President Joe Biden a war criminal for ‘fueling the war in Ukraine.’… That’s not the only time Waters has sided with a murderous authoritarian. He called verified reports of Beijing’s enslavement of Uyghur Muslims and massacre of Tibetan Buddhists ‘absolute nonsense,'” Rubio said.
Rubio additionally said that Waters’ music fans should be aware of the rhetoric, and make their own decisions about whether his upcoming performance should be supported with their dollars.
“Waters’ fans should be aware of his antisemitic and pro-authoritarian rhetoric. This is not to say Waters should be canceled … . But free speech is not without consequences … . Waters’ history of gross and indefensible comments might just hit him where he feels it the most – the money that fuels the ‘new car, caviar, four-star, daydream,’” Rubio added.
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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]. Follow Aaron on GETTR, Twitter, Truth Social, and Parler.
Photo “Marco Rubio” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0. Background Photo “Roger Waters” by Andrés Ibarra. CC BY-SA 4.0.
