Gilad Atzmon's Christmas Message (2018)

Following the intense smear campaign against me, my work, my writing and my livelihood, I decided to produce this short Christmas message and address the ludicrous accusations against me and also to wish you all merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thank you all for your support.

Please share with friends and foes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=WwTWlKmQX2I

To sign a petition in support of Gilad click here

Lodge a formal complaint with Islington Council: https://www.islington.gov.uk/contact-us/comments-and-complaints?status=inprogress

Email: assemblyhall@islington.gov.uk

Contact the Council: +4420 7527 2000

To support Gilad’s legal battles:  https://donorbox.org/gilad-needs-additional-support


Transcription`;

Hello everybody.

I make this video because as you may be aware I am subject to a serious vile defamation campaign.

We have seen the same characters attacking George Galloway,  Ken Livingstone, Assange and Corbyn . But when it comes to me, it is an open attempt to wipe out my existence to the point that the Israeli Lobby together with some segments in the compromised British Labour [party] are now united against my saxophone, believe it or not.

 All of that probably means that I am on the right track. When you get some flack it only means that you are above target.

 I made this video today to clarify my position and counter the crude lies that are spread about me and my work in the Jewish media outlets such as the Jewish Chronicle, Times of Israel and so on....

First let me be clear. I’ve been writing about Jewish Identity politics for 20 years. Despite the slanderous accusations attributed to me, not once in my entire life did I criticise Jews or anyone else as a race, people, ethnicity or biology. I have seen anti-Semitism attributed to me on a daily basis in the last decade. However, not once in my entire life was I questioned by a single law enforcement body about anything I have ever written or said. 

How is it possible that I am accused of being a racist while not being charged or even questioned by police about anything I have ever said? 

I am accused of being a holocaust denier but no one has managed to put a finger on my denial. I am working, intensively performing and teaching in countries that are subject to holocaust denial laws. Yet, not once was I questioned about my views in that regard either.

 Let me sum up my most controversial views to you, and you’ll decide yourself whether I’m a racist or a person who is working intensely to seek the truth:

 My politics:

I have never identified with any political party or institution.

 My moral and ideological commitment:

 I am avidly anti-racist. However, I am also critical of all forms of political identifications that  are defined by biological factors, such as gender, race, sexual orientation and so on. I believe that in order to improve the world and save ourselves from the current dystopia, we must learn once again to search for that which unites us as people instead of inventing ideologies which separate us. As such I am critical of [the] Identitarian left as much as I am critical of [the]Identitarian Right. 

 The Holocaust, History and religion:

 I have never denied and I do not deny the Holocaust or any other historical chapter. However, I am against all history laws. In my writing I argue that history is the attempt to narrate the past as we move along. Accordingly, history becomes a meaningful adventure once we revisit and revise the past.  When history becomes a sealed untouchable chapter it is reduced into a religion. Like a few prominent Israeli thinkers actually (Adi Ophir, Yishayahu Leibovitz...),  I do believe that the Holocaust has been reduced into a religion. If this is the case we also deserve the right to be agnostic.

 Jews, Judaism, Jewishness

 If Israel defines itself as the “Jewish State” (and it does define itself as the “Jewish State”), the first questions we must ask are: what is Judaism? Who are the Jews? What is Jewishness? We have to find out how these elements work against each other how do they impact Israeli politics, Jewish Lobby politics and so on....  

 In my work I differentiate between Jews (the people), Judaism (the religion) and Jewishness (ideology and culture). I do not critique Jews, I hardly touch Judaism, and when I do it I am very careful and I deal with interpretations. My field of study is Jewishness and Jewish Identity Politics. I do believe that ideologies, culture and politics must be subject to critical examination.

 Finally.

 I immigrated to Britain 25 years ago. It was a wonderful free place. I raised my family here. I love this country. I love the people and I also feel loved by so many people who have actually stood by me all along and especially at the moment and I’m really talking about many of thousands of people. My readers and followers know very well that there is not a single element of truth in that which is said about me at the moment, mainly in the Jewish press. Britain, like other Western societies, is rapidly becoming a very dark place. Freedom of speech is reduced into nostalgia. Disastrously enough some elements in the Labour party play a key role in this emerging disaster.

 I urge my followers and everyone else who maybe interested in the current witch hunt and the tyrannical shift in British society, to stay tuned to my work and my site. I am punished here because I am probably one of the last standing resistance voices in this kingdom. I stand firm where, sadly, politicians, academics, Journalists  and other artists are too quick to bow.

 Love you all

 Merry Christmas