In a statement to the press, Santana manager Michael Vrionis announced “Carlos Santana is a citizen of the World and he plays his music and spreads his message of Love, Light & Peace wherever he goes...Carlos believes the World should have no borders so he is not detoured or discouraged to play anywhere on this planet. We look forward to performing in Israel this summer.”
Carlos Santana's name has been on the short-list of BDS "supporters" for years, because BDS Holes lie. This should come as no surprise.
From the BDS Movement: BDS at 7! – Celebrating, reflecting and further mainstreaming
- Scores of artists — especially musicians and filmmakers — and writers have refused to perform in Israel or cancelled scheduled performances following pressure from the BDS movement including Bono, Snoop Dogg, Jean Luc Godard, Elvis Costello, Gil Scott Heron, Carlos Santana, Devendra Banhart, Faithless, the Pixies, Cassandra Wilson, Cat Power, Zakir Hussain.
From the Bay Area Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid
"Principled musicians and artists are taking their stand with Palestinian people: Gil Scott-Heron, Elvis Costello, Sting, Bono, Snoop Dogg, Carlos Santana, Klaxons, Gorillaz, and the Pixies all declined offers by Israel to play there. A growing number of distinguished people including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and writers and artists such as Arundhati Roy, Alice Walker, John Berger, Adrienne Rich, Ken Loach, and Naomi Klein, are publicly supporting the Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. "
From the US campaign to End the Israeli occupation:
Elvis Costello and Gil Scott-Heron both recently joined the growing list of artists and performers supporting the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement by canceling shows in Israel. They join the likes of Snoop Dogg, Sting, Carlos Santana, Bono, and other performers who have recently declined to play or cancelled shows in Israel due to Israel's human rights violations.
From Anna Baltzer
.... Many artists have responded by canceling appearances in Israel. These include: Carlos Santana, Gil Scott Heron, Elvis Costello, the Pixies, Devendra Banhart, the Tindersticks, Meg Ryan and Dustin Hoffman, among others.
To create the illusion of a successful movement, BDS holes lie. Any change of plans, any sickness, any routine business decision that results in a performance in Israel being cancelled is chalked up as a victory, and performers unwittingly find their names and their reputations hijacked to promote a philosophy of exclusion.
Good for Carlos Santana for saying "Not in my name", and for continuing to spread his message of love light and peace.
