Tell Macy Gray Why She Should Perform in Israel ...

This is SO important. Supporters of BDS are exerting incredible pressure on artists and musicians not to perform in Israel. Most of these performers don't know what really happens here. It is up to us who know and love Israel to explain to them what is really going on here.

A few days ago musician Macy Gray posted this on her Facebook page:

I'm booked for 2 shows in Tel Aviv. I'm getting a lot of letters from activists urging/begging me to boycott by NOT performing in protest of Apartheid against the Palestinians. What the Israeli government is doing to the Palestinians is disgusting, but I wana go. I gotta lotta fans there I dont want to cancel on and I dont know how my NOT going changes anything. What do you think? Stay or go?

Go now, right now, to her page. Click Like, and then write a respectful, calm, and compassionate comment on her post about why she should perform in Israel. For example, this is what I wrote:

Macy, you should definitely come to Israel. You should come to see that Israel is a normal country, filled with warm and compassionate people who are desperate for a normal, peaceful existence.

Israel is no way, shape, or form an Apartheid state. Israel is a democracy that provides equal rights under the law for all its citizens irrespective of race, religion or gender. It's a liberal, progressive democracy faced with numerous challenges.

People who support boycotts against Israel are not interested in achieving a peaceful two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians. Their objective is the elimination of Israel, of the only Jewish state in the world. Those calling for a boycott of Israel are engaging in the most vicious kind of racism, that which seeks to deny an entire people their right to independence and freedom.

If you're curious about what it's like to perform in Tel Aviv you should ask Paul McCartney, Elton John, Madonna, and others who have performed in Israel to cheering and appreciative fans.

If you wish to help promote peace between Israelis and our Palestinian neighbors you can follow the example of Leonard Cohen who donated all the proceeds of his show to organizations that promote coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. Even better would be to perform for both Israeli and Palestinians audiences and share with both of them your message of cooperation.

Macy, don't believe everything you are told. I'm an American who has lived here in Israel for the last four years. Israel is a good, freedom loving country that is surrounded by neighbors who seek to drive us from our country. We are imperfect, but we value human life and sincerely hope to one day live in peace with our neighbors. Come here and see for yourself.

Go right now!