Ed Sheeran/Macklemore

[WallyHilloughby]

what are your thoughts on this whole debacle?
quite frankly I’m sick and tired of artists using concerts etc as some political forum

I'm not, I want to know what kind of people I potentially support and put money in the pockets of. If anything, I wish the rest of them were more clear about where they stand.

As for this case in particular...free us all from zionism, their followers and the Epstein pedophiles who run the world. Good on Macklemoore, and the rest of acts that dumped Ed Sheeran's ass.

We all know who you support, you made that clear on another thread.

And when you say "free us from Zionists" what exactly do you think should happen to Zionists like me? And what does Jeffrey Epstein have to do with anything?

I agree with all this

Good, I wouldn't wany anyone to be in doubt.

My point was that someone holding their arm in the air is not proof that they were Sieg Heiling.

And do tell us what you think he was doing or you might sound like an anti-semitism apologist.

But given the context it's pretty fucking likely.

A quick google shows this to be untrue. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayemis for example, is Muslim.

Epstein files: The fall of Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, architect of the UAE's port empire
The head of DP World, the main Emirati logistics company, has been fired following revelations about his exchanges with the American sex offender. Thousands of emails detail a long-standing friendship rooted in business and a shared taste for escort girls.

emonde.fr/en/economy/article/2026/02/18/epstein-files-the-fall-of-sultan-ahmed-bin-sulayem-architect-of-the-uae-s-port-empire_6750609_19.html

No point trying to reason with the racist.

The 'it's not anti-semitic to criticise Israel' mantra is a massive deflection. No it may not always be, but it often is. There is a wilful refusal to see that people may not be saying overtly that they hate jews, but they use an awful lot of anti-semitic imagery and tropes, often neatly substituting 'zionist' for jew so there is plausible deniability.

A hundred years ago Ireland was in the grip of rule by the Catholic Church, having shook off (for the most part) its oppressor. We effectively went from frying pan to fire because Catholicism and the rule of the priest entrenched itself heavily in Irish life to the detriment (mainly for women) of Ireland. Nature abhorrs a vacuum and when the British left, the priests were happy to take up rule. To say anything negative about the church and their actions was a scandal and people buried their heads in the sand, allowing things like limerick pogroms, magdalene laundries and industrial schools to exist.

That is not the same Ireland now.

Redmond died in 1908 or something like that. Shatter hasn't been a TD for years and his Jewish religion never came into consideration when he was appointed into some of the highest roles in Irish government. You are going quite far back in time to quote people.

Oh no. I wouldn’t want anyone to unfairly call me antisemitic on MN. That would terrible. I’d better answer your question quickly then.

Dancing, waving his arms to the beat, gesticulating, I’m sure you can think of others.

Has he actually publicly come out and said he's Muslim? Or do you just assume he is because he's Saudi?

In any case, one can be a Muslim and a zionist as zionism is not a religion, it's an ideology that anyone can adopt regardless of their religion. See, that's what zionists don't get. Zionism is not Judaism, it's a cult - anyone can join it and have their own religion on the side. That's why many zionists are Christians, and yes, even Muslims at time.

No I checked - he is Muslim.

That's not what I asked you. Can you tell me where you've seen a statement of HIM saying he's Muslim? Usually, when people are Muslims they don't hide it. But I haven't been able to find anything where Sulayem flaunts his Muslimness, evne just a little.

It was nigh on a century ago, 1904, before independence. It came to mind, as I was reading about it recently. It wasn’t a power vacuum that happened after independence. People can be led in ways that appear ‘righteous’, but are more hard ideological. It is never good to have religious, or quasi-religious fervours leading the way.

Edit: Just to add that Alan Shatter spoke about the topic this very year, 2026. I’d imagine his opinion on the matter is as valid as any other. Maybe even finely attuned being Irish and Jewish, and with a long experience of being involved in Irish political life and the things which drive those in the Oireachtas to make resolutions and such.

I disagree with this.
one arm is up straight, the other is bent down towards his face. I would imagine he was pumping his arms up and down one after the other to the beat of the music.

Unless there is actual evidence that is what he was saluting, it’s a pointless addition. The dress up is bad enough on its own - there’s no need to exaggerate to make the point.

Who said it would be unfairly?

Clearly it wouldn't be.

Out in plain sight just like Macklemore.

I didn't say he "flaunts his Muslimness" - do you have to do that to be Muslim?

In another email, Sulayem discusses religion with Epstein, explaining an interpretation about a passage of the Quran relating to Muslim relations with Jews and Christians.

In a follow-up email, he swiftly changes the subject.
“Thank you my friend I am off the sample a fresh 100% female Russian at my yacht,” the Emirati says.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/jeffrey-epstein-and-emirati-tycoon

I said it would be unfairly, because it is. I’m really not interested in your judgment of me.

It’s not a defence but factually: this didn’t happen at the Ed Sheeran concert everybody is talking about.
It’s over ten years old and Ed’s team still booked Macklemore , this debate is in part about ES being disingenuous (and he and his team are shying away from accountability depending on what you believe they should be accountable for in this current debate)