Macklemore is off Ed Sheeran’s tour after saying“free Palestine”on stage in New Jersey, and the fallout is bigger than one artist. Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Beoga all withdrew from their tour dates in protest. Ed Sheeran addressed it on Instagram, saying the promoters made the decision to remove Macklemore, not him.
While the music world argues over who gets to say what on stage, Congress made its own move. The House passed a War Powers Resolution 220-204 directing the president to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran, with seven Republicans voting in favor. The timing lines up with the money: the Congressional Budget Office reports the conflict has cost $38 billion and is growing by $2-3 billion every month.
There’s also the nuclear question. Israel’s Atomic Energy Commission director told the IAEA that Iran holds more than nine tons of nuclear material, equivalent to over 10 nuclear devices. Add in Admiral Brad Cooper meeting commanders from nine regional nations in Germany and Gulf nations condemning an attempted drone attack on Mecca, and this story is moving fast on every front.
So where do you land: should artists face consequences for speaking up on stage, or should the stage be a free zone?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.