Quetzal, an East Los Angeles-based group, turned down an invitation to perform at a May 17 concert (“Fiesta Shalom” – seriously) designed to improve Latino-Jewish relations because it was sponsored by the Israeli consulate. The band issued the following statement.
To Whom It May Concern:
Quetzal will not be performing at the Fiesta Shalom on May 17th. When first presented with this performance, it was presented as “an opportunity to improve Jewish and Chicano relations”, which we are certainly in accordance with. When we received the contract, we noticed it was sponsored by the Israeli Consulate. For Quetzal to perform for the Israeli Consulate would mean that we ignore the following:
“¢ Decades of zionist occupation of Palestinian lands and the historically ironic holocaustic genocide of the Palestinian people
“¢ The Israeli/US relationship that has permitted the creation of “permanent” war against people throughout the world.
“¢ Decades of Chican@ solidarity with the Palestinian people and their struggle for Self-determination.
“¢ Decades of solidarity with the non-zionist, non-imperialist peace-loving Jewish community.
“¢ Over 500 years of genocide, enslavement, and abandonment of all people of color as well as poor whites including all the victims of the Jewish holocaust.
Quetzal is but a small part of a massive community of artists that is committed to using art as a tool to redefine and reconstruct our neighborhoods. We hope that elected officials (barrio pimps) such as Jose Huizar begin to see the light of accountability.
The letter included a link to their song, ‘Intifada’ (which is also on their MySpace page).
It seems the event organizers got the message after designing their tacky, extremely unhip poster.
The lyrics from the beautiful song are contained below.
INTIFADA
Intifada like my mother
Intifada like my brother
Blue Stars come crashing down
Refugees martyr bound
Zionist Marauders move in for the slaughter
Savage Holocaust of a starving Shanti-Gaza
Voices from below billow
Through clouds and desert echoes
Chorus
Palestine
We refuse to be blind
Memory will not let us
Savage Holocaust only strengthens Intifada
People “round the world gonna join this peace armada
Singing freedom”s song
Rise, Rise, Rise
Below and to the left
Chorus
