Pink had fallen silent in the face of backlash from many quarters following her reposting a call for Macklemore to be dropped from the Ed Sheeran tour in the wake of his nightly pro-Palestinian songs and statements. Now she has spoken up about the controversy and her part in it in a big way, with a 1,300-word social media post that has her exploring why she repeated the sentiments asking Sheeran to drop Macklemore, why his statements alarmed her as a Jewish woman, and how it has felt โlonelyโ facing an onslaught of criticism this week.
The singer noted that she may have been a typical โcheap and fastโ social media user when she first reposted the anti-Macklemore meme, rather than speaking up in her own words, which she is now belatedly doing. โA repost isnโt a statement, and a meme isnโt a spine,โ she argued, saying that she would โrather be disagreed with for what I actually said than hated for what anybody else wrote, so let me say it.โ
Pink noted how her feelings about Macklemore have evolved, from support for him when โI was in the room at the Grammys in 2014 when Macklemore rapped โSame Loveโ and 33 couples, gay and straight, got married to it, and I cheered, no questions asked.โ Then, she pointed out an antisemitic costume the rapper wore a short time later, for which he subsequently issued a mea culpa. โMacklemore put on a hooked nose, a black beard and a bowl cut, performed in it, and called it a โrandom costume.โ Every Jew I know knew exactly what it was. The same love, it turned out, had a guest list, and we werenโt on it. But he apologized, and I let it go, because thatโs what we do. We let it go.โ Nonetheless, she suggested, his wearing of the costume informed how his statements might be received in years to come.
The singer said that โlast weekend he stood in front of a stadium full of music-loving families, with violent images from a war on the screens, dedicated a song to the movement of his choice, and then took the mic to tell all of the Jews in the stadium that it wasnโt about them.โ She added: โYou donโt get to decide that for us.โ
Her current position, as she explained it in her post: โOf course I donโt speak for Israel, or for any government. I never have. What I said in October 2023 is still exactly what I believe: Hamas is a terrorist organization. Palestinians deserve a future that honors their humanity and their aspirations. Protecting innocent life comes first, everywhere, and nobody should ever celebrate the death of a child. Anybodyโs child. Iโve spent a decade as a UNICEF ambassador for kids who didnโt choose the country or the war they were born into, and I have grieved every one of them, on both sides of that fence. I didnโt do it from behind a screen; I went to those children and held them. Iโm not going to litigate a complex war in an Instagram caption, and Iโm not going to recite anybodyโs slogan to earn back a follower.โ
The singer declared that her response earlier this week was prompted not by Macklemore saying โFree Palestine,โ but by his statements on stage โ in response to the backlash he was facing from some quarters โ that his statements were aimed at Israel, not all Jews.
โThatโs what prompted my repost. Not โFree Palestine,โ and not anyoneโs right to say it. I have never asked for another artist to be silenced and Iโm not asking now. I donโt need anyone fired, and I donโt need a refund. What I need is to be able to say, as a Jewish mom, โthat scared me, and it scared people I love,โโwithout being told our fear is just propaganda, and without being told Iโm somehow cool with genocide because I noticed?โ
Pink pointed to some of the causes she has supported over the years that have drawn fire, mostly from the right wing. โI have stood up for other peopleโs people my whole career, and I know exactly what it costs. And now Iโm standing up for my own people, and I thought I knew going in how lonely that would be. And itโs lonelier than that. But Iโm doing it anyway.โ
She added, โSomething has changed in this country, and I can read it in my own comments. โFrom the river to the sea.โ โZionist,โ spat like itโs a slur, by people who couldnโt tell you the details of what I believe, because I hadnโt told them yet. I wasnโt asked. I was told. I donโt think most of them hate Jews. I think somebody handed them a story where the Jew who wonโt apologize for existing must be the villain, and theyโve been putting words in my mouth ever since.โ
On her Instagram post, Pink divided her lengthy statement into two parts, the first half of it coming in the post itself and the second in the comments. But the second half is no longer visible. An hour or so after posting, as pro and con responses accumulated from fans and detractors, she opted to switch off commenting for that post. Unfortunately for her ability to explain herself, cutting off comments meant she also eliminated her own comment that contained the crux of her explanation. But you can read it all below, including the part she inadvertently deleted.
Before Pink or her social administrator cut off comments on her post, the responses were sharply divided, with mostly hostile or disappointed comments appearing at the top of the replies, followed by many supportive ones echoing her โShana tovaโ sign-off further down. Among the negative replies, before all were blocked: โA repost is a statement. Just saying. (esp w 11M followers).โ โSaid all this to say nothing at all. This was truly not on my bingo card. Doubling down is insane as well.โ โI grew up respecting your rebellion against things that were wrong in the world.ย But now you seem to have switched to supporting those very same people that cause the pain to children and women. I hope that is how you want to be remembered.โ
And a sampling of the positive replies: โThis was beautiful. And not trite. And not prepared by AI or a publicist. This was an authentic monologue and I appreciate so much how strong you are. And Iโm proud to have you in my same tribe.โ โI wish all other Jewish celebrities were as brave as you. We love you.โ
In his most recent comments addressing the controversy, Macklemore said, โTo all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you. My message is for peace; love for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equalityโฆ. So I say free Palestine, I say free Lebanon, I say free Cuba, I say free Congo, free Sudan, I say free all people in America living in fear of this terrorist organization, ICE. None of us will be free until we are all free.โ
Pinkโs statement, in full:
Iโve been quiet in my own words for a week, which you know isnโt like me. So here they are.
Last Sunday I reposted somebody elseโs post about Macklemoreโs set at Ed Sheeranโs show. It said things in words I didnโt write, and I wouldnโt have chosen all of them. Then the comments came, and I did what I do when Iโm hurt, which is post snarky memes and act like Iโm fine. Thatโs on me. A repost isnโt a statement, and a meme isnโt a spine. Social media makes all of us cheap and fast, and we all know it. But Iโd rather be disagreed with for what I actually said than hated for what anybody else wrote, so let me say it.
I was born a Jew. I didnโt pick it, and Iโve never hidden it. And this week a whole lot of people decided what I believe without asking me, without checking a single thing Iโve ever said or done, because a repost and the word โJewโ were apparently enough to fill in the rest. But let me fill it inโฆ myself.
Of course I donโt speak for Israel, or for any government. I never have. What I said in October 2023 is still exactly what I believe: Hamas is a terrorist organization. Palestinians deserve a future that honors their humanity and their aspirations. Protecting innocent life comes first, everywhere, and nobody should ever celebrate the death of a child. Anybodyโs child. Iโve spent a decade as a UNICEF ambassador for kids who didnโt choose the country or the war they were born into, and I have grieved every one of them, on both sides of that fence. I didnโt do it from behind a screen; I went to those children and held them. Iโm not going to litigate a complex war in an Instagram caption, and Iโm not going to recite anybodyโs slogan to earn back a follower.
Hereโs what I was reacting to. I was in the room at the Grammys in 2014 when Macklemore rapped โSame Loveโ and thirty-three couples, gay and straight, got married to it, and I cheered, no questions asked. Four months later Macklemore put on a hooked nose, a black beard and a bowl cut, performed in it, and called it a โrandom costume.โ Every Jew I know knew exactly what it was. The same love, it turned out, had a guest list, and we werenโt on it. But he apologized, and I let it go, because thatโs what we do. We let it go. Then last weekend he stood in front of a stadium full of music-loving families, with violent images from a war on the screens, dedicated a song to the movement of his choice, and then took the mic to tell all of the Jews in the stadium that it wasnโt about them.
You donโt get to decide that for us.
Thatโs what prompted my repost. Not โFree Palestine,โ and not anyoneโs right to say it. I have never asked for another artist to be silenced and Iโm not asking now. I donโt need anyone fired, and I donโt need a refund. What I need is to be able to say, as a Jewish mom, โthat scared me, and it scared people I love,โ without being told our fear is just propaganda, and without being told Iโm somehow cool with genocide because I noticed?
And please donโt talk to me like Iโve never stood up for my beliefs when it was unpopular. In the middle of the Gulf War in 2006 I put out a song called โDear Mr. Presidentโ and sang it every night on tour while my country was in a war I didnโt support, and I took the hate for it, and I sang it anyway because my sharp criticism was of a government, not this flawed country I love and who my dad fought for. I stood with gay kids before it was fashionable and with trans kids now, when it isnโt, and with their families, and I handed out the books that got banned, and you know I got called every name there is, and Iโd do all of it again tomorrow. I have stood up for other peopleโs people my whole career, and I know exactly what it costs.
And now Iโm standing up for my own people, and I thought I knew going in how lonely that would be. And itโs lonelier than that. But Iโm doing it anyway.
Something has changed in this country, and I can read it in my own comments. โFrom the river to the sea.โ โZionist,โ spat like itโs a slur, by people who couldnโt tell you the details of what I believe, because I hadnโt told them yet. I wasnโt asked. I was told. I donโt think most of them hate Jews. I think somebody handed them a story where the Jew who wonโt apologize for existing must be the villain, and theyโve been putting words in my mouth ever since.
But Iโve been portrayed as the villain before. I can take it. I just wonโt take it quietly, and Iโm not going to teach my kids to.
So, to the ones who are furious with me: you donโt have to agree with me. You never did. Thatโs been our unspoken agreement for twenty-five years, and it still stands, and so do I. You donโt have to agree with one thing Israelโs government does to not want the Jewish family two rows down from you to be scared or targeted at a concert. Thatโs the only thing Iโm asking anybody for. To the ones who are frightened this week, Jewish or Muslim or Palestinian or Israeli or just tired of all of it: I see you. And if anybody wants to really know what I think, just ask me. Iโm right here. Iโve never been hard to find. And Iโll keep speaking out, in my own words.
Itโs Friday. For working people who have more to worry about than pop stars and pile-ons, itโs the end of a hard week. Itโs also the 25th anniversary of September 11th, and my prayers are with the innocent souls we lost that morning. And at sundown, for Jews, itโs Rosh Hashanah, our New Year.
Now Iโm going to go make dinner for my kids, light the candles, dip some apples in honey, pour a glass of wine and be full of gratitude. Thatโs my tradition. It also happens to be a Jewish one.
Shana tova.
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