Macklemore pledges $1 million to Palestinian relief, challenges Robert Kraft to match it
Macklemore is donating $1 million of his earnings to Palestinian relief organizations following his removal from Ed Sheeran’s tour and he’s invited New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to do the same.In an Instagram post Wednesday, Macklemore said he wanted to “bring the conversation back where it belongs.” He specified that the money was the entirety of his net earnings from Sheeran’s tour, and that it would go to six organizations working to support Palestinians.
“Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protection,” Macklemore wrote.“A Palestinian life is no less valuable than any life on this earth.”The statement comes just two days after Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, announced he’d been dropped from Sheeran’s tour after venues threatened to cancel shows in response to Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian performance.
Kraft was among those who said Macklemore would not be welcome at his Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, according to Macklemore and Sheeran.Macklemore further alleged Kraft “rallied” the other stadium owners to give Sheeran an ultimatum.
Sheeran confirmed in a statement Tuesday that Kraft was among the venue representatives who’d reached out with concerns over Macklemore’s performance.Kraft did not deny Macklemore’s allegations when he gave a statement to NBC News on the matter.
In his statement Monday, Kraft said he was not trying to stifle Palestinian advocacy or diminish the suffering of Palestinians.The decision, he said, was reached after comments Macklemore made at the tour’s New Jersey shows and “a broader history of rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.” “Much of my time and attention for the last decade has been focused on the fight against antisemitism and hate of all kinds, and I feel a responsibility to stand up when I believe that line has been crossed,” Kraft ...