Dear Taylor, Love Israel

The following letter is based on the letter Taylor Swift wrote to Apple before the release of her “1989” album. It was titled:

Dear Apple, Love Taylor.

And it became famous in the annals of music history.

You can find the original letter here.

The following is my letter to Taylor Swift, based on her original letter’s language, punctuation, and nuances.

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Dear Taylor, Love Israel

I write this to explain why all your former fans in Israel and Jews all over the world will, from now on, hold back our support of your music. I feel this deserves an explanation because you, Taylor Swift, have been one of this generation’s most influential vocal artists. You have also stood up for many of the downtrodden and bullied in the world. This is a fact and one that deserves all the accolades it has been given.

I have always respected the Taylor Swift enterprise and the truly ingenious methods you have used on social media to get your message out to your fans. You created an empire based on lyrics and songs while constantly pushing the right boundaries.

This no one can argue with. Back on July 22, 2015, I posted an article on Medium (which subsequently went viral and until today still gets comments) entitled:

8 Lessons that Technologists & Social Media Marketers Can Learn from Taylor Swift…which have nothing to do with her music

That article begins as follows:

I happen to love music though I cannot honestly admit to being a Taylor Swift music devotee. This could be related to my age, my generation, individual taste or simply put, the lyrics don’t resonate with me. I truly apologize for this, Ms. Swift. However when it comes to the persona and public identity of Taylor Swift, I have become a #1 fan and admirer.

The same remained valid until a few days ago. I do fully admit I am not a fan of your music. And I affirm that I was a #1 fan regarding your public persona and how you stood up for the oppressed.

On October 16th, you hit the press again in a roundabout way. As reported by Variety:

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Security Guard Leaves for Israel to Join the IDF

That not only drew attention to your security guard but drew a great deal of positive attention to you, as well. “You see,” people said, “Taylor Swift does really understand what is going on.”

Then, suddenly, it all turned on its head a few days ago.

I’m sure you are aware of the negative press that you, Selena Gomez, and others have faced due to your recent appearance and support for a fundraising event for “children in Gaza.”

If not, let me remind you:

In Israel, we were introduced to this by way of the following:

Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez join star-studded fundraising event for Gaza

I do not want to enter into the validity of the ANERA organization you donated your money, even though, as you well know, it has failed to acknowledge Hamas’ responsibility in the conflict and contributes to the demonization of Israel.

And in the following from the Jerusalem Post:

Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez attend comedy night for Gaza charity

The funds raised from the comedy show were donated to ANERA, a charity accused of being highly political and biased.

The Arab News also carried a piece about your fundraising efforts and donations:

Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez attend fundraising event for Gaza

US superstars Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez were spotted attending a fundraising event for Gaza organized by US Egyptian Ramy Youssef’s comedy club in Brooklyn this week.  

Youssef’s club supports organizations aiding Palestine and pledged to donate 100 percent of its proceeds from the event to the non-governmental organization American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) for relief efforts in Gaza.  

The UK Independent also carried news of your fundraiser:

Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez among celebrities attending Gaza aid fundraiser

While many fans were happy to see Swift in attendance at the event, the star was also criticised over her ongoing silence about the war since it began and the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.

On Twitter/X, one user argued: “They literally attended an event where proceeds go to Gaza, stop making them sound as though they’ve done anything beneficial given their platform... it’s all a public image stunt.”

However, a number of social media users also used their attendance at the fundraising event to criticise Gomez and Swift’s lack of support for Israelis who have suffered in the war.

I think the point is clear. You, Taylor Swift, who has every single movement and utterance in your very public life reported in the press, were also very well aware, along with your social media team, that this would be reported worldwide.

Taylor, let me use your words again here.

I find it shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike your historically progressive and generous presence.

However, not for the reasons you may think.

This is not about me. Thankfully, I live in a country dedicated to the Jewish people. I am not of a generation that went to the slaughter. I no longer have to be silent and passive. Neither do my children or grandchildren. I was also born in the United States and respect and revere it.

This is about the women, the men, the girls, and the babies who were raped, murdered, beheaded and attacked. This is about the most heinous of crimes. This is about human decency. This is about you, Taylor. Yes, YOU!

These are not the complaints of a hurt ego or spoiled, petulant writer. These are the echoed sentiments of every Israeli, Jew, and ethical, morally bound individual all over the world, not only in my social circles, who are afraid to speak up publicly because we fear being attacked and shot and raped and murdered. We do not respect this particular choice you made.

I realize that you, Taylor, are working diligently to ensure your legacy is written in the annals of history. I think that is beautiful progress and a worthy goal. We know how astronomically successful the Taylor Swift enterprise has been, and we know that this incredible enterprise has the money to donate to any cause it wishes to donate to.

And yet, you did draw the hatred of many. Megyn Kelly went on a rant, but a justifiable rant, of which every word is true, about your choice of donations.

This little clip went viral, Taylor. Just type in Google, “Taylor Swift Gaza,” and voila, it is all over. Love Megyn Kelly, Hate Megyn Kelly - it makes no difference. Her message is right on the mark and very accurate.

But back to your words, Taylor.

Almost three months is a long time to remain silent about the Hamas attack. It is unfair to ask anyone to accept your work for this cause at face value. I revere, respect, and admire you for everything else you have done. As the following article in the NY Post points out:

How Taylor Swift — caught in uproar over Gaza luncheon — doles out her billions to charity

Pop superstar Taylor Swift — who hit a sour note with some fans after attending a recent charity event for Gaza — has been quietly doling out her fortune in the years leading up to achieving billionaire status.

The singer’s largess has ranged from supporting food banks during stops on her record-shattering “Eras Tour — to donating $1 million to Tennessee residents ravaged by the deadly tornadoes last weekend.

The day before the storms, Swift lent her star power to Ramy Youseff’s “More Feelings” comedy show — which donated 100% of its proceeds to humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza — landing her in hot water with Megyn Kelly, who this week called for a boycott over the seemingly anti-Israel move.

After the extreme weather swept through the state, Swift moved to cut the seven-figure check to the Tennessee Emergency Response Fund, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, USA Today initially reported.

There were 83 people injured and six reported dead following the storms, including a twister that hit Hendersonville, where Swift moved with her family to pursue her music career at 13 years old.

Newly-minted billionaire Taylor Swift has been generous with her swelling fortune in recent years, even sending stimulus checks to her struggling fans during the pandemic and contributing to numerous GoFundMe pages.

All laudable charities. And for all your work, you deserve the respect and reverence you get from your fans.

I hope that soon, I can once again join your fans in the progression toward a fair and just world.

But you see, Taylor, here is the problem.

I have absolutely no issue with your support of Gaza.
Let me repeat that: so it is unambiguous, and no one can accuse me of being cynical.
I honestly have no problem with your support of Gaza, the children of Gaza, or whatever.

It is your money; you can do anything with it. So, unlike the articles posted (exclusive of Megyn Kelly), I say, go for it. Do what you want. Appear where you want. Give in abundance. If you choose to believe that money is not going straight to Hamas, all the power to you. I wish I lived in your rainbow world. But again. Your money, your choice.

• What I do have a huge problem with is your heinous silence about the attacks perpetrated by Hamas on October 7th and afterward.

• What I do have a huge problem with is you ignoring the rape and mutilation of women and children.

• What I do have a huge problem with is that not once, and I have looked and searched, have you said one word to cry out against such inhumanity.

• What I do have a huge problem with is that you, Taylor, are a hypocrite of the worst kind. Someone I once respected does not have the moral courage, even after all the evidence has been presented worldwide, to speak out for Women and Children. (Let alone the elderly, the infirm, and the men.)

• What I do have a huge problem with is that many of these hostages were taken from a peace concert. Many were raped there. Many were murdered there. And you, Taylor, remain silent.

• What I do have a huge problem with is that I perceived you and the rest of your ilk so wrong. So, You are cowards; you have no moral spine, and in your silence, you have proven that everything you did was just for publicity.

• Indeed, in your own words, you are a “spoiled, petulant child.”

And as you ended your letter, Taylor.

But I say to Taylor Swift and her whole entourage, with all due respect, it’s not too late to change this policy and change the minds of your fans who are disgusted, shocked, and disappointed in your silence and profoundly and gravely affected by it. We don’t ask you for free music tracks. Please don’t ask us to provide you with our respect, money to pay for concert tickets, or praise in light of your silence.

Taylor, Silence is not an option.

Teddy
On Behalf Of The Country Of Israel

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*ETA - A Podcast episode of this post was added. Here is the link if you would rather listen to this in Podcast format.