He argued that it was OK to combine the Star of David and swastika symbols because, he said, the star is used not only as a religious symbol, but a political symbol. It is found on the Israeli Air Force insignia.

He argued that it was OK to combine the Star of David and swastika symbols because, he said, the star is used not only as a religious symbol, but a political symbol. It is found on the Israeli Air Force insignia.

"The swastika, to me, is equivalent to the Star of David," Atta said.

Atta also disagreed with the concept that Jewish residents could feel threatened by the mural. He said he thought Jewish people "should be able to relate" to how painful a genocide is for a population."

2024:  The mural is posted on a building at North Holton and East Locust streets owned by Ihsan Atta, a Palestinian-American landlord who is the registered agent for the property management company.

The mural replaced one on Breonna Taylor that was well-known to those in the area. Taylor, a Black woman, was shot and killed in her home in 2020 by Louisville police during a botched raid. The police killings of Taylor and George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protests about police violence. Another prominent mural of Floyd on a building also owned by Atta remains at the corner of East North Avenue and North Holton Street. Milwaukee

Now that his three-year world tour for "The Wall" has finally come to an end, Roger Waters wants to set the record straight over criticism he's received from Jewish groups regarding his use of the Star of David symbol in the show and his support for a cultural boycott of Israel.

In its three-year span, "The Wall" show went on to become the highest grossing tour of all time by a solo artist. Waters next stop is the Broadway musical version, which begins workshops in January....

In this April 1, 2011 file photo, Roger Waters performs during his "The Wall Tour 2010/2011" in Milan, Italy. Now that his three-year world tour for “The Wall” has finally come to an end, Waters wants to set the record straight over criticism he’s received from Jewish groups regarding his use of the Star of David symbol in the show and his support for a cultural boycott of Israel. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni, File)

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine] 

http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/entertainment/rogers-waters-defends-use-of-religious-symbolism/nb8q7/

Monday, Dec. 2, 2013

Rogers Waters defends use of religious symbolism

By JOHN CARUCCI

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — 

Now that his three-year world tour for "The Wall" has finally come to an end, Roger Waters wants to set the record straight over criticism he's received from Jewish groups regarding his use of the Star of David symbol in the show and his support for a cultural boycott of Israel.

The 70-year old Pink Floyd co-founder says his intention was never to offend the Jewish people. "I worry about it every day. It's a huge concern to me that I would be considered to be a bully," Waters says.

The controversy began with the use of the Star of David, which appears on Israel's flag and is a symbol of its government, in the show as one of the animated symbols dropped from a fighter jet during the song "Goodbye Blue Sky." Other symbols included a crucifix, crescent moon, and the U.S. dollar sign.

"'Goodbye Blue Sky' is all about and how I feel about the fields of the earth being bathed in blood because we're so determined to bombard our fellow man with our bit of ideology, or our bit of this, or our religion, and some took issue with that," Waters says.

Waters communicated with Anti-Defamation League national director Abraham Foxman and the rocker agreed to move the Stars of David further away from the dollar signs...READ MORE