How Dave Chappelle Champions Gaza Amid Celebrity Silence: A Call for Action
Across Hollywood and the entertainment sphere, there continues to be a major lack of celebrities speaking up against the atrocities happening in Gaza. So far, some notable few, including Macklemore, The Weekend, and Dua Lipa, took a stand, yet a much larger number took no action.
Along with actors and singers, looking into the world of comedians, some did speak up, the most notable being Dave Chappelle.
How It All Started
The American comedian and actor was one of the few who spoke up, especially way back in October. It all started during one of his stand-up shows, one that took place in Boston. At a show at Boston’s TD Garden, Chappelle criticized Israel’s bombing of Gaza.
He first accused Israel of killing thousands and accused the US of aiding Israel. He then made it clear that the students who expressed support for Palestine should not be denied job offers.
His words resonated with many who applauded the comedian and belted out a fiery “Free Palestine.” The thing is, not everyone was okay with Chappelle’s stance as others walked out of the show.
Another Bout Of Solidarity
Knowing how the atrocities only worsened since October, Chappelle knew he had to continue to speak up. In yet another one of his shows, one that took place at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, the comedian’s words of solidarity, this time, were met with ample support from the audience.
During his show, as he was describing the war in Gaza as a “genocide,” the crowd roared in support. As an American, he also wanted to bring to light the role of the US in the ongoing genocide. “What is happening in Gaza is a direct result of anti-Semitism in the West,” Chappelle said.
He spoke further about it, “If you are in America, the best thing you can do is to make American-Jews feel safe, feel loved and supported so they can know they don’t have to support a country that is committing genocide just to feel safe.”
Seeing how he teeters between being an American public figure and an avid supporter of Palestine, he exemplifies the exact kind of person who should speak up. Here’s hoping more people will follow in his footsteps.
