Roger Waters is Pissed!

Roger Waters has posted an open letter on his website and Facebook page denouncing Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, who called him "anti Semitic," "a Jew hater" and a "Nazi sympathizer." It all started when an Israeli newspaper posted a photo of the pig Waters uses in his Wall show, which has the Star of David on it.

Waters says, "Often I can ignore these attacks, but Rabbi Cooper’s accusations are so wild and bigoted they demand a response... I hold your outburst to be inflammatory and unhelpful, and would suggest it can only impede progress towards peace and understanding between people... I have many very close Jewish friends, one of whom, interestingly enough, is the nephew of the late Simon Wiesenthal... The Wall show, so lamely attacked by you, is many things. It is thoughtful, life affirming, ecumenical, humane, loving, anti-war, anti-colonial, pro-universal access to the law, pro-liberty, pro-collaboration, pro-dialogue, pro-peace, anti-authoritarian, anti-fascist, anti-apartheid, anti-dogma, international in spirit, musical and satirical. It is not anti-Semitic or pro-Nazi.

Like it or not, the Star of David represents Israel and its policies, and is legitimately subject to any and all forms of non-violent protest. To peacefully protest against Israel’s racist domestic and foreign policies is not anti-Semitic. Your contention that because I criticize the policies of the Israeli government I should be lumped in with the Muslim Brotherhood is risible, and again a personal affront... Come to the show! Love, Roger. P.S. For the sake of some perspective. The inflatable pig...has appeared at every Wall show since September 2010, some 193 shows, [and] yours is the first complaint."

Waters' tour of The Wall is in Istanbul, Turkey on Sunday.