The co-founder of Pink Floyd keeps making controversial statements. His criticism of Zelenski now also belongs to the series of political embarrassments.
Knights of the Sad Figure: Roger Waters means well with the world – and even better with himself.
Attention, Roger Waters is on the road again. With his seven-league boots of self-confidence, the bassist, singer and co-founder of Pink Floyd stomps purposefully into all sorts of faux pas. The artist tends to raise his voice not only on a musical but also on a political mission. But while one would hope for more character and civil courage from some artists, in the case of Roger Waters one would be happy for a little humility and restraint.
A pious wish! Wherever there is a crisis or a problem, there is also a platform for this wretch. Roger Waters may mean well by the world when he campaigns for nature, supports journalists like Julian Assange or campaigns for the Palestinians. But his inflated idealism and know-it-all attitude often make him appear as an ugly knight. Not only did he work for the anti-Israel organization Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) in an uncritical, even sectarian way, he also played stupidly with symbols like the Star of David on stage, accusing himself of anti-Semitism negotiated.
“Tragically mistaken”
The lack of sensitivity and self-criticism is revealed again now. In an “open letter” on Facebook, Roger Waters addressed Olena Selenska, the wife of the Ukrainian President. His heart bleeds for them, for all Ukrainian families and – so big is his heart – also for affected Russian families. But pity is not what Waters is after. Rather, he felt provoked by a statement by the president’s wife: She is said to have said in an interview for the BBC that consistent support for Ukraine would shorten the crisis.
If the support means arms deliveries, it is wrong, the musician writes: “You may be tragically mistaken.” Because with weapons one would pour oil on the fire. Waters’ letter becomes impertinent in substance and arrogant in tone as soon as he mentions the President. Zelenskiy failed to keep his election promises and did not grant the Donbass any autonomy. Above all, however, he writes to Olena Selenska, her “old man” allowed himself to be harnessed by totalitarian nationalists and they violated all the red lines that Russia had laid out quite clearly.
Ah, so Zelensky and the Ukrainian nationalists are to blame for the war because they disobeyed Father Putin? However, Waters also counts NATO and Joe Biden, who represents the interests of the American arms industry, among the warmongers and war profiteers. The musician, who has already shown understanding for the annexation of Crimea, expressed this opinion weeks ago in an interview with CNN. Much to the delight of the Russian war party, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev promptly and gratefully quoted Roger Waters. Since then, Russian propaganda has repeatedly referred to the controversial British artist.
The ricochet
But the Russian regime cannot be sure about Roger Waters. In any case, the artist, who is considered an enemy of the state in Ukraine, does not fit in with those who understand Putin. He has supported the Putin-critical punk collective Pussy Riot and also harshly criticized Russian autocrats at the beginning of the Ukraine invasion. But how does that fit together? Not at all. Roger Waters is just a rabble-rouser who inflates his own ego with his sense of mission.