Ed Sheeran's 'apolitical' defense after Macklemore's tour removal draws backlash
An op-ed accusing Sheeran of complicity through silence goes viral, reigniting debate over his split with Macklemore over pro-Palestinian remarks.
What to know
- A viral op-ed argues Ed Sheeran's refusal to comment publicly on Israel-Palestine is complicity enabled by privilege, following Macklemore's removal from his tour for pro-Palestinian remarks.
- Comment sections split between condemning Sheeran's silence and noting he privately pledged $2 million to Palestinian humanitarian aid, matched by Robert Kraft, before the controversy.
- Discussion has broadened beyond Sheeran into tangents about Robert Kraft's associations, U.S. politics, and the wider Israel-Palestine conflict.
The dispute Whether Sheeran's private $2 million pledge and family background excuse his public silence, or whether any refusal to speak out publicly is itself complicity. · positions read across 86 posts and comments
Silence and neutrality on Gaza are themselves complicit and cowardly.
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“See something, say something. This excuse is horse shit. Silence is complicity.”
misssunderstood.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Sheeran is being unfairly maligned given his prior financial support for Palestinian aid and his family's history with sectarian conflict.
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“Nobody is talking about the $2 million Sheeran pledged to humanitarian aid in Palestine and the match he requested from Kraft...BEFORE all this went down.”
sctlp.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
The real story is money and power — Robert Kraft's ties and oligarchs controlling culture — not one pop star's silence.
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“This is Robert Kraft, pictured here with a child rapist and a mass murderer... the lawyer's comment was maybe the Kraft charge will ease some of the pressure on you.”
dhajj1.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Ed Sheeran Musician, tour headlinerMacklemore Rapper, former tour support actJohn Pavlovitz Substack essayist
Robert Kraft Businessman referenced in donation/Sheeran ties
How it unfolded 4 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump postscomments
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Backlash spreads across dozens of Bluesky comments
Over 70 comments accumulate on the post, ranging from condemnations of Sheeran's silence to defenses citing his prior donations and family history, alongside unrelated tangents on Israel-Palestine and U.S. politics.
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Ed felt no commitment to honor his contracts with fellow musicians or even himself! He allowed a bully to dictate to who could perform with him. He did not stand up for himself or his friends! It is his shame and weakness to carry.
2 more of the top 3 · 30 posts in this stretch
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Sheeran performed at Krafts wedding in 2022
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The ultimate white (usually male) privilege of not having to gaf
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Thread pivots to Robert Kraft's ties and donation wording
Commenters bring up Robert Kraft's history (including past associations cited in the thread) and note his donation statement referenced 'aid in the region' rather than Palestine specifically.
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And genocide is not controversial. The mass murder of innocent people is an atrocity.
2 more of the top 3 · 46 posts in this stretch
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The only thing evil needs to win, is for good people to do nothing. Changed the wording a bit, but it’s the same message.
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100%!👍 I have great disrespect for the silent types just as much as outright Republican voters. Damage is all the same.
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Commenters surface Sheeran's earlier $2M pledge for Palestinian aid
A commenter notes that before the controversy, Sheeran had pledged $2 million to humanitarian aid in Palestine and sought a matching donation from Robert Kraft, complicating the 'silent and complicit' framing.
“Nobody is talking about the $2 million Sheeran pledged to humanitarian aid in Palestine and the match he requested from Kraft...BEFORE all this went down.”
— sctlp.bsky.social -
See something, say something. This excuse is horse shit. Silence is complicity.
2 more of the top 3 · 6 posts in this stretch
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Nobody is talking about the $2 million Sheeran pledged to humanitarian aid in Palestine and the match he requested from Kraft...BEFORE all this went down. I don't like Sheeran's apolitical stance either, but he doesn't deserve the "pro genocide Nazi" label.
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When a rich guy sells his soul for another buck, he had no soul to begin with...his career is dead, he just doesn't know it yet
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Pavlovitz essay accuses Sheeran of complicity through privilege
John Pavlovitz's Substack essay, shared widely on Bluesky, argues that Sheeran's neutrality is a privileged position that amounts to complicity in violence against Palestinians.
“There’s no such thing as neutrality. Its silence and silence is complicity.”
— leftylady.bsky.social -
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There’s no such thing as neutrality. Its silence and silence is complicity.
2 more of the top 3 · 4 posts in this stretch
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Agreed. In Dante’s Inferno, the Vestibule of Hell held those who stood aside. They were condemned to endless motion, chased by insects, following empty banners. Their sin wasn’t evil acts it was watching evil happen and staying silent. Dante was clear: apathy is not innocence it is evil’s accomplice
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That is why we have trump . . . silence and complicity. That is why Putin and Bibi are in power. This world needs a cleansing of the dictators. Wouldn't it be nice to spend billions on medical research, national improvement, people, education instead of bombs and genocide?
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background
Sheeran issues statement defending his apolitical stance — Sheeran posted a lengthy statement saying he holds private views on the conflict but chooses not to speak publicly, arguing that 'shouting the loudest' does not create change.
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background
Macklemore is removed from Sheeran's tour over pro-Palestinian remarks — Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour after making pro-Palestinian statements on stage, triggering public controversy.
What people are saying 13 voices from 1 site · best of 86 · verbatim
- Did Sheeran's $2 million pledge to Palestinian aid, and Kraft's matching donation, actually go through, and to whom?
- Why did Sheeran choose to remove Macklemore rather than simply distance himself from the remarks?
- Sep 19
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Sadly, the mention of race, even in friendly/allied-adjacent spaces, is received with silence. But as true as the sun sets in the evening, America will never find the peace it says it treasures until it comes to terms with its racist past/present. Until then, we will speak truth, no matter what.
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In this day and age 'white privilege' is fleeting. It will be tested when the 'privileged' take a stand for something that matters to them. Check out feedback from the crews on the Global Samud Flotilla. Neutrality is another word for cowardice at the end of the day all we have is our soul.
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Zionist Jews, & Christians, think being anti genocide (irony in that statement) is an attack on them. That's a telling stance. Part of them knows it's wrong so knee jerk defensiveness & counter attacks replace long dark nights of the soul. What they support, whether actively or passively is wrong.
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If I tolerate fascism I play the fool. Silence will not protect me. Accommodation will not spare me Complicity will not shield me Resist
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It would be hella nice to spend the money on beneficial things!! I wish the corporate Democrats agreed too :( they're supposed to help us. The genocide in occupied Palestine has been happening for 78 years and the powers that be in the USA have supported it monetarily the entire time 😭
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Or maybe we don’t get a lot of information because most of our media outlets are pieces of trash.
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There is myth that 62% of Americans believe. They think America was founded on Christian values and the Constitution was ordained by God. They are extremely misguided by a plan launched by the Republicans in the 1980's. They infiltrated the Christian churches across the nation to achieve the goals.
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If Israel can target individual cell phones they cannot not target innocents. Otherwise I agree. Hamas is the flip side of the settler movement. The Holocaust does not justify the obliteration of Gaza. The existence of Israel does not justify Hamas terrorism.
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It's fair that people are critiquing Sheeran. But this is more about oligarchs flexing their control over politics, culture and media than about one pop star.
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"Free Palestine" actually means "Let the terrorists continue attacking Israel as they have done for 80 years after they refused to accept an Islamic state from the UK and UN, while Israel did accept land for a Jewish state after 38% of Jews were murdered in Europe -- without Israel responding."
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This is Robert Kraft, pictured here with a child rapist and a mass murderer. When Kraft needed a lawyer for the solicitation charge in Fla. Epstein recommended one. When Epstein gave that lawyer a heads up, the lawyer's comment was maybe the Kraft charge will ease some of the pressure on you.
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Not just Sheeran— all of us must take a stand when it comes to genocide. Silence is complicity.
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Actually he wasn’t silent or neutral. He punished someone. I’d never bought any Ed Sheeran music. Guess that will continue