Raffi songs in a world where the swastika is fine

What a time to be online!

The beloved children’s musician Raffi posted a 17th century swastika to his main Instagram grid today, and removed it after several hours. Here it is!

Maybe this is a coincidental moment of Armenian carpet pride! It was viscerally very shocking to see. His previous post was a map of Palestine before the formation of Israel, which he calls “What Palestinians have referred to as the Nakba, or catastrophe.” This is factual! He has also been an outspoken voice against the Israeli siege on Gaza. The most uncharitable read of the whole thing is: “The Israeli army has lost the moral authority for ALL Jews, so give us the swastika back!”

I do not think it is possible to post a swastika neutrally given both the current political climate and the 20th century usage of the symbol. But Raffi does?

I do not know how to process this, and love Raffi very much, and consider him a source of gentleness and sanity and love.

So I will do what I always do: Comedy!

Here are some Raffi songs in a world where the swastika was never condemned. Sing along!

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BABY BELUGA

Baby beluga in the deep blue sea

Swim so wild and swim so free

Give him a star and take his gold

Just a little “white” whale on the go!

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DOWN BY THE BAY

Down by the bay

Where the watermelons grow

Back to my home, I dare not go

For if I do, the SS will say

“Have you ever seen Herschl? Are you hiding him in your cellar?”

Down by the bay!

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FIVE LITTLE DUCKS

Five little ducks went out one day

Over the hill and far away

Mama duck said “quack quack quack!”

And only one little duck came back, but he had lost the light behind his eyes, and he wouldn’t speak of what happened over the hill and far away, but he would scream in the night.