There are at least two things that are usually true. Everyone loves a good talent show for both the good and the bad performers, and the left destroys anything it comes in contact with. Americans have "American Idol," and the rest of the world has something called "Eurovision." While American Idol features individual contestants, Eurovision is a contest between countries. Currently, 25 countries are competing. Each country gets one contestant, and after each country's contestant performs, there is an American Idol-like call-in vote from the other participating countries. In the finals is 20-year-old Eden Golan. Golan is from Israel. You can guess what has ensued from here. For starters, Golan has received death threats and is surrounded by extra security anywhere she goes.
Malmo, Sweden, is the site of the competition. But because of Golan's participation in the Eurovision contest, on Thursday after she was one of 10 other acts who made it through the semifinals, it also became the site of a massive anti-Israel protest with a crowd estimated to be more than 10,000 people who chanted the usual "Free Palestine," "Israel is a terrorist state," and called for a boycott of Eurovision. Another protest is scheduled for Saturday, the night of the finals. Like other talent competition contestants, some booed, and some cheered her performance. Golan is an odds-on favorite to finish as one of the top finalists. Votes from the public and music industry people decide the finalists.
But as we have seen with the anti-Israel pro-Hamas protests here in the U.S., for the most part, the protests are having the opposite effect desired by the protesters. Because now, everyone knows who Eden Golan is, and they are cheering her on. Even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended Golan for "contending with an ugly wave of antisemitism" and added, "So be blessed, and know that when they boo you, we are cheering you on."
Eden Golan's entry in the contest is a song called "Hurricane." However, the original title of the song was "October Rain," an obvious reference to the October 7 attack on Israel by the terror group Hamas that killed over 1,200 Israelis. According to contest rules, no content that could be seen as "political" is allowed. Golan herself has been careful not to get political, simply stating what any contestant in any international contest would say — that it was "such an honor to represent my country, especially in these times."
There is also another thing that the anti-Israel, pro-Hamas crowd has done for the rest of us. They have made us painfully aware of the maniacal lengths they will go to because of their hatred of Israel. The facts are that 10,000 people — let that number sink in — showed up to protest the participation of a 20-year-old girl in a talent show because she is an Israeli citizen. Thursday's protest even brought out the likes of international climate granola girl Greta Thunburg, although it is unknown if she actually knows what it is she is protesting. But if these pro-Hamas goons are willing to protest a talent competition, what are they willing to do at something like the Olympics in Paris this summer? There are already calls for Olympic officials to limit Israel's participation in the games. Some of us are old enough to remember the Munich Olympics in 1972. It's a truly frightening thought.
It appears that Eden Golan is focused on her next performance and not the nonsense going on outside the contest venue. The best response from Eden to those obsessed with hatred would be to land a decisive victory on Saturday. Bring home a win, Eden. We stand behind you.