An Israeli-born man described his decision to leave his “amazing dream job” working with Taylor Swift for the defense of his homeland: “…I could not stand on the sidelines…”
Following the terror attack on Israel by Hamas, of which the death toll had risen to more than 1,400 slaughtered, a declaration of war and a calling up of around 300,000 reservists set the Israel Defense Forces (D) preparing for a counteroffensive to take “mighty vengeance” against the jihadists.
Answering the call like so many others, a security guard who garnered his own celebrity while protecting Swift during her “Eras Tour” spoke with an Israeli journalist while wishing to remain unnamed about his choice to join the fight.
“I got a pretty great life back in the U.S. I got an amazing dream job that I love, great friends that I call family and a very comfortable home,” the guard had told “Israel Today” journalist Eran Swisa.
Recounting their conversation to Variety, the reporter quoted the man born in an Israeli kibbutz as stating, “I didn’t HAVE to come here… But I could not stand on the sidelines while families are being slaughtered and burned alive in their homes!!! Just for being Jewish or being Israelis.”
Swisa also shared an image reported to be the guard geared up for combat on his own TikTok alongside an image of the man protecting Swift over the summer that had gone viral as the undated picture began to circulate as well.
Taylor’s Swift personal personal body guard, IDF, left her to serve and protect Israel pic.twitter.com/hR0h8ONNMY
— CryptoPink (@CryptoPink21) October 15, 2023
The guard’s message continued, “While one side is protecting babies, kids and the elderly, the other side is using those as human shields!!! It’ll be an insult to animals worldwide to call them ‘animals’ but those are not human beings. They killed and slaughtered families in their beds alongside family’s [sic] pets!!!! And then they burned the houses down!!!! Try to imagine that happening in your own neighborhood, to your next-door neighbors or to a family you know.”
As support for him renewed online for his homeland ahead of his own self-interest an equal fervor grew over Swift’s deafening silence regarding the terror attack as she instead solely continued to promote the theatrical release of “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.”
Across her social media, Swift had remarked in part, “Look what you genuinely made me do: Due to unprecedented demand we’re opening up early access showings of The Eras Tour Concert Film on THURSDAY in America and Canada!!”
PREMIERE DAY Andddd I can’t really wrap my head around this but…. Look what you genuinely made me do: Due to unprecedented demand we’re opening up early access showings of The Eras Tour Concert Film on THURSDAY in America and Canada!! As in… TOMORROW. We’re also adding… pic.twitter.com/IUp17aGVvn
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) October 11, 2023
A Jewish jeweler with tens of thousands of followers named Nicole Rose commented, “Terrible timing. Kids are getting raped. Innocent people are dying on both sides. Hamas!! a terrorist organization is slaughtering Israelis…but it’s ‘launch day’??? I’m super disappointed in her,” as others also called her out over silence or commended her for keeping out of it.
Amazing how Taylor was all BLM, but silent when innocent people in Israel are butchered by Hamas. What a coward.
— RealJohnDutton (@RealJohnDutton) October 13, 2023
taylor why are you silent on support for israel?
— chana (@AbstractChana) October 9, 2023
She’s a pop star and does not need to comment on this matter.
If she does, people will tell her to stay in her lane.
— Tig Tiggo (@YouAreBrainwash) October 16, 2023
I am not a Taylor Swift fan but, it is kinda refreshing that a public figure keeps her opinion to herself because public figure opinions are not important to me I could care less……
— MONKEYBOY (@MonkeyBoy1117) October 16, 2023
“I’m not only standing here with Israel and actually standing here. I’m standing here with humanity,” the guard added of his own position. “Don’t be on the wrong side of history!! Don’t stand on the sidelines and say nothing…Stand with Israel, stand with HUMANITY!!!!!”
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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