Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) took a stand against dozens of bands who pulled out of this year’s SXSW festival in protest of sponsorship deals with the U.S. military.
“Goodbye. Don’t come back,” Abbott wrote in a post to X on Tuesday. “We are proud of our military in Texas. If you don’t like that, don’t come here.”
Band withdraws from SXSW due to US military sponsorship.
good bye. Please don’t come back.
Austin remains the headquarters of Army Futures Command.
San Antonio is America’s military capital.
We are proud of our military in Texas.
If you don’t like that, don’t come here.
https://t.co/t3RyQgLRKN— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 12, 2024
The band’s boycott of SXSW came after the festival signed a deal with the U.S. military as a “super sponsor.” However, many other organizations and companies are also sponsoring this year, including Sports Energy Drink C4, Porsche and Left Wing. austin chronicle newspaper.
SXSW also hosts a number of events featuring defense contractors and government agencies, including the CIA.
Some of the bands boycotting SXSW appear to be influenced by a group called the Austin for Palestine Coalition, which on its official website promotes “a permanent ceasefire in Palestine and the dignity of all Palestinians.” He states that he is working in search of.
The group also says it opposes U.S. defense contractors profiting from the war in Israel.
On Wednesday, SXSW issued a statement disagreeing with Abbott’s position.
SXSW disagrees with Governor Abbott.
We are an organization that welcomes diverse perspectives. Music is the soul of SXSW and it has long been our heritage. We fully respect the decisions artists make to exercise their right to free speech.
Around the world, we are witnessing untold tragedies, the rise of repressive regimes, and the escalation of violent conflict. It is more important than ever that we come together to solve these larger humanitarian problems.
The defense industry has historically been a testing ground for many of the systems we rely on today. These institutions are often leaders in emerging technologies, and we think it’s good to understand how their approaches will impact our lives.
Sponsoring the Army is part of our commitment to advancing the ideas that shape our world. As for Collins Aerospace, the company participated as a sponsor of two of his SXSW pitch categories this year, providing entrepreneurs with visibility and funding for potentially transformative efforts.
We have and will continue to support the human rights of all people. The situation in the Middle East is tragic and highlights the growing importance of coming together against injustice.
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