Violinist Itzhak Perlman, a longtime advocate for the disabled, is still upset over Donald Trump’s derisive behavior toward a disabled reporter last fall and says he will be supporting Hillary Clinton in November’s election.
The mild-mannered musician, who contracted polio as a child and uses an electric scooter to move around, said he tries to avoid politics but the current campaign is different.
Last November, Trump flailed his arms in what critics immediately said was an attempt to mock a New York Times reporter who suffers from a congenital condition that restricts joint movement. Trump has denied that, arguing he was actually mimicking a “flustered reporter trying to get out of a statement he made long ago.”
“Horrible, horrible, horrible … That was a mindless kind of decision,” Perlman said in an interview with The Associated Press. “It was terrible. You don’t do that … it’s so outrageous.”
Asked whether he would be endorsing a candidate, he said: “I’m just hoping that Hillary will do it,” adding that the situation will be “impossible” if Trump is elected.
It is not the first time Perlman has been drawn into a politically sensitive issue. Last month, he canceled a performance with the North Carolina Symphony to protest the state’s new law limiting antidiscrimination policies for LGBT people. He has said he will perform when the law is repealed.
The Israeli-American Perlman, one of the world’s most recognized classical musicians, is in the country of his birth to accept the $1 million Genesis Prize , known unofficially as the “Jewish Nobel Prize.” He was selected for the honor for his “exceptional contributions” as a musician, teacher, advocate for the disabled and dedication to Jewish values and Israel.
Perlman, 70, has won 16 Grammys, including a lifetime achievement award in 2008, and played the violin solo in John Williams’ Oscar-winning soundtrack for the 1993 film “Schindler’s List.” He has performed with or conducted the world’s top symphony orchestras, and has been a regular guest at White House events. Last year, he received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Perlman is also one of the few classical musicians to enjoy broad crossover appeal. He has appeared on late-night comedy programs, Sesame Street and American public television programs. With his wife Toby, he helps run the Perlman Music Program for talented young musicians.
Perlman said the prize money will go to the two causes that are most important to him: music and empowering people with disabilities. He also said he has his eyes set on promoting music education in Israel. “We have got to make kids excited about classical music,” he said.
He said he would also promote the idea that “every person with a disability is an individual,” with their own sets of needs. He said society must do more to enable people with disabilities to utilize their strengths and realize their potential.
Perlman said he wants to be recognized as a great violinist — not as a musician with a disability.
“I don’t play the violin with my legs. I play it with my hands,” he said. “I’m supposed to be looked at according to my talent … I’m sure that many people with disabilities who have certain talents would like to be looked at that way, not any other way.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to present the award to Perlman at a ceremony in Jerusalem Thursday night that will be hosted by actress Helen Mirren.
The prize was inaugurated in 2014 and is run in a partnership between the Israeli prime minister’s office, the private Genesis Prize Foundation and the Jewish Agency, a nonprofit group with ties to the Israeli government. It is funded by a $100 million endowment set up by the foundation. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was the recipient of the first prize, and actor Michael Douglas was last year’s winner.
(AP)
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13 Responses
And only a mindless person would vote for Hillary if you haven’t learned from the last 8 years then you deserve what you get unfortunately we have to suffer as well
What a joke. He is a first class liberal (his canceling a performance Lkvod the mushchasim is proof) and would have voted for that piece of garbage anyway. He and his ilk put Obama in office To make it sound as if he just now changed his mind is an insult to our intelligence.
Exactly
Is it coincidental that he says this just when a book on Hillary is publicized, which revealed that Hillary mocked disabled people ? No. He is trying to protect Hillary on that charge. His liberal mind was made up well before Trump said anything.
“And only a mindless person would vote for Hillary if you haven’t learned from the last 8 years ”
Only a person with no memory of what the US was like on January 20, 2009 could write such a thing. The US was headed rapidly for another Great Depression, and the Republicans were already conspiring to block every action Obama would take to prevent such a catastrophe. But another Great Depression did not happen. That alone makes it worth voting for a candidate who will continue Obama’s policies over a candidate who will return to the irresponsible catastrophic Bush policies.
” He and his ilk put Obama in office”
I am part of that ilk and I have no regrets. John McCain is a true American hero but he was totally clueless regarding how to handle the economic crisis; he would have been a repeat of Herbert Hoover. Your “ilk” seems to prefer massive human misery!
” he canceled a performance with the North Carolina Symphony to protest the state’s new law limiting antidiscrimination policies for LGBT people.”
That is only the beginning of the problems with that law. It also eliminated antidiscrimination protections for people with disabilities — like Perlman, a disabled survivor of polio as a child. How can Jews support someone who pokes fun of disabled people? We are supposed to be compassionate, not mean!
He is a great musician but I’m not at all interested in his left-wing opinions. Let him stick to Beethoven violin concerto.
Why does being able to play a violin beautifully make somebody a מ״ד regarding politics?! לא זכיתי להבין
I had the same thoughts, YJF. You’re right
Kol ha Kovod to Mr Perlman.
I also would NEVER vote for Herr Chump, not because B”H I am disabled, but because I am not a MORON.
charliehall,
By voting for Obama you voted for.
Destruction of US economy (20+ trillion debt)
Destroying American Constitution and the rule of law
Arming Mexican gangs with “assault weapons” (Operation Fast & Furious)
Giving Iran ability to complete it’s nuclear weapons program and unfreezing $150B,
Creating ISIS and destabilizing Middle East.
Letting American ambassador and other 3 heroes to die by totally ignoring calls for help.
Flooding American with millions illegal and dangerous aliens.
Releasing hundreds of thousands violent criminals to the streets.
Totally destroying moral family oriented fabric of America.
Are you proud of yourself, charliehall?
“dedication to Jewish values and Israel.”
Since when are LGBT rights a Jewish value? And Perlman is so dedicated to Israel that he abandoned his country decades ago to live in the luxurious skyscrapers of Manhattan.
Itzhak fiddles while America burns….