Saturday, July 10, 2010

COMMENTARY: Jennifer Lopez Is Correct in Canceling Birthday Show in North Cyprus

Jennifer Lopez must be commended for canceling her birthday show in North Cyprus. She had been scheduled to perform there at a luxury hotel inauguration on her birthday, July 24, 2010.

The fact is that Turkish troops invaded and seized control of North Cyprus in 1974, and have illegally controlled that territory to the present day. No nation -- except Turkey -- recognizes Northern Cyprus as a sovereign state, and the United Nations and the European Union refuse to recognize it.

Greeks in Cyprus -- as well as freedom-loving people from many other nations -- flooded the Internet during the past week or so, recommending that Lopez cancel her performance in Northern Cyprus, because of Turkey's illegal seizure of that area. Yesterday (July 9), Lopez -- now realizing that an autocratic and illegal government exists in Northern Cyprus -- decided to cancel her performance there.

She canceled her performance in Northern Cyprus, despite the fact that she would have received a $3 million appearance fee. On her website, Lopez stated yesterday, "Jennifer Lopez would never knowingly support any state, country, institution, or regime that was associated with any form of human rights abuse."

In other words, once Lopez learned that Northern Cyprus was being illegally ruled by Turkey, she wanted to have nothing to do with it -- even if that meant denying herself $3 million.

How many people would sacrifice $3 million because receiving that money would be contrary to their beliefs of human rights? The answer, sad to say, is not many.

Jennifer Lopez, then, must be commended for her belief that human rights should transcend one's desire for money. Indeed, money is important for one's existence, but human rights and freedom command a higher calling -- a calling that can never be bought with money.

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