The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating anti-Semitism, on Thursday accused tech billionaire Elon Musk of giving a fascist salute at an event after President Trump's inauguration. criticized social media posts that used Nazi puns to ridicule people who on monday.
In a social media post on Thursday, Musk mentioned the names of Nazi party leaders who helped exterminate Europe's Jews, including Adolf Hitler, Rudolf Hess, Joseph Goebbels, Hermann Goering and Heinrich Himmler. did.
“Don't say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will deny anything Goebbels does! Stop grinding on the enemy! His pronouns would have been he/Himmler!” MuskI wrote to X.
“I bet you're a Nazi now,” she added with a laughing emoji.
The ADL previously defended Musk's “disturbing behavior” and criticized his light-hearted posts about the Holocaust.
“We have said it hundreds of times and we will say it again: The Holocaust was an extremely evil event, and it is inappropriate and offensive to trivialize it,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. said. said on X, replying to Mr. Musk's post.
“@elonmusk, the Holocaust is not a joke,” Greenblatt continued.
ADL official account Reposting Greenblatt's statement Furthermore, “telling inappropriate and deeply offensive jokes that trivialize the Holocaust trivializes the evil and inhumanity of the Nazi crimes, denigrates the suffering of both victims and survivors, and denigrates the suffering of both the victims and survivors of the Shoah.'' It only insults the memory of six million Jews.”
The statement comes as Musk's controversial gesture on Monday continues to garner significant attention and divide opinion among the public figures involved.
Musk spoke to a large audience on Monday and thanked those in attendance for electing Trump in November. He then grabbed the left side of his chest with his right hand and stretched his arm straight across his chest from left to right. He turned and made the gesture again.
“My heart goes out to you,” Musk said after making the gesture. “And it is because of you that the future of civilization is guaranteed.”
The ADL was among the voices defending Mr. Musk, describing the moment Monday as an “awkward gesture” and encouraging people to give him “a little grace” before jumping to conclusions.
“This is a delicate moment. It's a new day, but many people are nervous. Our politics are being incited and social media only adds to the anxiety,” the ADL said in a statement on its platform. At the same time as a rise in anti-Semitic comments, Trump also clashed with Musk over his policies regarding X.
“It appears that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm rather than a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are feeling tingly,” the ADL continued. “At this moment, all sides should give each other a little grace, perhaps the benefit of the doubt, and take a breather.”
The ADL faced backlash for defending Musk's stance, particularly from progressives who have criticized the organization over the past year for its handling of Israel's war in Gaza.
“To be clear, you are defending the repeated Heil Hitler salute for emphasis and clarification,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York said Monday. said. Any reliable source will do now. you work for them. Thank you for clarifying that to everyone. ”
