“The blowback over Elon Musk’s endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory on X gathered steam on Friday, as several major advertisers on his social media platform cut off their spending after his comments.
Disney said it was pausing spending on X, as did Lionsgate, the entertainment and film distribution company, and Paramount Global, the media giant that owns CBS. Apple, which spends tens of millions of dollars a year on X, also suspended advertising on the platform, a person with knowledge of the situation said. They followed IBM, which cut its spending with X on Thursday.
“You have said the actual truth,” Mr. Musk replied.
Jewish groups have compared the statement in the original post to a belief known as replacement theory, a conspiracy theory that posits that nonwhite immigrants, organized by Jews, intend to replace the white race. That idea fueled Robert Bowers, who raged against Jewish people online before killing 11 worshipers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018.
On Friday, the White House condemned Mr. Musk, 52, for boosting the anti-Jewish conspiracy theory. Andrew Bates, a White House spokesman, said in a statement that it was “unacceptable to repeat the hideous lie behind the most fatal act of antisemitism in American history at any time, let alone one month after the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.”
MORE AT:
Advertisers Flee X as Outcry Over Musk’s Endorsement of Antisemitic Post Grows
Disney, Apple, Paramount and Lionsgate halted marketing on X, formerly Twitter, as Elon Musk faced a furor over antisemitic abuse on his social media platform.
By Ryan Mac, Brooks Barnes and Tiffany Hsu
Nov. 17, 2023
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“On Saturday, 18-year-old Payton Gendron allegedly drove more than 200 miles to a predominantly black neighborhood in Buffalo and, dressed in tactical gear, opened fire at Tops Friendly Market. He shot 13 people and 10 died. Gendron, who has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting, reportedly left behind a 180-page manifesto that “repeatedly cited” the great replacement theory.
The role of Tucker Carlson in mainstreaming the great replacement theory is well-documented. But the mass shooting in Buffalo raises serious questions about many prominent Republican officials and rightwing advocates who have adopted the great replacement theory in recent years, even as the racist conspiracy was cited as motivation by previous mass shooters in Pittsburgh and El Paso.
And there are many:
Senator Ron Johnson
Senate candidate JD Vance
Congresswoman Elise Stefanik
Congressman Scott Perry
Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick
Fox News’ Laura Ingraham
Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro
Daily Wire host Matt Walsh
Trump adviser Stephen Miller
Donald Trump
Trump won the presidency fearmongering about immigrants. In a July 2017 speech in Poland, Trump deployed the language of the great replacement theory. He described immigration as an issue of “survival” for “the west”. Migrants were part of a plot to “subvert and destroy” our “civilization”.
“The fundamental question of our time is whether the west has the will to survive. Do we have the confidence in our values to defend them at any cost? Do we have enough respect for our citizens to protect our borders? Do we have the desire and the courage to preserve our civilization in the face of those who would subvert and destroy it?”
The speech was reportedly written by Miller.
FROM:
Republicans have invoked the ‘great replacement’ theory over and over
Judd Legum
Last modified on Tue 17 May 2022 10.21 EDT
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