After facing backlash for an antisemitic post, Elon Musk visits the Auschwitz concentration camp.
On Monday, Elon Musk made a visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau site, which was a former Nazi death camp. This visit was in response to criticism faced by the billionaire owner of X for his previous statements.antisemitic post
On the social media site “the real truth.”
Elon Musk’s support of an anti-Semitic post in November caused several major advertisers, such as Apple, Comcast, Disney, IBM, and Warner Bros., to withdraw their advertising from the platform. Musk expressed concern that this decision could lead to the downfall of X, formerly known as Twitter.
Musk faced criticism from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a group that fights against anti-Semitism, after the group’s CEO Jonathan Greenblatt wrote on X that it is concerning for someone to use their influence to endorse and spread anti-Semitic ideas.
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— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) January 22, 2024
Musk shared a picture of himself and Shapiro visiting the location where over 1.1 million individuals were killed by the Nazis and their collaborators in World War II. While the majority of victims were Jewish, there were also Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, and other groups among the casualties. The Holocaust resulted in the deaths of approximately 6 million European Jews. When the Soviet army liberated the camp, there were roughly 7,000 survivors.
According to an email sent to CBS MoneyWatch, the ADL expressed its desire for the visit to bring about changes at X. A representative from the ADL stated, “As Musk gains insight from his visit, we urge him and the leadership at X to consider how their platform has allowed antisemitism to spread, as our research has revealed. We hope they will actively strengthen their policies and enforcement measures to prevent its ongoing spread.”
The ADL stated, “It is important for everyone to witness the atrocities that occurred in Auschwitz-Birkenau. This site serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of rampant antisemitism within a society or its leaders.”
Antisemitism conference
Musk visited the infamous site where the Holocaust atrocities occurred before attending a scheduled conference on antisemitism, organized by the European Jewish Association, in the nearby Polish city of Krakow on Monday.
Musk was anticipated to attend the visit on Tuesday and participate in a memorial ceremony with other political leaders attending the EJA conference in Krakow. However, he surprised everyone by arriving at the Nazi death camp on Monday instead.
“Prior to his attendance at the European Jewish Association conference, Elon Musk participated in a private tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau with EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Ben Shapiro, and Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev, due to scheduling concerns. The EJA reported that Musk paid his respects by laying a wreath at the wall of death and participating in a brief memorial ceremony and service at the Birkenau memorial.”
Antisemitic X post
Criticism of Musk’s opinions arose when he replied to a post by an X user who asserted that Jews have been promoting the same type of divisive animosity towards white people that they condemn and want to see eradicated.
Musk acknowledged, “You have spoken the truth” but also voiced criticism towards the ADL, stating that they unfairly target the majority of the Western population despite their support for the Jewish people and Israel. This is due to their inability to criticize the minority groups that pose the biggest threat.
He eventually expressed regret for the remark, referring to it as the most foolish post he has ever made.
“According to the Associated Press, there have been reports on this matter.”
Aimee Picchi
Source: cbsnews.com