OH THEY HAVE A POLICY, NOW
KANYE WEST’S SWASTIKA TWEET FORCES ELON MUSK TO FINALLY DO SOME MODERATING
The new Twitter CEO announced that the antisemitic rapper’s account would be suspended for violating the company’s policies on inciting violence.
DECEMBER 2, 2022
Kanye West on Feb. 9, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.BY EVAN AGOSTINI/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK
Shortly after tweeting an image of a swastika inside the Star of David and hours after going on a pro-Hitler tirade, Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, was suspended from Twitter Friday. Twitter CEO Elon Musk confirmed as much early Friday morning, less than a few weeks after Twitter reversed an October restriction on his account that came in response to a separate antisemitic tweet.
Thursday's tweet was deleted before West’s account page became inaccessible. Prior to West’s suspension, he also posted an unflattering image of Musk in a bathing suit, writing, “Let’s always remember this as my final tweet,” to which Musk responded, “That is fine. This is not,” referring to the swastika tweet. West then took his grievances to Truth Social, former President Donald Trump's social media platform, where he shared an apparent text-message exchange between him and Musk, per the Guardian. “Sorry, but you have gone too far. This is not love,” Musk wrote. “Who made you the judge,” West replied.
The spectacular downfall of one of the most influential rappers in the world is coinciding with another spectacle: Musk’s takeover of Twitter, which has forced the Tesla CEO—a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist”—to become a de facto moderator. To say that Musk has been resistant to this aspect of his new role is an understatement, given that he’s granted “general amnesty” to previously suspended accounts (including Trump); ended Twitter’s policy against COVID misinformation; and dismantled the company's trust and safety teams amid mass layoffs. But West's latest pro-Nazi antics were apparently beyond the pale for Musk, raising questions around how the Tesla CEO will crack down on antisemitism going forward.
West's comments also underscore the ongoing confusion around Twitter's new content moderation policies, such as those related to impersonation and hate speech. Many commentators have argued that Musk has failed to consistently enforce these policies, as seemingly evidenced by Thursday's incident:
West’s suspension comes on the heels of his horrifyingly antisemitic outburst on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’s InfoWars show, during which even Jones—who Friday morning filed for bankruptcy because he owes nearly $1.5 billion in damages caused by his lies about the Sandy Hook massacre—seemed uncomfortable with West’s comments. “There’s a lot of things that I love about Hitler," West said during his appearance, claiming the Holocaust never happened. Also on Thursday, Parler, the right-wing social media platform, announced that West’s deal to acquire the company fell apart in mid-November. While the rapper's antisemitic rhetoric has earned him scores of critics over the past several months, he was still greeted with a warm embrace in Mar-a-Lago last week, where the former president hosted West, as well as white supremacist Nick Fuentes, for dinner shortly after announcing his 2024 presidential bid.
The new Twitter CEO announced that the antisemitic rapper’s account would be suspended for violating the company’s policies on inciting violence.
DECEMBER 2, 2022
Kanye West on Feb. 9, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.BY EVAN AGOSTINI/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK
Shortly after tweeting an image of a swastika inside the Star of David and hours after going on a pro-Hitler tirade, Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, was suspended from Twitter Friday. Twitter CEO Elon Musk confirmed as much early Friday morning, less than a few weeks after Twitter reversed an October restriction on his account that came in response to a separate antisemitic tweet.
Thursday's tweet was deleted before West’s account page became inaccessible. Prior to West’s suspension, he also posted an unflattering image of Musk in a bathing suit, writing, “Let’s always remember this as my final tweet,” to which Musk responded, “That is fine. This is not,” referring to the swastika tweet. West then took his grievances to Truth Social, former President Donald Trump's social media platform, where he shared an apparent text-message exchange between him and Musk, per the Guardian. “Sorry, but you have gone too far. This is not love,” Musk wrote. “Who made you the judge,” West replied.
The spectacular downfall of one of the most influential rappers in the world is coinciding with another spectacle: Musk’s takeover of Twitter, which has forced the Tesla CEO—a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist”—to become a de facto moderator. To say that Musk has been resistant to this aspect of his new role is an understatement, given that he’s granted “general amnesty” to previously suspended accounts (including Trump); ended Twitter’s policy against COVID misinformation; and dismantled the company's trust and safety teams amid mass layoffs. But West's latest pro-Nazi antics were apparently beyond the pale for Musk, raising questions around how the Tesla CEO will crack down on antisemitism going forward.
West's comments also underscore the ongoing confusion around Twitter's new content moderation policies, such as those related to impersonation and hate speech. Many commentators have argued that Musk has failed to consistently enforce these policies, as seemingly evidenced by Thursday's incident:
West’s suspension comes on the heels of his horrifyingly antisemitic outburst on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’s InfoWars show, during which even Jones—who Friday morning filed for bankruptcy because he owes nearly $1.5 billion in damages caused by his lies about the Sandy Hook massacre—seemed uncomfortable with West’s comments. “There’s a lot of things that I love about Hitler," West said during his appearance, claiming the Holocaust never happened. Also on Thursday, Parler, the right-wing social media platform, announced that West’s deal to acquire the company fell apart in mid-November. While the rapper's antisemitic rhetoric has earned him scores of critics over the past several months, he was still greeted with a warm embrace in Mar-a-Lago last week, where the former president hosted West, as well as white supremacist Nick Fuentes, for dinner shortly after announcing his 2024 presidential bid.
Biden slaps down Hitler-praising Kanye West while subtly knocking Trump for his silence
Brad Reed
December 02, 2022
Joe Biden (AFP)
President Joe Biden on Friday slapped down Hitler-praising rapper Kanye West while at the same time taking a subtle shot at former President Donald Trump for hosting him at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
In a post on Twitter, Biden directly addressed the multiple false and offensive statements made by West during his anti-Semitic tirade during his appearance on Alex Jones' InfoWars on Thursday.
"I just want to make a few things clear: The Holocaust happened," Biden wrote. "Hitler was a demonic figure. And instead of giving it a platform, our political leaders should be calling out and rejecting antisemitism wherever it hides. Silence is complicity."
Trump last week hosted both West and notorious Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes at Mar-a-Lago. Although Trump has since claimed that he did not know who Fuentes was at the time he came to dinner, he has also notably not condemned Fuentes' frequently racist and anti-Semitic diatribes.
Likewise, Trump has remained completely silent about West in the wake of his anti-Semitic outbursts this week, which included attacks on "the Jewish media" for portraying Nazis in a negative light, as well as a flat-out declaration that "I like Hitler."
Brad Reed
December 02, 2022
Joe Biden (AFP)
President Joe Biden on Friday slapped down Hitler-praising rapper Kanye West while at the same time taking a subtle shot at former President Donald Trump for hosting him at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
In a post on Twitter, Biden directly addressed the multiple false and offensive statements made by West during his anti-Semitic tirade during his appearance on Alex Jones' InfoWars on Thursday.
"I just want to make a few things clear: The Holocaust happened," Biden wrote. "Hitler was a demonic figure. And instead of giving it a platform, our political leaders should be calling out and rejecting antisemitism wherever it hides. Silence is complicity."
Trump last week hosted both West and notorious Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes at Mar-a-Lago. Although Trump has since claimed that he did not know who Fuentes was at the time he came to dinner, he has also notably not condemned Fuentes' frequently racist and anti-Semitic diatribes.
Likewise, Trump has remained completely silent about West in the wake of his anti-Semitic outbursts this week, which included attacks on "the Jewish media" for portraying Nazis in a negative light, as well as a flat-out declaration that "I like Hitler."
I just want to make a few things clear:
The Holocaust happened.
Hitler was a demonic figure.
And instead of giving it a platform, our political leaders should be calling out and rejecting antisemitism wherever it hides.
Silence is complicity.
Sky Palma
December 01, 2022
Kanye West is seen exiting his hotel on September 3, 2016 in New York City. (Shutterstock)
After leaving it up for almost two months, the House Judiciary GOP's official Twitter account has finally deleted their infamous tweet that read, "Kanye. Elon. Trump."
The tweet went up on Oct. 6, and soon afterwards, rapper Kanye West started giving interviews and making statements that are unquestionably antisemitic. While both liberal and conservative figures called on the House Judiciary GOP to disavow the tweet as West's antisemitism reached a fever pitch, the tweet was not deleted.
But now that West has gone on Infowars and blatantly told host Alex Jones, "I like Hitler," the people behind the account have apparently decided that it was time to take it down.
“You’re not Hitler,” Jones told West. “You're not a Nazi.”
“Well, I see good things about Hitler,” West said, later adding: “Every human being has value that they brought to the table, especially Hitler.”
“[The Nazis] did good things too,” West said. “We’ve got to stop dissing the Nazis all the time.”
Stunned TMZ hosts live-react to Ye's meltdown: 'Kanye West is ranting about Hitler'
David Edwards
December 01, 2022
TMZ/screen grab
As Ye ranted to Alex Jones about his "love" for Adolf Hitler, stunned TMZ hosts reacted live on the air.
"Kanye West, who as we speak is on Alex Jones's InfoWars," host Harvey Levin said at the top of the show, "is off the rails."
"He's saying a lot about Hitler," Levin's co-host agreed, "about Nazis and praising them, which of course coming on the heels of the anti-Semitic rants he's been on for more than a month is — it's just disturbing."
"This has been going on for more than an hour," a stunned Levin added. "And we have no idea how long this is going to keep going. But Nick Fuentes, the white supremacist, is right by his side as Kanye West is ranting about, you know, Hitler."
"He said the Nazis invented the highways and microphones," he remarked.
Levin later suggested that Ye might need to return to a mental health facility, calling the interview his "downfall."
Watch the video from TMZ. You can also watch at this link.
David Edwards
December 01, 2022
TMZ/screen grab
As Ye ranted to Alex Jones about his "love" for Adolf Hitler, stunned TMZ hosts reacted live on the air.
"Kanye West, who as we speak is on Alex Jones's InfoWars," host Harvey Levin said at the top of the show, "is off the rails."
"He's saying a lot about Hitler," Levin's co-host agreed, "about Nazis and praising them, which of course coming on the heels of the anti-Semitic rants he's been on for more than a month is — it's just disturbing."
"This has been going on for more than an hour," a stunned Levin added. "And we have no idea how long this is going to keep going. But Nick Fuentes, the white supremacist, is right by his side as Kanye West is ranting about, you know, Hitler."
"He said the Nazis invented the highways and microphones," he remarked.
Levin later suggested that Ye might need to return to a mental health facility, calling the interview his "downfall."
Watch the video from TMZ. You can also watch at this link.
'Disgusting': Key Republican group slams 'horrific cesspool' of hate from Trump allies on InfoWars show
Matthew Chapman
December 01, 2022
Kanye West talks in the Oval Office (Screen cap).
On Thursday, the Republican Jewish Coalition came out with a statement tearing into the InfoWars radio segment between conspiracy theorist webcaster Alex Jones, rapper Kanye "Ye" West, and white nationalist livestreamer Nick Fuentes — all of whom have taken meetings with former President Donald Trump.
"Today's InfoWars show featuring Alex Jones, Nick Fuentes, and Kanye West — a disgusting triumvirate of conspiracy theorists, Holocaust deniers, and antisemites — was a horrific cesspool of dangerous, bigoted Jew hatred," said the RJC's statement. "We vehemently condemn those comments and call on all political leaders to reject these messengers of hate and relegate them to the dustbin of history where they belong."
During this segment, Ye actively praised Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, saying “I see good things about Hitler ... Jewish people are not going to tell me you can love us, and you can love what we’re doing to you with the contracts, and you can love what we’re pushing with the pornography. But this guy that invented highways, invented the very microphone that I use as a musician, you can’t say out loud that this person ever did anything good, and I’m done with that.”
"Given his praise of Hitler, it can't be overstated that Kanye West is a vile, repellant bigot who has targeted the Jewish community with threats and Nazi-style defamation," said the RJC. "Conservatives who have mistakenly indulged Kanye West must make it clear that he is a pariah. Enough is enough."
This comes shortly after Trump met with Ye and Fuentes, who has also compared himself to Hitler and supports creating a white, Christian theocracy where Jews are stripped of political power, at his Mar-a-Lago country club in Palm Beach, Florida.
The RJC has broken with Trump on occasion in the past. The group sharply criticized Doug Mastriano, a Trump-backed unsuccessful candidate for Pennsylvania governor, for his use of and financial ties to Gab, a far-right social network whose CEO, Andrew Torba, has declared Jews are unwelcome on his platform
Matthew Chapman
December 01, 2022
Kanye West talks in the Oval Office (Screen cap).
On Thursday, the Republican Jewish Coalition came out with a statement tearing into the InfoWars radio segment between conspiracy theorist webcaster Alex Jones, rapper Kanye "Ye" West, and white nationalist livestreamer Nick Fuentes — all of whom have taken meetings with former President Donald Trump.
"Today's InfoWars show featuring Alex Jones, Nick Fuentes, and Kanye West — a disgusting triumvirate of conspiracy theorists, Holocaust deniers, and antisemites — was a horrific cesspool of dangerous, bigoted Jew hatred," said the RJC's statement. "We vehemently condemn those comments and call on all political leaders to reject these messengers of hate and relegate them to the dustbin of history where they belong."
During this segment, Ye actively praised Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, saying “I see good things about Hitler ... Jewish people are not going to tell me you can love us, and you can love what we’re doing to you with the contracts, and you can love what we’re pushing with the pornography. But this guy that invented highways, invented the very microphone that I use as a musician, you can’t say out loud that this person ever did anything good, and I’m done with that.”
"Given his praise of Hitler, it can't be overstated that Kanye West is a vile, repellant bigot who has targeted the Jewish community with threats and Nazi-style defamation," said the RJC. "Conservatives who have mistakenly indulged Kanye West must make it clear that he is a pariah. Enough is enough."
This comes shortly after Trump met with Ye and Fuentes, who has also compared himself to Hitler and supports creating a white, Christian theocracy where Jews are stripped of political power, at his Mar-a-Lago country club in Palm Beach, Florida.
The RJC has broken with Trump on occasion in the past. The group sharply criticized Doug Mastriano, a Trump-backed unsuccessful candidate for Pennsylvania governor, for his use of and financial ties to Gab, a far-right social network whose CEO, Andrew Torba, has declared Jews are unwelcome on his platform
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