Musk accused of giving Nazi salute during Trump inauguration celebrations
www.aljazeera.com
Tech billionaire says his critics need ‘better dirty tricks’ after coming under fire over hand gestures.

‘Not a Nazi salute’

Others defended Musk, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), one of the most prominent organisations dedicated to opposing anti-Semitism.

The New York-based organisation, which has faced criticism for conflating opposition to Israel with anti-Semitism, said it seemed the billionaire had made an “awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute”.

“In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath,” the ADL said in a post on X.

“This is a new beginning. Let’s hope for healing and work toward unity in the months and years ahead.”

Max Kaiser, executive officer of the Jewish Council of Australia, said he believed that Musk had “unambiguously” made a Nazi salute and criticised the ADL for defending the billionaire.

“It was a clear signal to his rabid white nationalist and neo-nazi followers that he aligns with their values,” Kaiser told Al Jazeera.

“His platform ‘X’ is well known for promoting racist neo-Nazi content and he has recently endorsed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) German political party. We should all be very concerned that the right-hand man of the most powerful person in the world is a Nazi. The ADL continue to disgrace themselves by defending Musk’s gesture while baselessly attacking expressions of pro-Palestinian solidarity as anti-Semitic. ”

While not addressing the controversy directly, Musk responded to a number of X posts about the incident, including to thank the ADL and express agreement with a user who said that calling people Nazis was “tired, boring, and old material.”

  • AbsolutelyNotAVelociraptor@sh.itjust.works
    135·
    2 days ago

    So, an org fighting anti-semitism sees a guy who openly supports a nazi party in germany, who says that the swastika symbol is not against twitter rules and who made the nazi salute in turd’s inauguration and says that it was just “an awkward gesture” but that he’s not a nazi at all.

    Tell me again why should I not consider that the ADL itself is a nazi org.

    • halyk.the.red@lemmy.ml
      47·
      1 day ago

      The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.

    • FuglyDuck@lemmy.worldEnglish
      35·
      1 day ago

      Tell me again why should I not consider that the ADL itself is a nazi org.

      if you have a table with ten people and 1 nazis, you have 11 nazis.

      Also, just to add to that list of things that makes musk a nazis… he donates to the AFD. You know. the neo nazis party in germany.

      Also, also, just going to drop this open letter/oped to the NYT’s that was signed by many then-promenient american jews denouncing the State of Israel for being fascists. it should be noted that the political parties mentioned in this letter became Netanyahu’s party.

      of which it says:

      To the Editor or Thk Nbw York Times :

      Among- the most disturbing political phenomena of our time is the emergence in the newly created state of Israel of the “Freedom Party” (Tnuat Haherut), a political party closely akin in its organization, methods, political philosophy and social appeal to the Nazi and Fascist parties. … <snippy> … The public avowals of Begin’s party are no guide whatever to its actual character. Today they speak of freedom, democracy and anti-imperialism, whereas until recently they openly preached the doctrine of the Fascist state. It is in its actions that the terrorist party betrays its real character; from its past actions we can judge what it may be expected to do in the future.

    • Kraven_the_Hunter@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      12·
      1 day ago

      Literally anyone: “Palestine should be free”

      ADL: AntiSeMiTisM!!!

      Elon Musk: Performs a nazi salute. Twice.

      ADL: My, my, such enthusiasm! *bats eyelashes