“I’m aspirationally Jewish,” Musk said. “So I was like, ‘What are people talking about with this antisemitism?’ Because I never hear it at dinner conversations."

Elon Musk said he is “Jewish by association” during a conversation with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro after a visit to the former Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz, Poland.

Musk, the Tesla CEO and owner of social media platform X, made the comments during a conference on antisemitism organized by the European Jewish Association. The association had arranged for Musk to make a private visit to Auschwitz, where an estimated 1.1 million Jewish people were killed during the Holocaust.

“I must admit to being somewhat frankly naive about this. In the circles that I move, I see almost no antisemitism. … Two-thirds of my friends are Jewish,” the billionaire tech mogul said in a video posted on YouTube by Bloomberg Technology. “I have twice as many Jewish friends as non-Jewish friends. I’m like Jewish by association.”

      • ChrisLicht@lemm.ee
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        11 months ago

        “Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber.”

        • mosiacmango@lemm.ee
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          11 months ago

          Difference is a 19 year old and a 51yr old.

          I expect student shit from a teenager. Someone Musks age? Jesus.

      • boywar3@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Its my understanding that it was more of a “holy shit, she was the same age as many of my fans” statement.

      • Mek@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        As someone else noted, Bieber was young and naive. I don’t think he said it to boost his ego; rather, it was just a poor choice of words. Now, Musk, on the other hand…

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    11 months ago

    “No, no, he clearly said Jew-ish!” - George Santos

    “I must admit to being somewhat frankly naive about this.”

    Could have just stopped there, Elon. 😒

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    11 months ago

    “I must admit to being somewhat frankly naive about this. In the circles that I move, I see almost no antisemitism. … Two-thirds of my friends are Jewish,” the billionaire tech mogul said in a video posted on YouTube by Bloomberg Technology. “I have twice as many Jewish friends as non-Jewish friends. I’m like Jewish by association.”

    He thinks because he’s got a single Ben Shapiro, he’s got “twice as many Jewish friends” because all his other “friends” have zero Jewish friends.

    I would say “That’s not how that math works out” but math has clearly never been his strong suit.

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      11 months ago

      I’m a Jew and I have yet to meet another Jew who has any respect whatsoever for Ben Shapiro.

      And, “some of my best friends are Jews/Blacks/Gays/etc.” is the oldest line in the bigot book.

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        11 months ago

        And, “some of my best friends are Jews/Blacks/Gays/etc.” is the oldest line in the bigot book.

        I didn’t say as much because I kind of thought that was a given. Dude’s not even trying. Most half-ass transparent shit ever.

        • Spiralvortexisalie@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          Actually I read this all the other way, like he was trying to suggest something by being one of richest in the world he was “jew-ish” and that two thirds of this rich person’s friends are Jewish.

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        11 months ago

        The only respect I have for Ben Shapiro comes from his collection of Seforim.

        Though that might be more envy than respect, those things are expensive.

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        11 months ago

        And, “some of my best friends are Jews/Blacks/Gays/etc.” is the oldest line in the bigot book.

        “I’m not racist because, you see. My cat is black.”

        That’s how this line reads to me anyway.

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    11 months ago

    Is there any “I’m not racist/prejudice” card he didn’t use in that statement?

    Part X
    Watched tragedy (not really)
    Not hearing it from anyone
    Friends are X
    X by association

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    11 months ago

    This asshat. Continues his apology tour, and with Ben Shapiro??? of all people. Get bent Elon, you out of touch blowhard.

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      11 months ago

      He Reuters retweeted some antisemitic shit and got called out and lost advertisers. This is literally a thinly veiled and comically tone deaf PR piece.

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    11 months ago

    Jesus Christ could this guy get any less likeable? He went to Auschwitz because he didn’t hear any anti-semitism at the dinner table? The fuck are you even talking about, dude??

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    11 months ago

    WTF is “the Israel-Hamas war”??? Do they mean the genocide of Palestinians by Israel?