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Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Silence in the Face of Antisemitism Is a Choice — It's Time to Choose Differently
I've spent the last few days asking myself the same question: How did we get here? How did we reach a point where antisemitism is so thoroughly normalized that it barely registers? Earlier this month, I sat in the Capitol Building on Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) and found myself reflecting on a painful truth: Since October 7, we've watched similar patterns that preceded the Holocaust begin to repeat. Synagogues defaced. Jewish students assaulted. Blood-libel conspiracy theories spread, such as the age-old trope that Jews operate in secret cabals that control world events. Jews being falsely blamed for all the world's evils. Antisemitic slogans — like 'Jews run the media' and 'Globalize the Intifada' — are broadcast through bullhorns. And each time, just as before, the overwhelming response has been silence. Attacks, slurs, threats, and vandalism targeted explicitly at Jews were met not with outrage, but with rationalization, dismissal, complacency, denial, misinformation, or some deranged distortion of history. I sat and reflected, watching as the last remaining Holocaust survivors walked into our Capitol 80 years after the end of the Holocaust. Abraham Foxman spoke about his experience as a survivor, a living reminder of what happens when complacency goes unchecked. Then he uttered words that shook me: 'Silence is a choice.' We're not absolved of our moral responsibility to ensure 'never again' by turning away: Saying nothing is also an active choice. As a lifelong activist, I've learned the importance of drawing lines — clear boundaries that define what culture will and will not tolerate. Since October 7th, I have searched endlessly for that line as it pertains to Jews. Is there a limit to the overt antisemitism that my peers and friends would tolerate? Was anything ever going to cross the boundary when they wouldn't choose silence? I watched every boundary be crossed, over and over. Still silence. If someone had told me two years ago that Kanye West would release a song called 'Heil Hitler,' in which he repeatedly did a Nazi salute in a music video distributed around the world — and the dominant cultural reaction would range from detachment to casual amusement — I wouldn't have believed it. That Adolf Hitler, the architect of the systematic genocide of six million Jews, could be publicly lauded by a global celebrity without immediate and widespread condemnation? Impossible. It's like the most surreal test of how far people would let this virulent, incessant Jew-hate spread. And still, silence. But this isn't about Kanye West (as much as he might wish it were). It's about a society that encounters a song called 'Heil Hitler' and chooses not to care. What was once confined to backrooms and fringe forums is now broadcast in the open — and the response is a collective shrug. The hate is horrifying, yes. But it's the detachment, the complacency, that allows it to flourish. People treat silence as neutrality. But Abe is right: Silence is a choice. The Holocaust didn't begin with gas chambers. It began with silence, with yellow stars and Jewish professors quietly dismissed. And with neighbors watching passively as it all happened — each one grasping for a reason that made the horrors a little easier to justify. That same silence reverberated during the pogroms in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as Jewish families were attacked and no one intervened. It echoed when Jewish communities were cleansed out of all the countries in the Middle East from where they originated. And it echoed again, painfully, after October 7th, when Jewish women were raped, mutilated, and murdered — and many of the loudest feminist voices fell silent. Some remain silent still. Maybe 'believe women' didn't mean Jewish women? Antisemitism doesn't go away. It's a virus with a long memory. As I write this, my phone buzzes: Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, two staffers for the Israeli embassy, have been murdered by terrorists. Their deaths are not theoretical. They're the tangible consequences of a culture that dismisses antisemitism until it turns violent. This is the intifada being globalized. The hateful rhetoric of these mobs turned into action. Sarah and Yaron's murderer yelled 'Free Palestine' — the same words used to harass and target Jews outside of cancer hospitals, libraries, synagogues, and their homes. I keep asking myself how this hate became so mainstream, but I know the answer. It's something Jews have always known: Antisemitism doesn't go away. It's a virus with a long memory. It mutates and reemerges with each new generation. In an age where we're finally having honest conversations about the systemic racism and misogyny embedded in our culture, where we're being asked to examine our own complicity, our inherited biases, the subconscious ways we perpetuate harm, I'm asking: Can you extend that same lens to antisemitism? And if your knee-jerk reaction is, 'I'm not antisemitic,' or to recite some historical narrative, can you look inward and ask yourself how age-old conspiracy theories about Jews have, just maybe, seeped into your worldview? How assumptions about Jewish power, wealth, loyalty, and identity might be coloring your reactions, or lack thereof? For years, I have been trying to teach — with compassion and patience — what antisemitism is, with the genuine hope and belief that if people only knew, they would learn and change. And yet, despite the collective understanding that hate speech should be defined by how it's received and not intended, I am gaslit over and over by the very people that echoed those sentiments for every other marginalized group — by the idea that the very real hate and trauma that we know to be antisemitic is, in fact, not. I don't want to live in a world where 'Heil Hitler' is a trend, Or where a couple is gunned down on the streets of D.C. for attending a Jewish event (which happened to be about raising money for aid to Gaza). I don't want to live in a world where women are raped on video by terrorists, and families are stolen out of their beds, and the response is 'Yeah, but…' I don't want my children to live in a world where Jewish suffering is dismissed. Because that's exactly what led to the Holocaust. I want to believe we're better than that. So please: If you're reading this, don't choose silence. Listen to our stories and our experiences, and teach your children about them. Call hate what it is, and refuse to let a hate anthem become a cultural moment. We do know how we got here, because it's happened before. And we know how this story ends: With people like Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky (z'l) murdered, days after the world scrolls mindlessly past a song praising a genocidal dictator. Your silence is a decision; your silence is antisemitism. So if indeed you're not antisemitic, then make a different choice. Mandana Dayani is an Iranian-born attorney, business leader, human rights activist, and co-founder of I Am A Voter, a national, nonpartisan civic engagement organization; she most recently served as President of Archewell, the media and philanthropic organization founded by Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. In January 2025, President Joe Biden appointed her to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council's Board of Trustees; a vocal advocate against antisemitism, Mandana recently addressed the United Nations Special Session on Sexual Violence on October 7, and her video condemning Hamas has been viewed over 50 million times. The post Silence in the Face of Antisemitism Is a Choice — It's Time to Choose Differently appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anti-Defamation League CEO: Ye's Stunt Exposed Tech Platforms' Antisemitism Problem
Our culture has long been vulnerable to celebrities and influencers who popularize hate. From Father Charles Coughlin in the 1930s to Mel Gibson in the 2000s, each has taken advantage of their platform to spread conspiracy theories or antisemitic tropes to the masses. But the rapper and internet celebrity Kanye West, or 'Ye,' remains in a category all his own. Unlike others before him, Ye has never tried to mask his hatred of Jews or couch his beliefs in timeworn antisemitic conspiracy theories. While he once seemingly attempted an apology to the Jewish community, Ye has doubled and tripled down on his antisemitic rants – again and again and again. Ye, who makes no secret of his hatred for the Jewish people, infamously threatened to go 'death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE.' His latest apology, issued last week, came as a short burst of tweets less than 9 hours after an antisemitic extremist gunned down a young couple outside of the Capital Jewish Museum. More from The Hollywood Reporter HarbourView Buys Royalty Rights From "Say My Name," "Stay With Me" Producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins (Exclusive) Trump Pardons Rapper NBA Youngboy, Who Was Sentenced for Gun-Related Charges Fifth Harmony, Minus Camila Cabello, in Talks to Reunite (Exclusive) 'I'm done with antisemitism,' he wrote. But I'm not buying it. Ye's pattern of recidivist antisemitism has continued since 2022, so no one should be surprised by his latest antisemitic stunt: the release of a new music video, outrageously titled 'Heil Hitler,' and companion song titled 'WW3,' which glorified the architect of the Holocaust and dredged up a few more antisemitic tropes for good measure. What's worse? Thanks to the power of technology, literally millions of people streamed the new song as it made the rounds — predictably and virally — on social media platforms like Spotify and SoundCloud. While Ye's Hitler-glorifying lyrics stood in clear violation of their policies against hate speech, most social platforms failed to act when the video first hit their algorithms. Some, shamefully, still haven't acted at all. This inertia has consequences. When phrases like 'Heil Hitler' are made more popular, our cultural safeguards against overt antisemitism crumble and the guardrails against other forms of hate give way. Ye's descent into Hitler fandom isn't happening in a vacuum. With antisemitic beliefs already at their highest levels in decades, and with Jewish communities around the world facing a tsunami of antisemitic harassment and vandalism, especially post-Oct. 7, his comments about Jews and praise for Hitler are reaching a younger, more susceptible audience. A recent ADL survey found that 46 percent of the world's adult population harbor deeply entrenched antisemitic attitudes, more than double compared to just a decade ago. And in a startling shift from previous findings, U.S. polling data in 2024 revealed that millennials and members of Generation Z are more likely to harbor antisemitic tropes than older Americans. Social media grants to unhinged antisemites, racists and bigots like Ye the kind of massive global audience that Hitler's propaganda minister Josef Goebbels could only have imagined. To put this into perspective, Ye has 33.5 million followers on X (formerly Twitter); the global Jewish population currently is estimated at 15.8 million. The damage that's being done by these powerful high-tech companies as they attempt to grapple with problems they themselves created is immeasurable. This moment is made even worse by the backsliding of certain platforms like X and Meta on their approaches to addressing antisemitism. Meta no longer proactively removes hate speech without first receiving a user report. Mark Zuckerberg has called this 'a trade-off.' I would call it an abdication. Protections that were in place several years ago and could have mitigated the reach of something as vile as Ye's 'Heil Hitler' have been dismantled on these prominent platforms. We've seen the results in the data: Jewish members of Congress have faced a nearly fivefold increase in antisemitic harassment on Facebook since the start of the year, thanks most likely to the controversial changes to Meta's moderation policies in January. Our latest report card gave X an 'F' for how it handled reports of obvious and explicit antisemitic content. These kinds of changes create an online environment for antisemitism to not only survive but thrive on these platforms. Released on May 8, which was also the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat, Ye's Hitler video has racked up an eye-popping 10 million views on X as of this writing. Meanwhile, Spotify only took down the song following public pressure but has yet to answer for allowing major podcasts to platform Holocaust deniers and amplify virulent antisemites. Another pro-Nazi song from Ye, 'WW3,' still remains available on the platform. As a result, the hardcore bigots are taking a victory lap. Far-right influencers shared the video on their pages. Andrew Tate, the prominent far-right misogynist, posted a video of himself playing the song in his car. That video currently has more than three million views. Social platforms that cater to teenagers and potentially even younger children should make every effort to protect users from experiencing harassment and hate speech. Ye's song comes at a time when knowledge about the history of the Holocaust is fading. An estimated one in five survey respondents, said in a recent poll that they are unaware of the Holocaust; less than half recognize its historical accuracy. There's no doubt his words and actions have consequences. In 2022, ADL documented at least 30 antisemitic incidents that directly referenced Ye after his antisemitic outbursts made headlines. It took a decade just to get Facebook to recognize it had a Holocaust denial problem. Social media companies need to stop backsliding on their responsibility to fight hate today. They must step up, before it is too late. Jonathan A. Greenblatt is CEO and National Director of the Anti-Defamation League. Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kai Cenat Irritated By Fan Crashing AMAs Livestream To Praise Ye
Kai Cenat has built his brand on hilariously unpredictable livestreams. However, he wasn't in much of a laughing mood this past weekend when a fan crashed his 2025 American Music Awards broadcast to promote Ye and his 'outspoken' demeanor, among other things. The 23-year-old Twitch streamer was seated at the show on Monday evening (May 26) when a man approached him to introduce his daughter. She seemed thrilled to meet the popular media personality, but the father had an agenda. 'Hey, who let this guy in here?' he asked jokingly. 'Hey, where's Kanye at? We wanna say, we love Ye. We love Ye for being outspoken regardless, 'cause it's America and I think it's a great thing to live in a free country. Don't you, Kai? It's a free country and it's cool to have opinions.' Cenat's demeanor visibly shifted from jovial to unenthused as the man continued speaking; he even looked directly into the camera to convey how taken aback he was. 'So, you really hopped on my stream, knowing my influence, to come on here and say that?' Kai asked, to which the man replied, 'Yeah' before continuing to wax poetic on how great a guy the artist formerly known as Kanye West is. 'This is what I'm gonna say: I think I want to protect my energy, so I'mma politely ask you get out of here, cuz,' Kai Cenat said. The man got in one last comment, saying it's good to have free opinions in this country and wishing God bless the AMP member. 'I don't want that,' Cenat said as the man walked away. 'Whatever you got going on, you deal with that.' He quickly moved past the weird moment and stood up to give the veterans their respect on Memorial Day, but said, 'Yo, that's crazy' after fully processing what just happened. Watch above. Ye has rubbed several people the wrong way with his rants and music over the last few months. He has consistently praised Adolf Hitler, going as far as to put out a song called 'Heil Hitler' in addition to defending Diddy, slandering Kendrick Lamar and Playboi Carti, and publicly disparaging his ex-wife Kim Kardashian. Cenat initially planned to do a livestream with the Chicago producer in Japan earlier this year, but the chaos he caused made it difficult to him to move forward with the collaboration. More from Kai Cenat Seemingly Hints At Amazon, Netflix Bids To Buy Streamer University Ye And YoungBoy Never Broke Again Link Up For New Single "Alive" Playboi Carti Calls Out Ye For Sampling Song Without His Permission
Toronto Sun
5 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
WARMINGTON: A near pro-Hamas riot at Casa Loma results in charges
This was not Toronto the Good but Toronto the Ugly as Jewish people were accosted while going into a peaceful event Get the latest from Joe Warmington straight to your inbox When Jewish Torontonians are forced to face Nazi salutes and antisemitic taunts, the city has fallen to Hamas sympathizers. (Supplied photo) When Jewish Torontonians are forced to face Nazi salutes and antisemitic taunts, the city takes on the appearance of having fallen prey to Hamas sympathizers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account What happened outside of Casa Loma, at Davenport and Spadina Rds., Tuesday night was ugly and leaves a stench on Toronto. There were Heil Hitler arm gestures at this event. Suggestions to Jews from protesters that by attending, they were Nazis. There were assaults, threats, insults and disrespect shown toward the police and the occasional middle finger offered. There was a temporary takeover of the street that police quickly took back. And Toronto Police made arrests. PHOTO CREDIT: Caryma Sa'd Kerry Gauer, 46, of Toronto, was charged with 'mischief Interfere with property, assault with a weapon, assault and wearing a disguise with intent.' Police alleged 'the accused approached the first victim and interfered with their ability to enter a venue, before assaulting them with a large plastic object' and 'the accused was then involved in an altercation with a second victim, a youth' in which 'during the altercation, the accused grabbed the second victim' and was allegedly 'wearing a face covering during both incidents.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Protesters surge onto the road outside Casa Loma despite police objections. One lady creeps up behind my videographer to yank down his pants, exposing him to the crowd. The public assault was deliberate and humiliating. A police report has been filed.#cdnpoli #Toronto… — Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) May 28, 2025 Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Meanwhile, Toronto Police also reported Vincent Tourangeau, 50, of Toronto, was charged with 'assaulting a peace officer,' with police claiming 'the accused pushed and struck a police officer in the lawful execution of their duties.' In both cases, the allegations have not been tested in court. Recommended video It's clear things are nasty out there now. Almost every day. But this was an indicator of how low things can go. 'B'nai Brith Canada condemns the shameful protest outside Casa Loma, where a mob attempted to disrupt a peaceful event focused on dialogue and human rights,' said Austin Parcels, manager of research and advocacy for B'nai B'rith Canada. 'Events promoting coexistence and the combating of antisemitism should be celebrated, not hostility confronted.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But this pure anti-Jewish bullying – even impeding and intimidating innocent people as they were walking into the event. Sometimes getting in their way and pushing them. This was not in Gaza. But the emotion and behaviour were as if it was. An organizer wraps up the protest outside Casa Loma with a Braveheart-style rallying speech:'We disrupted the Zionists from hosting a war criminal… Next time we will come back with a thousand more!' With that, protesters begin marching backwards down the hill.#cdnpoli… — Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) May 28, 2025 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hateful, mean, profane and violent. It was an evening to mark the Abraham Global Peace Initiative event at Casa Loma, featuring former Israeli United Nations ambassador Gilad Erdan, who many feel could one day become Israel's prime minister. What was on display outside the entrance of Casa Loma was a battle in Toronto's race and religious war — between those supporting Hamas and those backing Israel. No one was hurt. This time. The previous battle was at the Walk With Israel Sunday which had the same vitriol and harsh words used and murder symbolism as well. No one was hurt. That time. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But when a police officer, pro-Palestine protester or Israeli backer is hurt or killed, Toronto will be marred forever – the way it was by the Danforth shooting spree, the Yonge St. van attack or the death of far too many cops. These constant showdowns are a tinderbox requiring only a spark to set things off at a level that no amount of law enforcement will be able to stop. It's just a matter of time. PHOTO CREDIT: Caryma Sa'd 'What we saw at Casa Loma was not a peaceful protest but rather part of a disturbing trend of increasingly aggressive, violent demonstrations targeting the Jewish community,' said Josh Landau, spokesperson for the Ontario Chapter of Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. 'We thank Toronto Police for taking action, and we urge law enforcement to continue using the full force of the law to hold offenders accountable. We continue to call on all levels of government to take seriously the erosion of public safety that affects all Canadians .' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. When is the next Casa Loma-type incident going to take place? And will that be the one that becomes the final straw? It would be better if the political leaders supported police by creating rules that ensure protesters can't take over any street they want and that they can't operate in full disguise. PHOTO CREDIT: Caryma Sa'd 'That this gathering was targeted by individuals echoing the talking points of a listed terror organization is a disturbing sign of how deeply extremism, intimidation and depravity have taken root in Canadian society,' said B'nai Brith's Parcels. But this time police made some arrests. It's the only way to keep order. If demonstrators think they can harass people while masked, they will push things as far as they can. What happened at Casa Loma was an example of things going way too far. Protesters block two young women on the sidewalk to confront them about the fundraiser at Casa Loma featuring a controversial Israeli fact, they just came to take photos in front of the historic landmark. 📸 May 27, 2025#cdnpoli #Toronto #ProtestMania — Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) May 28, 2025 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More Canada Canada Money News Tennis Music
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kanye West declares he is done with antisemitism and asks for forgiveness; later posts about not to be locked in 'white systems'
Kanye West , the controversial singer, stunned the world, yet again! Well, this time, he turned the tables at 180° by apologising for his behaviour to god, and forgiving those who hurt him. Calling Earth a god's kingdom and advising to share peace, Ye posted the unexpected series of tweets. After making headlines for his antisemitic behaviour, Kanye West wrote, 'I am done with antisemitism,' in his first tweet of the series. However, the comments under the post suggest that many people do not believe him, nor do they forgive him. — kanyewest (@kanyewest) Kanye's antisemitic gestures were highlighted more often when he sold Swastika t-shirts under his lifestyle brand, Yeezy, and released the song 'Heil Hitler,' in addition to the constant tweets about racial slurs, prompting the luxury brands to cut ties. The 47-year-old further went on to say, 'I love all people. God forgive me for the pain I've caused. I forgive those who have caused me pain. Thank you God.' Revealing the reason for the sudden change of his mind, the 'Gold Digger' rapper stated that he simply had a FaceTime from his kids, and now he wishes to save the world again. For a while, Kanye had been ranting about him not getting any visitation rights with his kids - daughter North, 11; son Saint, 9; daughter Chicago, 7; and son Psalm, 5 - from his 6-year-long marriage to the 44-year-old reality star, Kim Kardashian, which tragically ended in 2021. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo With 'The earth itself is in Gods Kingdom. GOD CALLS FOR PEACE. Share peace. Share love,' he concluded his tweet sessions. After a couple of hours, Kanye wrote a post stating, 'We need to not be locked in white systems,' after Kid Cudi testified against Sean 'Diddy' Combs in the trial where he called him a 'Marvel supervillain' for being intimidating. 'I wish Cudi hadn't testified against Puff. We need to not be locked in white systems. Praying for Puff and his family. Praying for Puff Daddy and the Family,' Kanye stated about the disgraced music mogul who is embroiled in lawsuits. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
