Latest news with #SWASTIKA
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kanye West Goes on Rant About Jewish People and Black Genocide
Kanye West has once again found himself at the center of controversy after posting a series of antisemitic statements on his X account, formerly known as Twitter. The rapper, who has a history of making inflammatory remarks about the Jewish community, made multiple posts that have sparked widespread condemnation from advocacy groups, public figures, and the general public. One of West's posts stated: 'THERE ARE JEWISH PEOPLE WHO FUND AND GET PAID OFF THE PROMOTION OF BLACK GENOCIDE BUT EVERYBODY GOT A PROBLEM WITH MY T SHIRT.' In another tweet, he wrote: 'SO WHATS WORSE JEWISH PEOPLE PROMOTING AND GETTING PAID OFF OF BLACK PEOPLE RAPPING ABOUT TEN PEOPLE THEY JUST KILLED OR ME WEARING A SWASTIKA T SHIRT.' West also posted a third tweet that read: 'HOW COULD 'THE ART WORLD' SAY MY T SHIRT ISNT PERFORMANCE ART OH YALL PICK WHATS ART WHEN IM A STRONGER ARTIST THAN ANY ARTIST YOU REPRESENT I WILL PULL MY DICK OUT AND PISS ON YOUR WIFE.' These remarks have led to severe backlash, with many calling for West to be held accountable for his rhetoric. This is not the first time Kanye West has made antisemitic statements. In 2022, he faced widespread condemnation after going on a similar rant where he praised Adolf Hitler and denied the Holocaust during an appearance on Alex Jones's 'InfoWars.' At the time, West stated, 'I see good things about Hitler.' His remarks led to several of his business partnerships being terminated, including deals with Adidas, Balenciaga, and Gap. In the wake of his latest comments, many are questioning whether West has learned from past consequences or if he remains committed to spreading hateful rhetoric. His remarks have once again ignited discussions about the role of social media in amplifying dangerous ideologies. Following West's recent tirade, there have been immediate professional consequences. The e-commerce platform Shopify has shut down the online store for his Yeezy brand after he attempted to list a swastika T-shirt for sale. Additionally, his longtime talent agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), has severed ties with him. West has already suffered significant financial losses in recent years due to his antisemitic statements. In 2022, Forbes estimated that his net worth dropped from $2 billion to $400 million after Adidas terminated their partnership with him. Given the new wave of backlash, it remains uncertain whether any remaining business affiliations will continue to support him. In addition to professional fallout, West's personal life is also under intense scrutiny. Reports suggest that his marriage to Bianca Censori is experiencing difficulties, with sources claiming she is struggling to cope with his behavior. Some reports have indicated that a divorce may be imminent, though representatives for the couple have denied these rumors, stating that they are still together in Los Angeles. West has also been facing concerns about his mental health. In recent weeks, there have been allegations that he has relapsed into drug use, with sources claiming he has been abusing nitrous oxide. Some close to him believe this could be contributing to his erratic behavior, though West has not publicly addressed these concerns. West's comments have drawn strong criticism from advocacy organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League and the Campaign Against Antisemitism. The latter issued a statement calling for his removal from social media platforms, stating: 'Once again, Ye has gone on an antisemitic rampage online. It couldn't be any clearer that he is an unrepentant, proud antisemite. Social media companies must take action to prevent him from using their platforms to spread hate.' Many prominent figures in the entertainment industry have also condemned West's statements. Music artists, actors, and politicians have spoken out against his remarks, calling for consequences and emphasizing the dangers of normalizing antisemitic rhetoric. West's latest posts have reignited debates over how social media platforms should handle hate speech. In December 2022, his X account was suspended after he posted an image that combined a swastika with the Star of David. However, Elon Musk later reinstated his account, claiming he believed in 'free speech.' Following his most recent comments, there have been renewed calls for X to permanently ban West from the platform. As of now, his account has been suspended once again, but it remains unclear whether this will be a temporary or permanent action. As the backlash against West continues to mount, the future of his career remains uncertain. While he still maintains a loyal fan base, his repeated antisemitic statements have severely damaged his reputation and business prospects. Many in the music and fashion industries have distanced themselves from him, and his ability to secure new partnerships seems increasingly unlikely. Despite past financial losses and public outrage, West has shown no signs of backing down from his controversial statements. Whether he will face further consequences for his actions remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: his antisemitic rhetoric continues to cause harm and division. The post Kanye West Goes on Rant About Jewish People and Black Genocide appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fact Check: Musk's X didn't verify accounts representing Hitler
Claim: Elon Musk's social media platform X provided gray verification badges, intended for government or multilateral organizations or officials, to the handles @adolf_gov and @hitlergov, in reference to Adolf Hitler. Rating: Context: One or more users briefly gained access to change government-run accounts for a state in India and city in Mexico to different handles representing Hitler. X originally granted the special gray verification badge to the countries' government accounts, not those representing the former German dictator. A rumor circulating online in February 2025 claimed tech billionaire Elon Musk's X provided gray verification badges — intended for government or multilateral organizations or officials — to accounts representing Adolf Hitler, the former German dictator and leader of the Nazi Party. For example, on Feb. 22, a Reddit user posted (archived) on the r/popculture subreddit, "Elon Musk verified this account as an 'official government account.' Beyond parody." The user included an authentic screenshot of a post with Hitler's name and photos, the handle @hitlergov and a gray verification badge. The post featured a hateful statement about Black and Jewish people, as well as the hashtag, "#SWASTIKA." The account only followed one user, the rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, who earlier in February posted statements including, "I love Hitler" and "I'm a Nazi." One week earlier, on Feb. 15, another X user posted (archived) about a different Hitler account, "What the f**k is going on." The post featured two authentic screenshots from an X account also displaying a gray verification badge, Hitler's name and picture, and the handle @adolf_gov. One post from @adolf_gov visible in one of the screenshots began, "I have returned to make Germany great again." However, Musk's X did not provide gray verification badges to accounts representing Hitler. One or more unknown users changed the handles of existing government accounts for India and Mexico to make political statements against Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, for which Musk serves as the public face of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). A user briefly gained access to the government-run account @mxjilotepec, representing the Mexican city of Jilotepec, and changed the handle to @hitlergov. Both handles shared the same user ID number of 1890066992725377024, found within the page source code of the platform. A similar incident occurred with @WRD_Bihar, the official account for the water resources department in the Indian state of Bihar, with a user briefly changing the handle to @adolf_gov. Those handles displayed the same ID number (897695570206355457). As of Feb. 25, neither @mxjilotepec nor @WRD_Bihar displayed any posts. Government officials for Jilotepec and Bihar did not respond to a request for further information about the incidents involving the two accounts. Weeks prior to the incidents involving the two X accounts, the online neo-Nazi community responded positively to what they viewed as Musk twice giving a "Nazi salute" to a crowd at one of Trump's Inauguration Day gatherings. Following Musk's gestures, he told the crowd, "My heart goes out to you." He later denied the claim that he intended his gestures as a "Nazi salute," posting (archived) on X, "In the end, this deception will just be another nail in the coffin of legacy media." In May 2024, Musk reinstated the X account for Nick Fuentes, a Holocaust-denying white supremacist. Musk posted (archived) of Fuentes' reinstatement to "let him be crushed by the comments and Community Notes," adding, "It is better to have anti whatever out in the open to be rebutted than grow simmering in the darkness." Further, in November 2023, Musk posted a reply (archived) reading, "You have said the actual truth," in response to a user who created a post (archived) saying, in part, that Jewish people support "dialectical hatred against whites." Musk later posted clarifications to his reply. Vox reported of the discussion, "Elon Musk backs antisemitic claim; Tesla shares tumble." Contreras, Russell. "Elon Musk to Reinstate X Account of White Nationalist Nick Fuentes." Axios, 3 May 2024, "Far-Right Influencer Nick Fuentes Accused of Pepper Spraying Woman on His Doorstep." The Associated Press, 7 Dec. 2024, Haberman, Maggie, and Alan Feuer. "Trump's Latest Dinner Guest: Nick Fuentes, White Supremacist." The New York Times, 25 Nov. 2022, King, Hope. "Elon Musk to Advertisers Boycotting X: 'Go F**k Yourself.'" Vox, 29 Nov. 2023, Lenthang, Marlene. "Ye Makes Offensive Comments against Jewish Community, Says He Has 'dominion' over His Wife in Tirade on X." NBC News, 7 Feb. 2025, Liles, Jordan. "Did Musk Give 'Nazi Salute' at Trump's 2025 Inauguration Rally? Here's What We Know." Snopes, 21 Jan. 2025, Primack, Dan. "Elon Musk Backs Antisemitic Claim; Tesla Shares Tumble." Vox, 16 Nov. 2023, Unlock Twitter IDs & Usernames Instantly | Tweet Hunter.
Express Tribune
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Kanye West defends Yeezy Swastika shirts following return to social media
Kanye West has reignited controversy after returning to X (formerly Twitter), following a self-imposed hiatus. The rapper, known for past online outbursts, had previously gone silent after facing backlash for his recent actions. However, he has now resumed posting, openly mocking business partners who distanced themselves from his decision to produce Yeezy shirts featuring a Swastika. West initially deactivated his social media accounts after announcing the controversial shirt design, leading some to believe he had reconsidered. However, his absence was short-lived. Upon returning to X, he defended the design saying he has had the idea involving the "intriguing" symbol for "over 8 years" and criticized companies for refusing to collaborate, posting, 'No one seems to wanna produce me wittle t-shirt,' followed by a laughing emoji. In another post he boasted, "I am the bag". I AM THE BAG — ye (@kanyewest) February 17, 2025 IVE HAD MY SWASTIKA T SHIRT IDEA FOR OVER 8 YEARS IT WAS SO INTRIGUING TO ME THAT A SYMBOL HAD SO MUCH PROGRAMING IN IT — ye (@kanyewest) February 18, 2025 No one seems to wanna produce me wittle t shirt 😅 — ye (@kanyewest) February 17, 2025 His Swastika-themed merchandise was swiftly removed from Shopify, which issued a statement clarifying that the design violated its platform rules. 'All merchants are responsible for adhering to our policies,' Shopify stated. 'This merchant failed to comply with our terms, leading to their removal.' West addressed this in his latest round of tweets saying, "I hate Shopify and I always have". West's former spokesperson, Milo Yiannopoulos, had claimed the rapper deactivated his X account as part of a temporary break. However, reports suggest the controversy also impacted his personal life. Rumors indicate that West's wife, Bianca Censori, is considering a divorce, allegedly due to ongoing scandals. While no formal separation has been announced, multiple sources speculate that the Swastika controversy may have been a breaking point in their relationship.
