Antisemitism is an international crisis. There is no other way to put it. Throughout history and into the modern day, prejudice against Jewish individuals and communities prevails as a leading worldwide attitude. It’s no surprise that this attitude extends to mass media and, even further, to the most influential figures in popular culture.
On Sunday, Feb. 9, Kanye West aired an advertisement during the Super Bowl for his Yeezy website, which led viewers to find a single item listed for sale: a white t-shirt with a swastika graphic. He later went on a tirade on the social media platform X praising Nazis and claiming his own allegiance to the party. The public was outraged, deservedly so, and as Shopify shut down the site, the Internet and students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst aired concerns of antisemitism.
West is not the only individual who sparked a dialogue against antisemitism in recent news. At a speech following the inauguration of President Donald Trump, billionaire Elon Musk performed a gesture mimicking a Nazi salute. Even more recently, MAGA activist Steve Bannon performed a near-identical salute at the end of his CPAC speech.
On Monday, Feb. 3, a Jewish man was attacked outside a synagogue in Manchester, U.K. On Tuesday, Feb. 4, a mezuzah was ripped off of the doorway of a Judaica store in Portland, OR, after the store relocated following an arson attack. On Monday, Feb. 17, a Jewish business founded by Holocaust survivors was vandalized with Nazi symbolism and graffiti calling to “gas the Jews.”
This is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of recent antisemitic incidents across the world. The former examples have reached a mass audience and have, in turn, received a mass response among socially and politically active individuals. The latter, however, have gone unnoticed and unshared. Where is the outrage? When a man is struck leaving his place of worship, where is the outrage? When a synagogue is burned, when a business is burned, where is the outrage?
Part of the issue lies in the state of our news media. Large media corporations are more accessible to a mass audience, and major stories with major figures steal the most attention. A celebrity like West has a massive platform, and the way that he uses that platform has direct effects on the public. That begs the question: Are the rants of one man worth more of our attention than the life of another? Does the promise of destruction warrant more focus than destruction itself? We’re already overwhelmed with reports of violent crime, but in the ongoing conversation on antisemitism, the outreach of these stories doesn’t match the apparent indignation.
In this age of digital information and quick response, we expect things to be spoon-fed to us, and we place the responsibility of awareness on distant figures. This was seen most recently at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 3, where many celebrities used the stage as a platform to share platitudes regarding global hatred and conflict. It’s no surprise that people across the board were disappointed with the ideas shared and wished that their beloved actors and industry professionals would be more precise with their remarks.
With any amount of reasoning, it can be understood that the biggest night in Hollywood would have the biggest, widest-sweeping statements. Even though Adrian Brody called out antisemitism in his lengthy Best Actor speech, nothing is really being done there. We’ve heard the cry before, and without specifics–without the raw understanding of the pain that is being caused–we’re left with nothing. It’s on us to be aware and to speak out against the terror and pain felt within the Jewish community.
Too often, we get caught up in rhetoric and ignore the day-to-day. What West, Musk and Bannon did with their platforms is dangerous, and their behavior mirrors the rise of fascism seen in our history books. That alone is terrifying. But at a micro level, to your friends and neighbors, the threat of antisemitism is more than a stage gesture–it’s their life, their livelihood. If you feel compelled to speak out against antisemitism, dig a little deeper. Search for alternative news sources that report on prejudiced crime. Support your local Jewish community to keep schools, synagogues and businesses safe from violence. Stay educated on current events, but don’t lose sight of what matters most: the people.
Daniel Estrin can be reached at [email protected]
