Billionaire Twitter proprietor Elon Musk tweeted a picture Monday morning which drew condemnation from an antisemitism watch group and social media customers attributable to its recognized affiliation with white supremacist figures and organizations.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
“This meme has become the go to of white supremacists like Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. Please do not propagate its usage,” the official account for CeaseAntisemitism tweeted in response.
This meme has grow to be the go to of white supremacists like Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. Please don’t propagate its utilization.
— CeaseAntisemitism (@CeaseAntisemites) November 28, 2022
Musk’s tweet, despatched simply earlier than 6 a.m. Monday morning, featured a cartoon character referred to as Pepe the Frog, a logo the Anti-Defamation League says on their web site has been adopted by on-line members of the so-called alt proper group to be used in antisemitic messaging, together with the textual content “honestly, I don’t care about this particular psyop.”
According to the ADL, the Pepe cartoon originated in 2005 in an internet cartoon referred to as “Boy’s Club” and was not initially — and even presently, below explicit use — meant to be antisemitic.
“The majority of uses of Pepe the Frog have been, and continue to be, non-bigoted. However, it was inevitable that, as the meme proliferated in on-line venues such as 4chan, 8chan, and Reddit, which have many users who delight in creating racist memes and imagery, a subset of Pepe memes would come into existence that centered on racist, anti-Semitic or other bigoted themes,” the ADL says in explaining Pepe’s use by the alt proper.
The ADL contains the frog picture amongst their listing of recognized hate symbols, together with imagery just like the swastika of the Nazi regime, the place they are saying use of it as a metaphor for antisemitism has elevated.
“In recent years, with the growth of the “alt right” phase of the white supremacist motion, a phase that attracts a few of its assist from a few of the above-mentioned Internet websites, the variety of “alt right” Pepe memes has grown, a bent exacerbated by the controversial and contentious 2016 presidential election. Though Pepe memes have many defenders, the usage of racist and bigoted variations of Pepe memes appears to be rising, not reducing,” they are saying.
In an emailed assertion to the Herald, CeaseAntisemitism defined their name for Musk to not unfold the frog’s picture.
“In Elon Musk’s effort to prove how many psyops there are on Twitter, he propagated a known meme that has become the symbol of White Nationalists. StopAntisemitism immediately called out Musk by replying to his tweet to inform him that Pepe the Frog was made popular by Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes,” Liora Rez, Executive Director of CeaseAntisemitism, stated within the assertion.
“StopAntisemitism calls on the Twitter owner to delete the dangerous Pepe meme and remove what can be construed as support for White Nationalism,” Rez continued.
Many customers of Twitter weren’t amused by Musk’s use of the Pepe meme.
“Just put a swastika as your profile pic already,” Colorado Rep. Stephen Woodrow stated in reply earlier than 11 a.m.
Just put a swastika as your profile pic already.
— Rep. Steven Woodrow (@WoodrowForCO) November 28, 2022
“Trying out Pepe the Frog?” Immigration lawyer David Leopold requested, linking to the ADL’s web page on the cartoon.
Trying out Pepe the Frog @elonmusk? https://t.co/ieWVKL9Mhm
— David Leopold (@DavidLeopold) November 28, 2022
And there it’s.
The veil has completely lifted.
Elon has gone full alt-right, 4chan, white energy, Pepe the Frog hate symbolism.
We all knew it…however now have the receipts to again it up 🧾
— HNDRX (@TheHndrx) November 28, 2022
Source: www.bostonherald.com”