Elon Musk slams Holocaust survivor in antisemitic tweet

Phoenix Jewish leader and business owner agrees with Anti-Defamation League after they condemn Musk tweet as “dangerous”

No+Fear%2C+a+Rally+in+Solidarity+with+the+Jewish+People.+Washington+D.C.+2021

Ted Eytan (Flickr)

No Fear, a Rally in Solidarity with the Jewish People. Washington D.C. 2021

Annalisa Toni, Reporter

Elon Musk reportedly tweeted several hostile attacks on George Soros Monday night writing that the Jewish-born investor and liberal philanthropist, Soros “wants to erode the very fabric of civilization”—Soros has often been the subject of malicious antisemitic rhetoric that’s been used by and associated with MAGA GOP extremists and conspiracy theorists. 

Musk, for his part, has been managing Twitter after purchasing the social media site a year ago and has used virulent language against Soros before. But recently, Soro’s investment fund sold all of its stock in Tesla—Musk’s automobile company responsible for electric vehicles and Musk reportedly tweeted these recent comments three days after the Soro’s sale of stock. 

In the tweets, Musk reportedly, “seemed to specifically reference” Soros, the 92-year-old Holocaust survivor’s background by comparing him Magento—a Jewish supervillain who “fights to help mutants replace humans as the world’s dominant species.” 

Musk told CNBC on Tuesday, that he doesn’t care if his inflammatory tweets scare away potential Tesla buyers or Twitter advertisers.

“I’ll say what I want, and if the consequence of that is losing money, so be it,” said Musk. 

The Musk tweets were immediately condemned on Tuesday by Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League which points to conspiracy theories used by the far-right. 

“Soros often is held up by the far-right, using antisemitic tropes, as the source of the world’s problems,” Greenblatt wrote on Twitter. “To see Elon Musk, regardless of his intent, feed this segment — comparing him to a Jewish supervillain, claiming Soros ‘hates humanity’ — is not just distressing, it’s dangerous: it will embolden extremists who already contrive anti-Jewish conspiracies and have tried to attack Soros and Jewish communities as a result.”

According to The Washington Post, Musk, “who has gutted Twitter’s media department,” could not immediately be reached for a response.  

But Musk quickly made the rounds on major media networks on Tuesday defending his incendiary tweets.

Musk has also previously tweeted and removed memes using Hitler.

Soros, the subject of the Musk tweets, was forced into hiding as a Jewish teenager in Nazi-occupied Hungary, and is reportedly the focus of hostility for his wealth, religious background, investments and Open Society Foundations, which spends hundreds of millions of dollars promoting democratic institutions and liberal causes.

Antisemitic rhetoric on social media is no longer a shock to longtime Valley Jewish Community leader and business owner. Antisemitic references like Musk’s latest tweets are “posted and promoted throughout social media with no shame or apology, and yes, they are dangerous.”

“There is a tidal wave of antisemitism in this state and it’s alarming,” said the Valley business owner and a leader and member of the Jewish community who spoke on the condition of anonymity over fear of threats and safety.

The 64-year-old business owner told Northeast Valley News that he is deeply troubled by growing antisemitism—but worse, the apparent acceptance of it on the part of many GOP political candidates and even some elected officials.

It’s difficult to know how to respond to a member of our own Jewish community who is so legitimately frightened by the kind of antisemitic rhetoric and communication associated with antisemitic rhetoric such as Musk’s. 

He specifically referred to at least four candidates that ran for top offices in Arizona in the fall midterm elections here in Arizona.

“They have endorsed antisemitic candidates in other states, posed with and attended rallies of white nationalists, some of them are funded by conspiracy theorists or are supported by Nazi sympathizers —why are these candidates even allowed on the Az. ballot?”

The business owner recently changed his party affiliation back to what it was when he was “much younger”— after almost two decades as a registered Republican he said he wanted to “drop any affiliation with the GOP.”

While he has maintained a popular and successful small business for more than 21 years in Phoenix—he declined to go on the record with Northeast Valley News over fear of retaliation and threats.

Data published by the American Jewish Committee reports that one out of every four Jews in the U.S. has been the subject of antisemitism over the past year.

The growing antisemitic language now propagated by social media “influencers” is troubling to the majority of Americans and people across the globe condemn it.