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Culture War Roundup for the week of February 3, 2025

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I support his rehiring because it's the ultimate repudiation of cancel culture, and about time the right grew a spine. You don't win a culture war by accepting the opponent's moral framing or terms.

I agree, it's a welcome development.

At the same time, how would, 'Normalize Israelite hate.' have gone? Maybe Elon would take him on a field trip to Auschwitz.

I mean one of his tweets being quoted in news stories was literally “I would not mind at all if Gaza and Israel were both wiped off the face of the Earth.”

Pessimistically I assumed this was the one that really got him fired (well, "asked to resign".)

Maybe if the left called him an antisemite rather than leading with the anti-Indian racism the charges would've stuck? Though maybe not, the Elon nazi salute thing passed from the zeitgeist very quickly, especially with the ADL coming out to defend him.

especially with the ADL coming out to defend him.

Can you point me to what they actually said? I can find lots of secondary sources claiming they did, but none containing a quote, and nothing on adl.org.

It seems plausible to me. Maybe something like "calling people who aren't killing Jews Nazis is like, kind of in poor taste, please stop."

https://x.com/ADL/status/1881474892022919403

I am not surprised by a primary source getting buried.

Interesting, I was hoping for more detail than that from them. Thanks for digging it up.

This is a delicate moment. It’s a new day and yet so many are on edge. Our politics are inflamed, and social media only adds to the anxiety.

It seems that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge.

In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath. This is a new beginning. Let’s hope for healing and work toward unity in the months and years ahead.

That's fun. Wasn't in the coverage I read.

Is indifference to the destruction of Gaza and Isreal, antisemitic? I guess if the ADL wants it to be.