Content Warning: This article touches on the topic of mental health which may be triggering for some readers.
Kim Kardashian has taken to Instagram to share a statement following ex-husband Kanye West’s anti-Semitic tweets.
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In a since-deleted tweet, Kanye wrote that he was “going death con 3 on Jewish people,” adding that “you guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda”.
The rapper’s abhorrent posts were condemned by celebrities and fans alike, and now Kim Kardashian has shared a message on Instagram.
“Hate speech is never OK or excusable,” she wrote. “I stand together with the Jewish community and call on the terrible violence and hateful rhetoric towards them to come to an immediate end.”
Jamie Lee Curtis has made a vocal stand against abhorrent comments made by Kanye West, taking to Twitter to condemn the rapper.
Jamie Lee Curtis took to Twitter to reply, writing, “The holiest day in Judaism was last week. Words matter. A threat to Jewish people ended once in a genocide. Your words hurt and incite violence. You are a father. Please stop.”
Curtis, whose father was Jewish, also appeared on the Today show the following day, becoming visibly emotional when speaking about the situation.
“I woke up and I burst into tears,” Curtis revealed on the show. “What are you doing? It’s bad enough that fascism is on the rise around the world, but on Twitter? On a portal to pour that in, as if Jewish people haven’t had it hard enough?… As if Asian people haven’t had enough. I mean, it was just abhorrent.”
Today show host Hoda Kotb, noted that she had never seen Curtis’ eyes “well up in anger like that,” to which Curtis replied, “I woke up and… I thought [about] my grandparents”.
“It’s just abhorrent behaviour, I hope he gets help. I hope his children get help from him. It’s terrible,” Curtis continued.
“And if we weren’t reacting, who are we? What does it say about people who aren’t reacting?”
Comedian and actress Sarah Silverman also vocalised her disappointment in the lack of outcry following Kanye’s tweet, writing, “Kanye threatened the Jews yesterday on Twitter and it’s not even trending. Why do mostly only Jews speak up against Jewish hate? The silence is so loud.”
Gosh Gad, tweeted, “More and more, I find that Antisemitism is one of the rare forms of hate towards a specific group that is seemingly met with silence by the masses. It’s heartbreaking standing with so many others on issue after issue & find those same allies consistently silent when we need them.”
“I don’t care if you’re off your meds, there is no excuse for Antisemitism. Ever. Period,” added actor Cary Elwes.
Kanye’s former friend John Legend also reacted to the tweet, writing “weird how all these ‘free, independent thinks’ always and at the same old anti blackness and anti-semitism.”
Not only did Twitter remove Kanye’s initial tweet, his account was locked because it violated the service’s policies against hate speech. His Instagram has also been locked following the incident.
The Black-Jewish Entertainment Alliance (BJEA) also spoke out against West’s comments supplying Yahoo Entertainment with a statement.
“Ye’s recent statements about the Jewish community are hurtful, offensive, and wrong. They perpetuate stereotypes that have been the basis for discrimination and violence against Jews for thousands of years. Words like this tear at the fabric of the Black-Jewish relationship.”
“The Black and Jewish communities must stand together through incidents like this to make clear that trafficking in hateful stereotypes is unacceptable – and that the words of one entertainer do not reflect the views of an entire community.”
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Kanye’s latest tweets come just days after the rapper drew heavy criticism for a “white lives matter” T-shirt at Paris fashion week.
Kanye, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder several years ago, has spoken publicly about his mental health challenges. This year, his social media posts have been at the centre of numerous controversies, after he used them to call out his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, her family, and her ex-boyfriend Pete Davidson among others.
If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, help is always available. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit their website.
