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SCOTTISH Jewish leaders have said they are “encouraged” by the stand against antisemitism after brands and big names called out rapper Kanye West.
The controversial star sparked outrage when one of his antisemitic tweets went viral.
Now the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities have spoken out about the reaction to West’s slur.
In a statement, they said: “We know the dangers of where hate can lead when it goes unchecked. Hatred rarely stops with just a single target, so it’s encouraging to see so many take a stand against antisemitism.
“The wider their reach the more damage they do, so we hope those with large platforms realise the damage that their words, and hate-speech in general, can do to minority communities worldwide, including here in Scotland.”
Twitter discussion about the musician’s comments spread like wildfire, with most supporting brand decisions to cut ties with him.
Olayemi Olurin, a political commentator in New York, tweeted: “Kanye West losing deals because ppl don’t want to work with a man spewing antisemitism and bigotry of all kinds, is not being cancelled – it’s business – and the consequences of his own actions.
“None of us are above losing opportunities because we’re acting a fool, remember that.”
Dash Dobrofsky, host of the Uncovering The Truth podcast, said on Twitter: “Kanye West’s mental health issues do not excuse him from spewing the same anti-Semitic conspiracy theories that were spread in 1930s Germany — conspiracies that led to the genocide of 7 million+ Jews. Nor do his mental health issues excuse him from saying slavery was a ‘choice’.”
According to a Clyde Insider Twitter poll, 60% of the people who answered thought brands had done enough to condemn Kanye by cutting business ties, but 40% felt brands could have gone further.
Several brands cut business ties with the artist. Adidas, who collaborated with the outspoken musician for the YEEZY line of sneakers, had seen a dip in stocks after West made his derogatory comments.
However, they’re not the first to stop working with him after his comments. Balenciaga, Vogue Magazine, Anna Wintour, Creative Artists Agency (his talent agent), Camille Vasquez (his lawyer) have all cut ties with West. According to Bloomberg, GAP could too.
Kim Kardashian has condemned hate speech after her ex-husband’s comments.
Film and television studio MCR has also shelved his planned documentary, stating: “We cannot support any content that amplifies his platform.”
Streaming giants Netflix don’t have any plans to take down their documentary about West.
West’s damaging tweets have already sparked anti-Jewish hatred.
Neo-nazi protesters were seen in California during the summer with vile banners supporting him and dismissing the Holocaust.
