Antisemitism is also showcased by popular athletes, celebrities, singers and fashion designers

Various celebrities and athletes have formed their opinion on how they feel about the Holocaust and Jewish people in America. One being Kyrie Irving, a famous NBA star who is sponsored by Nike and plays on the Brooklyn Nets team. Irving linked an anti-semitic documentary on his twitter account which claimed the Holocaust was not real and never occurred. He has since stood by his decision and beliefs which support his anti-semitic opinion. Irving has been given multiple chances to apologize and retract his statements but he continues to stand by it. In an article by Brian Mahoney for NBA’s Kyrie Irving suspended for antisemitic social media post, apologizes it says, “We were dismayed today, when given an opportunity in a media session, that Kyrie refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film. This was not the first time he had the opportunity — but failed — to clarify.” 

Since the incident Irving’s reputation has lowered a great amount and he has lost multiple deals and possibly his association with the Brooklyn Nets. In an article posted by The New York Times it says, ‘“Kyrie Irving is no longer a Nike athlete,” Nike said in a statement.” Not only is Nike dropping Irving as an athlete, they are also ending the production of his basketball shoe line, which began in 2014, starting Oct. 2023. Irvings shoe, Kyrie 8, which has been an ongoing project for some time now, will not be getting released by Nike. 

Celebrity singer and fashion designer Kanye West has very publicly said he supports and praises Adolf Hitler and Nazis. Kanye posted a swastika inside a Star of David on his public Twitter account and has done numerous other acts to showcase his support to the beliefs of Hitler. Some specialists say that the random outburst of tweets and comments about Hitler and his hate against the Jewish community, show a mental health episode. Kanye himself has come out and said that he struggles with bipolar disorder.

People on the internet have come out and say that him having bipolar disorder does not excuse his actions nor his offensive comments. Others have excused Kanye’s actions and say it’s a side effect of his disorder. In an article by The New York Times J. Wortham said, “His embrace of anti-Black, antisemitic and white supremacist language comes at the expense of other people’s safety, their humanity and their dignity.”

Fans now wonder if they should continue to support this rapper despite his past actions, or if they should excuse the actions and blame it on his disorder. After the tweets, Kanye’s twitter account ended up being suspended indefinitely. This has also impacted online teens in today’s society who have been believed to think that making anti-Jewish jokes about the Holocaust are okay and no repercussions will occur. 

In today’s society there are people who believe that the Holocaust was a hoax

Today in society, the recurring hate crimes against the Jewish community and the hate speech of the Holocaust have started to be normalized. While historians prove that the Holocaust was a traumatizing event that happened in history, those who joke about it disrespect the people and the families that lived through and got affected by this terrorizing world changing event.

In the article, ‘Silence is complicity’: Biden calls out antisemitism amid Kanye West’s Hitler comments written by Kelly Hooper it says, “I just want to make a few things clear: The Holocaust happened. Hitler was a demonic figure.” The article shows how President Biden reassures society that the Holocaust was a real life event that occurred in our times. 

In the same article, President Biden said in a tweet,” Events like the Holocaust happened, they occurred and are backed up by historic facts. There’s no use in denying these proven events. 

Although these events were from 1933 – 1945, the memory of it still remains in today’s society. While the Holocaust might have taken a place that people feel was a while ago, the lasting effects it has had on society remain an issue. Holocaust survivors are still alive today and walk this earth along with the rest of society. In the article, ‘I stayed alive to tell’ – Auschwitz’s dwindling survivors recount horrors of Nazi death camp by Maayan Lubell, Auschwitz survivor Vera Grossman Kriegel says, “Why did I stay alive? It was for a reason. Did I stay alive to keep silent? No – to tell.” Grossman Kriegel wanted her survival to have meant something, she wanted to tell her story of the events that happened to her. Grossman Kriegel being alive impacts how society should see the Holocaust, how society should notice that there are survivors living among the people who lived through this world changing events; how the rise in antisemitism is alarming and how survivors deserve the right to have their story told and never be forgotten. Statistics prove that America is not much further from where we were in the 1930’s, regarding its issues with antisemitism.