Hollywood Actor’s Antisemitic Posts
Veteran actor John Cusack finds himself embroiled in a whirlwind of controversy following his posts about the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The once-beloved star, known for his roles in iconic films such as “Say Anything” and “High Fidelity,” made inflammatory statements and actions targeting the Jewish people and nation.
The prominent Hollywood figure’s activities on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) reveal a troubling pattern of antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy theories. The controversy traces back to a grotesque comic shared by Cusack in 2019, featuring an antisemitic trope of “Jewish control.”
The image showed a hand with the Star of David, representing Jewish identity, crushing a group of people, alongside the statement that to “discover who rules over you, find out who you can’t criticize.” Despite attempts to shift blame onto a “bot,” Cusack eventually publicly apologized for this post.
However, the actor’s contrition was short-lived as he continued his antisemitic discourse. On October 7th, 2023, following a violent infiltration by Hamas into Israel, resulting in numerous casualties, Cusack denied the atrocities committed by the terrorist organization.
Instead, he maliciously claimed that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) was involved in the brutal crimes. Cusack further stoked controversy by stating that Israel created Hamas. Using a series of tweets, he insinuated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was complicit in fostering Hamas to undermine the Palestinian Authority despite evidence to the contrary.
On January 24th, 2024, Cusack lashed out at entrepreneur Elon Musk for visiting Auschwitz with Jewish commentator Ben Shapiro, falsely attributing white supremacy to the Jewish people and nation. He accused Shapiro of being a “white supremacist” and Musk as being “in Zionists back pocket,” claiming X has become a “pro-genocide mouthpiece.”
Calls For Accountability
Following Cusack’s false claims, it is no surprise that advocacy groups and concerned individuals are urging Cusack’s agency, APA, to sever ties with the actor in light of his unabashed antisemitism. The entertainment industry, long criticized for ignoring systemic issues, must now deal with the fallout from one of its own perpetuating hate speech and harmful stereotypes.
Nevertheless, the real question is: will John Cusack face real consequences for his actions, or will his celebrity status shield him from accountability?
Social Media Figure Spreads Antisemitism Through Misinformation
Like Cusack, Jackson Hinkle, self-described as a “pro-Russian American patriotic Marxist-Leninist,” has been disseminating conspiracy theories and wrong information regarding Israel’s activities in the ongoing conflict.
Despite having 2.3 million followers on Twitter (up from 417,000 just after the October 7th events) across various social media platforms, Hinkle has been banned from WhatsApp, Paypal, YouTube, and Twitch for spreading misinformation.
Hinkle Continues To Spread Misinformation
In a tweet that garnered over five million views, Hinkle boldly claimed that Israel lied about the events of October 7th, alleging that only 900 people died, and half of them were Israeli soldiers. He further refuted accounts of the massacre, such as the beheading of infants, claiming that Israeli soldiers were respectfully escorted to morgues by Hamas instead.
However, sources cited by Hinkle have debunked the story. In addition, Hinkle shared false information, including footage supposedly showing Israel bombing hospitals, before the video was later revealed to be from Aleppo in 2016.
The most alarming fact about Hinkle is his exploitation of his antisemitic sentiments for profits. He sells merchandise on his website through the name “Zionist Tears.” Furthermore, he actively campaigns and raises funds through GiveSendGo to fuel his Jew-hating rhetoric.
Hence, it is no surprise that pro-Jewish organizations urge the public to report Hinkle’s social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, and GiveSendGo. Cusack and Hinkle’s actions underscore the importance of vigilance and collective action in combating antisemitism and other forms of bigotry in this modern age.
