Why Elon Musk Is Calling The US Media Racist
Elon Musk says the United States media is racist against white and Asian people after several publications decided to cut the Dilbert comic strip from syndication after its creator delivered a racist tirade on his YouTube channel.
Elon Musk says the United States media is racist against white and Asian people. The Twitter boss made the baseless accusations after several publications decided to cut the Dilbert comic strip from syndication after its creator delivered a racist tirade on his YouTube channel. Among the news outlets that dropped his work were the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today.
“For a very long time, U.S media was racist against non-white people, now they’re racist against White and Asians,” Elon Musk told his 130 million followers. “Same thing happened with elite colleges and high schools in America. Maybe they can try not being racist,” The Tesla boss continued. He made the remarks in response to an article that detailed the saga surrounding Scott Adams.
In the video, not mentioned by Elon Musk, Adams discussed a poll conducted by right-leaning Rasmussen Reports that said 26 percent of Black respondents disagreed with the statement, “It’s ok to be white.” The phrase has been labeled a hate slogan by the Anti-Defamation League, CNBC reports. The cartoonist also called people who rejected the phrase a hate group.
Adams also said that he lives in a community where few or no people of color. He then advised his white viewers to “get the hell away from black people,” saying he didn’t “want to have anything to do with them.” The clip was published during Black History Month which was established by President Gerald Ford in 1976 to honor the struggles and contributions of Black Americans.
Elon Musk later agreed with a tweet saying the comments from Adams were not good but had an “element of truth” to them. He also accused the media of giving black victims of police violence disproportionate coverage over white victims. However, black people are more likely to die from police use of force than anyone else, according to multiple studies via CNN.
The comments from the Twitter boss follow an influx of hate speech on the platform. The Center for Countering Digital Hate and the Anti-Defamation League said the volume of hate speech on the micro-blogging site has grown dramatically under Elon Musk. Daily use of racial slurs has tripled the 2022 average. The use of slurs against gay men and transgender people has also increased.
In a separate report, the Anti-Defamation League said its data shows an increase in anti-semitic content on the Elon Musk-led platform. There has also been a decline in the moderation of hate-filled posts. Meanwhile, Adams has said he was only advising people to avoid hate. He also suggested that the cancellation of his cartoon is a sign of free speech being under assault in the U.S, CNN Business reports.
Meanwhile, newspapers that have cut the comic strip have been clear about their reasons. “Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert comic strip, went on a racist rant this week and we will no longer carry his comic strip in The Plain Dealer,” Editor Chris Quinn wrote. “This is not a difficult decision. We are not a home for those who espouse racism,” he added. Elon Musk has not commented on the situation further.
