Elon Musk's gesture at Donald Trump's inauguration, likened to a Nazi salute, has faced substantial backlash. Following the incident, Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz announced her decision to exit X, criticizing Musk's political use of the platform as a propaganda tool. While opinions vary on the gesture's implications, prominent figures such as historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat affirm its belligerent nature, emphasizing the normalization of extremist ideologies. In contrast, Musk downplays the criticism, suggesting an end to the Nazi label discussions, provoking further debate over accountability in political expressions on social media.
For months now, Elon Musk has been using X for political ends. It has stopped being a tool for communication, or a social network, and has become a propaganda mechanism that uses its algorithm to favour some ideas over others.
Historian of fascism here. It was a Nazi salute and a very belligerent one too.
Doing a Nazi salute is never ok. The issue isn't whether or not you're an antisemite, the issue is whether or not you're normalising that which shouldn't be normalised.
Can we please retire the calling people a Nazi thing. Yeah exactly.
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