Much media attention was directed the past few days at a statement which movie actor Will Smith told the Daily Record in an interview. According to the transcript of the interview, the actor said “Hitler didn’t wake up going, ‘Let me do the most evil thing I can do today.’…..I think he woke up in the morning and using a twisted, backwards logic, he set out to do what he thought was ‘good.’
Many Jewish organization’s blasted the actor, but today the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) welcomed and accepted actor Will Smith’s clarifying statement that Adolf Hitler was “a vile, heinous, vicious killer” and not someone to be held up as a good person.
Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:
“We welcome and accept Will Smith’s statement that Hitler was a ‘vicious killer’ and that he did not mean for his remarks about the Nazi leader to be mistaken as praise. Once Smith realized that his remarks may have been misunderstood, he took immediate steps to clarify his words and unequivocally condemn Hitler as an evil person. We would have expected no less from a celebrity of his standing in the strata of Hollywood stardom.”
Unfortunately, in citing Hitler in what appears to be a positive context, Smith stirred up a hornet’s nest on the Internet, where hate groups and anti-Semites latched on to the remark and praised it. If anything, this episode serves as a reminder of the power of words, and how words can be twisted by those with hate and bigotry in their hearts to suit their own worldview. This is why all celebrities bear a special responsibility to weigh their words carefully, and an obligation to speak out against racism and bigotry whenever even a whiff of it appears, as Will Smith has done in this instance.
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10 Responses
Either he is an uninformed shaygetz or we are all a bunch of fools. Something about his explanation doesn’t sit well with me.
That the ADL has “spoken” for World Jewry is a bigger insult than Will Smith (or even Al Sharpton) making a comment about YMS’V.
Will Smith’s words were totally taken incorrectly. I did not need (nor should anyone with any 3rd grade level intelligence) the corrupt ADL to figure out what a child could see. In fact, his comment reflects just exactly how low this vermon was….that he thought his actions were a good thing.
Please don’t be pathetic individuals and look under every crack for something to complain about. Look within to improve the “cracks” within yourseves (yes, this includes me as well).
He still did not explain why he said what he said.
I don’t really see what the problem is. What he said was true. hxxxxxYM”Sh absolutely thought he was doing something good.
Smith should just have said in the same breath that that is exactly what made him such a sick terrible rasha. He didn’t say that, but there is obviously no ulterior motive here.
He was trying to say that sometimes people think they are doing the right thing when they are really doing the wrong thing, and he used a very extreme example. There is no need to get bent out of shape.
Has there ever been a celebrity that Foxman hasn’t forgiven?
yoel your right! what smith said was true. he believed that what he did was totally right! it doesnt mean hitler did the right think but hitler really thought that. thats how it usually works with these insane people!
Abe Foxman speaks for himself. We do not expect anything intelligent from someone form Hollywood, Abe. Idiocy reigns supreme in Hollywood, Abe. In our pc world any intelligent person would stay far away from something like this, Abe. I’m glad you accepted his apology, Abe, but you should have called Smith a fool for getting himself involved in this, Abe.
I still can’t figure out what was wrong with the comment in the first place. What did people think he meant? It makes perfect sense to me and I think I’ve said the same thing myself and I’ve heard many other people say it including famous Jewish Lecturers. Maybe some one could explain it to me.
I believe it was shlomo hamelech who said – kol is tzadik b’einav. Hitle most likely did not think he was evil. Many evil people dont.
Just adding to what some have pointed out here,
There have been many dictators throughout history who believed (in their warped minds) that they were “saving the world”.