Hip-hop mogul and animal-rights advocate Russell Simmons is comparing New York’s horse-drawn carriages to slavery and the Holocaust.
Simmons spoke Thursday at an event organized by horse carriage opponents.
The Wall Street Journal reports that he likened horse carriages to slavery, ethnic cleansing and “people who put people in ovens.”
Simmons urged New York Mayor Bill de Blasio to follow through on his campaign promise to ban the horse carriages.
De Blasio said Simmons’ remarks didn’t bother him.
The mayor said he feels “very clear about the mission” to ban horse carriages. He said some initiatives take longer to accomplish than others.
Asked about Simmons’ remarks about slavery and the Holocaust, a mayoral spokeswoman said, “We respectfully disagree with Mr. Simmons’s characterizations of all of the above.”
In a statement to YWN , NYC Councilman David Councilman said the following:
“Russell Simmons means well, but has crossed the line in comparing horse carriages to the Holocaust and owes the Jewish community an apology. The Holocaust was the most horrendous act of genocide in modern history. Nothing should be compared to the systemic abuse, torture and murder of over 6 million human beings. Quite frankly, I am one of many Council Members who is undecided on the horse-carriage ban. Mr. Simmons doesn’t help his cause when he engages in outrageous hyperbole that minimizes the murder of much of my grandparents’ family.”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC / AP)
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4 Responses
Someone must have told celebrities that their status in life comes along with intelligence. And to these celebrities I say that while most of humanity may have evolved (they are big evolutionists) the majority of the Hollywood crowd hasn’t. Case in point Russell Simmons.
Israeli Charedim compare Israeli police officers to Nazis, and that is appropriate because they are Charedim. An adult male hip-hop guy has no right to compare anything to the Holocaust.
Nothing can compare to the holocaust but frankly I really don’t care what some idiot has to say. If he thinks riding a horse is like killing millions of people that’s his problem.
Nfgo,
You obviously hate them. Not when every meshugeneh says nazi does it require a response. However to paint an entire sect of people tells about a hate story. (And btw the comparison bet russels, horses and charedim is wrong)