Utopia actor John Cusack blamed a “bot” after he was accused of posting an anti-semitic tweet.
The actor took to Twitter to share an image of a hand with a Star of David crushing a number of people. The image featured a quote from Voltaire that read, “To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” Along with the image were the words, “Follow the money.”
This is disgusting pic.twitter.com/4b2RlPrNfL
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) June 17, 2019
As noted by New York Magazine and HuffPost contributor Yashar Ali, Cusack defended his tweet before deleting it. In one tweet Cusack questioned, “You think Israel isn’t commuting (sp?) atrocities against Palestinians ? what planet are you on ?” Cusack would also mock the idea of not being able to criticize a government, “You. Any critize (sp?) governments who do yrrrible (sp?) things – Gotcha”
3. John Cusack repeatedly defended his tweet before deleting it.
His “bot” excuse is absurd. pic.twitter.com/Jm2NArFVEO
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) June 18, 2019
After Cusack deleted the Tweet, he claimed “A bot got me – I thought I was endorsing a pro-Palestinian justice retweet – of an earlier post – it came I think from a different source – Shouldn’t Have retweeted -.” He also added that a “a bot got me.”
4. See what I mean? Why do his tweets look this way? pic.twitter.com/iBC4TNvPPy
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) June 18, 2019
After deleting his Tweet about claiming a bot got him, Cusack would claim he “mistakenly retweeted an alt right account.”
1. it’s clear that even if it was Israel’s flag & even if you don’t have antisemitic bone in your body, it is still an antisemitic cartoon. Because it deploys anti jewish stereotypes in its attacks on Israel, even if those critiques about state violence are legit
I mistakenly— John Cusack (@johncusack) June 18, 2019
2 I mistakenly retweeted an alt right account I thought was agreeing With the horrible bombing of a hospital in Palestine –
— John Cusack (@johncusack) June 18, 2019
I thought someone was agreeing with a tweet – retweeted without really looking at it – bubbah RT @123ezstreet: “Mistakenly retweeted an alt-right account” Like your finger slipped and you hit retweet? I’m trying to figure this out… https://t.co/cY4qox04bx
— John Cusack (@johncusack) June 18, 2019
Cusack would then provide more clarity on the original tweet and why he deleted it.
Well if it needs more clarity -this can be instructive – some thought – to follow –
1. in reaction to Palestinian human rights under Israeli occupation, an issue that concerns anyone fighting for justice , I RT’d & quickly deleted an image that’s harmful to both Jewish –— John Cusack (@johncusack) June 18, 2019
& Palestinian friends, & for that I’m sorry.
The image depicted a blue Star of David, which I associated with Israel as their flag uses the same color & shape. I know the star itself is deeply meaningful to Jews no matter where they stand on Israel’s attacks on Palestinians.— John Cusack (@johncusack) June 18, 2019
3 The use of the star, even if it depicts the state of Israel- committing human rights violations
– when combined with anti Jewish tropes about power- is antisemitic & antisemitism has no place in any rational political dialoge— John Cusack (@johncusack) June 18, 2019
4 to justify it – Would be as bad as conflating the cross with us flag when confronting US atrocities
So I get why it was a careless dumb thing to retweet – here’s some more good guidance on these issues –https://t.co/FExTgza6KV— John Cusack (@johncusack) June 18, 2019
5 I’ve been digging in deeply to the complexities of the history of antisemitism and fascism for years
Would recommend watching a film I produced called max –
And also a documentary called “the architecture of doom” I’ve been openly anti fascist for 35 + years publicly –— John Cusack (@johncusack) June 18, 2019
6 – so while I won’t take guff from anyone looking to score cheap shots on a caress mistweet- good to use my mistake to spread awareness – solidarity and peace to all
— John Cusack (@johncusack) June 18, 2019
What do you think of John Cusack’s original tweet, his original explanation for deleting the tweet, and his follow-up explanation? Was the cartoon that he shared inherently anti-Semitic in nature? Or does it not cross the line of anti-Semitism? As for a bot, do you buy he was somehow tricked by a bot? Or was the actor just trying to use a tired trope to cover himself after the backlash he received?
Let me know your thoughts below!