I’ve waited a while before writing about this issue to see if Musk would apologise for what he did, but of course, no such apology has been issued. One of the richest and most influential men on the planet has performed a fascist salute at the inauguration of the President of the United States. There is no debate about this; Musk thumped his chest before extending his arm, his flat palm facing downwards, raised slightly above his head. He then turned to face the crowd behind him, and did it again. That is a fascist salute, the symbol of genocide and hatred across the world, and the President of the United States let it happen at his own inauguration.
The salute has, of course, been heavily criticised from all sides of the political spectrum. From all except some aspects of the farthest far-right including neo-Nazi groups. One leader celebrated it, saying he’d “enjoy the tears” from critics.
In contrast, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a leading Jewish civil-rights organization, urged restraint. It described the motion as “an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute,” urging the public to give Musk the benefit of the doubt. Supporters also defended Musk as neurodivergent, noting that the salute was more akin to an over-eager expression of solidarity.
This, I find to be a bullshit excuse. No matter how autistic Musk may be, given the rhetoric spewed by his new boss, he should have bloody well known better before Sieg Heiling, twice, on the world stage. If he had done it once, and quickly apologised or left the stage in embarrassment, I’d still lampoon him, but perhaps dismiss it as an honest mistake. But he turned around and did it again. He didn’t ball his fist, he wasn’t progressing to a wave or a flap. He knew damn well what he did.
He hasn’t even denied it was a fascist salute. He’s just been drinking leftist tears on Twitter with no apology or walk backs.
If anything has thrown the deeply scarred and divided nature of American society into stark relief during these past torturous few months, it has been the reaction to this clown show. This single gesture has ignited a fierce debate, splintering public opinion and reflecting the broader cultural tensions plaguing the US after Trump’s victory. If Trump is the least bit proud of the US’s victory in WW2, if he wishes in any way to distance himself from the vicious, hateful, ignorant sections of the American public who are creeping further into his camp (the camp that is now running the most powerful and richest nation on Earth), he will sack Musk with immediate effect.
But he doesn’t. Of course he doesn’t. This is the leader of the free world again. Four years of this shit, again. How did we let this happen.
stay safe
/e