January 30, 2023
Elon Musk
Twitter
1355 Market St #900
San Francisco, CA 94103,
Dear Mr. Musk,
We write as Jewish organizations concerned about the proliferation of hate speech on Twitter, including antisemitism, and to strongly urge you to act swiftly to address it. Both reports and our own experiences demonstrate an increase in antisemitic and white supremacist posts and images on the platform. The recent disbanding of the Trust and Safety advisory group compounds our concern.
A commitment to principles of free speech does not preclude shunning those who traffic in hate. Everyone is entitled to speak, however they are not entitled to a global megaphone to make their vitriol heard. Twitter can be a place for a robust exchange of ideas while refusing to amplify voices that attack others because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability.
We are equally concerned by several of your own posts that suggest sympathy for white supremacists. This includes your tweets of a photo of a Nazi soldier and Pepe the Frog, which has become a popular meme among the alt-right. No matter your intent, we unequivocally condemn anything that affirms those who espouse hate, including against Jews. History and recent experience demonstrate that online hate inspires real life violence. Perpetrators of the Tree of Life massacre in Squirrel Hill, PA, the Poway, CA synagogue attack, and the hostage taking at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, TX, among others, were all motivated to violence by the online communities of which they were a part.
Twitter has shown that it can be a force for good in the world. To continue to be so requires your intentional leadership and unequivocal rejection of antisemitism and all forms of hate. As Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel famously said, "The opposite of good is not evil; the opposite of good is indifference.” Do not be indifferent to antisemitism spread on the platform you own. We urge you to immediately take meaningful, quantifiable steps to reduce hate on Twitter.
Sincerely,
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Union for Reform Judaism 18Doors 21C Ethics A Way In Agudath Sholom Congregation Albert Einstein Academy ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal Am Shalom Ameinu American Conference of Cantors American Jewish World Service (AJWS) Americans for Peace Now Association of Reform Jewish Educators Avodah New York B’nai Israel Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Beth Chai - the Jewish Humanist Congregation of Greater Washington Beth David Reform Congregation Beth El Hebrew Congregation Beth Emet the Free Synagogue Carolina Jews for Justice Central Conference of American Rabbis Chicago Jewish Labor Committee Coastal Roots Farm Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism Congregation Beth Am Congregation Beth Emeth Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek Congregation Beth Tikvah Congregation Beth Torah Congregation Brith Sholem Congregation Emanu-El B'ne Jeshurun Congregation Gates of Heaven Congregation Rodeph Shalom Congregation Sha’aray Shalom Congregation Shaarai Shomayim Congregation Shalom of San Antonio
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Democratic Jewish Outreach PA Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism East End Temple Greenwich Reform Synagogue HIAS J Street Jewish Community Action Jewish Community Relations Council of Milwaukee Jewish Federation Jewish Council for Public Affairs Jewish Emergent Network Jewish Labor Committee Jewish Multiracial Network Jewish Voice for Peace New Haven Jewish Women International Jewish World Watch Jews for Justice-Texas Jews of NorEast Tarrant County JOFA: Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance Kesher Pittsburgh Keshet Lab/Shul Makom Shelanu Congregation MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger Men of Reform Judaism National Association for Temple Administration National Council of Jewish Women - San Antonio New Jersey Jewish Labor Committee New York Jewish Agenda NFTY - The Reform Jewish Youth Movement Politics with Dana and Steve Program and Engagement Professionals of Reform Judaism Rabbinical Assembly RAC- IL Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association Reform Jewish Community of Canada
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Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Romemu Shir Ami Congregation Sinai Temple Society for Humanistic Judaism Temple Beth Am Temple Beth Ami Temple Beth El Temple Beth Or Tikkun Olam Committee Temple Beth Torah Temple Beth-El Temple B'nai Israel Temple Emanuel Temple Israel Temple Israel of Hollywood Temple Israel of Long Beach Temple Judea Temple Micah Temple Rodef Shalom Temple Shaaray Tefila Temple Shaaray Tefila Temple Shalom Temple Sholom Temple Sinai Texas Jews for Justice The Den Collective The Temple The Temple, Congregation Bnai Jehudah The Workers Circle T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights Valley Beit Midrash Washington Hebrew Congregation Women of Reform Judaism Women's Rabbinic Network |