Senate President Karen Spilka leaves X, app formerly known as Twitter in wake of Elon Musk controversy
Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka is leaving X, the app formerly known as Twitter, after CEO Elon Musk endorsed a “monstrous and dangerous antisemitic” post, she said.
“Throughout my life, I have worked hard to uphold the values of religious freedom that I cherish here in America,” Spilka said in a statement. “And the Massachusetts Senate has taken a strong stance against hate-fueled religious violence here in the Commonwealth by funding security grants for non-profits and religious institutions in the face of rising antisemitic and other hateful attacks on innocent people.”
“Actions speak louder than words, but words still matter,” the Ashland Democrat added. “Elon Musk has long promoted and enabled hateful speech and it is clear that he is not committed to hosting a platform that builds productive, respectful dialogue. With Elon Musk’s endorsement of a monstrous and dangerous antisemitic lie, I can no longer justify using the X platform for any reason.”
Spilka and her chamber will continue to use Facebook, Instagram, Threads and LinkedIn.
“I hope you will follow me, and the Senate, on these platforms, and join us in leaving X,” she wrote.
Musk sparked national controversy last week when he responded to a user who propelled the antisemitic conspiracy theory that Jewish people hate white people.
“You have said the actual truth,” Musk tweeted in a reply last Wednesday.
The original post was an example of the “great replacement conspiracy theory,” a white supremacist ideology that falsely claims there is a hidden agenda to replace white people in America.
The racist theory has been a talking point among white supremacists, who’ve used it to justify violence against people of color and religious minorities.
The post has forced major companies like IBM and Disney to pull ads from X, which is a major setback for the platform as it struggles to win back big brands.
Material from The Associated Press was used in this article.
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