by Yaakov M (no relation to CJV’s Rabbi Yaakov Menken) in VINnews
An ugly Twitter war appears to be brewing between conservative talk show host Ben Shapiro, and media figure Candace Owens, who works for Shapiro’s Daily Wire.
Owens has repeatedly endorsed antisemitic behavior in recent weeks and refuses to back down.
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The most recent example is Owens’ reply to a tweet by Max Blumenthal, a Jewish media figure who posted a viciously anti-Jewish tweet.
Owens liked the tweet and posted a retweet/reply, reaffirming its overall message. In response, Shapiro called Owens out on Twitter, and Owens then replied to Shapiro, suggesting that since they have a working relationship, he should have privately called her to discuss the matter, rather than publicly criticizing her.
Ouch.
The drama began with Blumenthal’s tweet which said: “We White American Jews are living through a golden age of power, affluence, and safety. Acceptance of this welcome reality threatens the entire Zionist enterprise, from lobby fronts like the ADL to the State of Israel, because Zionism relies on Jewish insecurity to justify itself.”
He was referencing the antisemitic trope which falsely claims that Jews wield immense power and they manufacture and exploit antisemitism for their own benefit.
I don’t know who Max Blumenthal is, but I do know that you have my number and could have informed me in earnest.
Real relationships should trump Twitter theatre.
Let’s set a better example going forward.— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) November 6, 2022
Owens liked the tweet and replied by comparing Jewish groups to BLM, saying: “You are about to get into a lot of trouble for stating this. Reminds me of when I said something similar about the NAACP and BLM way back when. When you disrupt the trauma economy and call out the not-for-profits that benefit from it, you become their next target.”
In response to Owens, Shapiro tweeted: “I think the ADL is a partisan hack organization, too. But RTing Max Blumenthal, who spends his life covering for Jew-haters and stumping for Israel’s destruction, makes the conversation significantly worse. It’s garbage.”
Owens replied to Shapiro, saying: “I don’t know who Max Blumenthal is, but I do know that you have my number and could have informed me in earnest. Real relationships should trump Twitter theatre. Let’s set a better example going forward.”
It appears that things are getting ugly between Owens and her orthodox Jewish boss at Daily Wire.
Several weeks ago, Owens defended the disgraceful antisemitic rants of Kanye West, and Shapiro publicly disagreed with her, however, he was relatively tame in his comments.
Adding yet another twist to the saga, Rabbi Yaakov Menken, Managing Director of the Coalition of Jewish Values, and Joel Petlin, Superintendent of the Kiryas Joel School District, both called on Shapiro to respond to Owens’ tweet (before he did so).
Antisemitic hate crimes in the US are at an all time high, yet @RealCandaceO likes a Tweet that attacks Israel & proclaims that Jews are living in *a golden age of affluence, power & safety*
I don't understand this obsession, but @benshapiro & @JeremyDBoreing can't ignore it. https://t.co/LoO3SxCAYG
— Joel M. Petlin (@Joelmpetlin) November 6, 2022
I wonder if @JeremyDBoreing is going to continue portray this as some sort of vendetta against @benshapiro and him, by @josh_hammer and @HaMeturgeman, as the endorsements by @RealCandaceO become more repulsive with each new example. https://t.co/yzD2h4luPv
— Rabbi Yaakov Menken (@ymenken) November 6, 2022
Rabbi Menken tweeted: “I wonder if @JeremyDBoreing is going to continue to portray this as some sort of vendetta against @benshapiro and him, by @josh_hammer and @HaMeturgeman, as the endorsements by @RealCandaceO become more repulsive with each new example.”
Mr. Petlin tweeted: “Antisemitic hate crimes in the US are at an all-time high, yet @RealCandaceO likes a Tweet that attacks Israel & proclaims that Jews are living in *a golden age of affluence, power & safety*. I don’t understand this obsession, but @benshapiro & @JeremyDBoreing can’t ignore it.”
Originally published in VINnews
Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore on Wikimedia Commons