United Talent Agency’s co-founder and CEO Jeremy Zimmer has joined a growing list of Hollywood executives calling for a boycott of Kanye “Ye”West’s anti-Semitic remarks on social media and during interviews.
You can send a memo to UTA staff on Sunday night with the subject “Subject:” “Rise of Anti Semitism and Hate,”Zimmer highlighted the need to be against “hate speech, bigotry or anti-Semitism.” The move comes after Ye’s comments incited a public display of anti-Semitism across the 405 highway with banners reading, “Kanye is right about the Jews.”
Ye tweeted weeks ago that he would be going. “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE,”Referring to the military readiness condition “DEFCON,”This was what prompted his lock to be posted on Instagram and Twitter as a response to his hateful remarks and sent him to right-wing platforms such as Parler, which is now in motion for purchase. Interviews with Piers Morgan and Tucker Carlson have shown similar hateful rhetoric.
Zimmer’s memo follows the Oct. 19 Financial Times op-ed by Endeavor’s Ari Emmanuel, which similarly denounced Ye’s latest comments. “Those who continue to do business with West are giving his misguided hate an audience,”He wrote. “There should be no tolerance anywhere for West’s anti-Semitism.”
Read Zimmer’s memo in full below:
I’m saddened to write that once again we’re seeing a surge in anti-Semitism in our communities, fueled by Kanye’s comments and a resulting in an incident in Los Angeles yesterday where hateful banners were placed over the 405 freeway.
Unfortunately, antisemitism, racism, and other forms of hatred and intolerance are all part of society. They are generally a problem that erodes the health of communities. They can be overcome by understanding, tolerance, and the general goodness and goodwill of all people.
However, some people have used their public platforms to spread the plague to dangerous extent throughout history. Kanye is the latest to do so, and we’re seeing how his words embolden others to amplify their vile beliefs. I’ve also seen copies of horribly anti-Semitic flyers left this weekend on the doorsteps of homes in L.A. neighborhoods, showing that the 405 banners are not the end of it.
What is alarming is the situation on college campuses. Students are expressing concern about Zionism and turning it into veiled antisemitism. This dilemma has recently been at the forefront of Wellesley College. Wellesley newspaper supported a mapping effort to show the Jewish owned businesses in the area and recommended that they be boycotted. It was assumed that they would be anti-Palestine simply because they were owned and controlled by Jews. This kind of dangerous thinking can inflame hatred and anti-Semitism. There have been other examples.
Whether it’s signs on the 405 in Los Angeles, flyers on doorsteps, mapping Jewish businesses in Boston, or marching with hoods and crosses, all of these behaviors ignite the embers of bigotry, and they must not be tolerated.
We stand for diversity as a company. But we can’t support hate speech, bigotry or anti-Semitism. Please support Kanye West’s boycott. People have been driven to hateful acts by powerful voices. Let’s not be lulled into thinking this time it’s different.
