Elon Musk under scrutiny for perceived salute at public event
Elon Musk stirred social media when he appeared to make a gesture resembling a Roman salute twice during his speech at the Capital One Arena. Terms like "fascist" or "Nazi" surfaced, though some defended him, calling it an "awkward gesture."
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Historian Claire Aubin, a specialist on Nazism in the USA, stated that Musk's gesture meant "sieg heil". Similarly, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, an expert on fascism, described the gesture as a "aggressive Nazi salute". "Haaretz" and "The Guardian" also suggested that Musk performed a "fascist" salute.
Former Democratic Party congresswoman Cori Bush commented that Musk looked like he was practicing in front of a mirror. "Looks as if he’s been holding that in for a while and finally was able to let it rip. Like he practiced in the mirror to hit that angle just right.," Bush wrote on platform X.
Meanwhile, "Wired" magazine noted that the far right in the USA welcomed the gesture with satisfaction. AFP points out that Musk has recently expressed support for the German far-right party AfD and the British anti-immigration party Reform UK.
There are also defenders
One of the oldest and most important Jewish organizations in the world, the ADL, defended Musk, despite their previous conflicts with him. The organization clarified on X that Elon Musk's gesture seemed to be an awkward motion made in excitement, rather than a Nazi salute.
Historian Aaron Astor also defended Musk, claiming it was a "socially awkward hand gesture by an autistic man." "I have criticized Elon Musk many times for letting neo-Nazis pollute this platform. But this gesture is not a Nazi salute. This is a socially awkward autistic man's wave to the crowd where he says "my heart goes out to you." he stated on X.
AFP notes that Musk announced in 2021 that he suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism.
Source: PAP, X
