Lakeith Stanfield apologizes for anti-Semitic clubhouse talk
Stanfield apologizes for not intervening after hearing anti-Semitic statements in a chat room that he was made moderator
Last Thursday, actor LaKeith Stanfield was present during a Clubhouse chat that descended into anti-Sematic rhetoric being used by others present. Stanfield issued an apology via social media about his presence in the chat, saying he condemns “hate speech and discriminatory views of every kind.”
Clubhouse is an iPhone-orientated social media app where users can host group conversations. On Thursday, the Academy-Award nominated actor entered into a chat room that was discussing the teachings of Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan.
READ MORE: On Clubhouse, Black people get to literally speak truth to power
He wrote in the post that someone had made him a moderator of the chat upon noticing his presence in the online room.
“At some point during the dialogue the discussion took a very negative turn when several users made abhorrent anti-Semitic statements and at that point, I should have either shut down the discussion or removed myself from it entirely,” Stanfield wrote in an Instagram post Saturday.
According to The Daily Beast, some members of the discussion made comments about how Stanfield, a well-known celebrity, did not call out the users who were making the negative comments about Jewish people. One of the people present in the chat, Kareem Rifai, said that some of the words being used “were worse than things that I’ve read or heard about neo-Nazis saying.”
Rifai said Stanfield “just kind of danced around it not really saying anything,” adding that people “can’t stay neutral in that type of situation when there’s so clearly a side that is spewing hate speech and another side that’s trying to just defend themselves.”
Stanfield continued his post by saying, “I condemn hate speech and discriminatory views of every kind. I unconditionally apologize for what went on in that chat room, and for allowing my presence there to give a platform to hate speech. I am not an anti-Semite nor do I condone any of the beliefs discussed in that chat roorm [sic].”
READ MORE: ‘Get Out’ star LaKeith Stanfield causes concern after cryptic posts
This is not Stanfield’s first time being a part of a controversial Clubhouse chat. In February, Stanfield appeared on “The Ringer” to talk about an experience of being in a chat room called the “moan room” in which men were simulating sexual aural sounds to win a cash prize.
Stanfield’s work is continuing, fresh off his Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for Judas and the Black Messiah. He is the lead voice of new six-part animated Netflix series, Yasuke, which tells the story of the first African samurai, as previously reported by theGrio.
Stanfield is currently in Europe, according to GQ magazine, shooting the new season of the FX comedy series Atlanta with co-stars Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry and Zazie Beetz. The Emmy-winning series last aired in 2018, and will be shooting seasons three and four back-to-back. No return date for season three has been announced.
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