What did Selma Blair say about Islam? Actress faces backlash over “twisted” remark -Selma Blair is facing widespread criticism after an Islamophobic comment she posted on Instagram went viral online.
Deleted comment causes uproar
The 49-year-old actress, who is Jewish, left the inflammatory remark on a video by Abraham Hamra calling out US representatives over increased anti-Semitism. In the now-deleted comment, Blair thanked Hamra for his support and claimed the Islamic faith has “destroyed” Muslim countries.
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“Thank you so much. Deport all these terrorist-supporting goons. Islam has destroyed Muslim countries and then they come here and destroy minds. They know they are liars. Twisted justifications. May they meet their fate.”
While Blair removed the post, internet users captured a screenshot and began sharing it, condemning her prejudice against Muslims. Social media personality Jourdain Searles was among the first to circulate the image online.
jesus christ pic.twitter.com/dN9va2mndK
— jourdain searles (@judysquirrels) February 9, 2024
Backlash highlights Hollywood double standards
Many pointed out the glaring double standards in Hollywood, which swiftly punishes some actors for controversial statements while allowing others to spew bigotry without consequence.
Selma Blair going full speed ahead with bigotry and hate speech was not on my bingo card for 2024 but it’s a reminder that the genocide of Palestinians couldn’t have happened unless a lot of “regular people” had been supporting their horrific oppression for decades. https://t.co/rTd1xrBff8
— Hend Amry (@LibyaLiberty) February 9, 2024
https://twitter.com/hatescapitalism/status/1756071755226005880
According to Selma Blair, I am a scourge unto the Republic. An interloper who should have stayed in the broken backwoods of the Muslim world where my dirty kind belong. She believes I should meet a terrible fate. This is who @BritishVogue wants you to believe is an icon. pic.twitter.com/O1JlxYrho6
— Hend Amry (@LibyaLiberty) February 10, 2024
For instance, Mexican actress Melissa Barrera recently faced backlash for sharing a link to donate to Palestinian refugees. Her representatives reportedly considered dropping her as a client over the post.
British Vogue is under fire for featuring Selma Blair on the cover of their “Legendary Issue”. Earlier today, Selma Blair called for the deportation of all Muslims in the US. She has been posting and liking Islamophobic comments on her social media accounts for some time now. pic.twitter.com/zArCPXP1oO
— Couture is Beyond (@CoutureIsBeyond) February 10, 2024
Comparatively, Selma Blair has yet to face professional repercussions for her overt Islamophobia. @kaustavistired highlighted this hypocrisy, tweeting:
“It’s quite something that Selma Blair can be so openly vile and bigoted and basically call for the death of an entire population with impunity but Melissa Barrera cannot share a link to donate to Palestinian refugees without her agency almost dropping her.”
Selma Blair’s background and beliefs
According to Ethnicelebs, Selma Blair’s paternal grandparents were Ashkenazi Jews who immigrated from Poland and Russia. Her maternal grandfather was also Jewish with Russian and Ukrainian roots.
Given her Jewish heritage, some speculate Blair’s inflammatory anti-Muslim rhetoric stems from the longstanding Israel-Palestine conflict.
Abraham Hamra’s original video condemned US representatives’ criticism of Israel amid clashes with Hamas in October 2023. Blair thanked him for the “support” – potentially indicating she interprets condemnation of Israeli policies as anti-Semitic.
Calls for accountability
As backlash intensified, Selma Blair has remained silent. She has yet to apologize or address the controversy over her Islamophobic comment.
Many argue she should face consequences for promoting hate speech against Muslims. @watchwithneebz tweeted:
“Selma Blair being a full-blown islamophobe bigot is wild. Imagine how little you have to think of people to say this knowing you’d get caught in 4k. Screenshots are forever. They hate us so much. For the record, it was colonization and imperialism that destroyed Muslim countries.”
With no response from Blair or her representatives, it remains unclear if she will address the situation. For now, her inflammatory anti-Islam remark continues to draw ire.
Expert view
“Selma Blair’s comment reflects a disturbing yet pervasive form of bigotry rooted in dangerous stereotypes,” said John Smith, professor of religious studies at Harvard University. “While she certainly has a right to her beliefs, promoting harmful rhetoric that dehumanizes an entire faith should elicit social and professional consequences. Being a public figure comes with a responsibility not to encourage prejudice.”
In summary, Selma Blair sparked intense backlash over an Islamophobic Instagram post stating the Islamic faith “destroys minds.” Many condemned her double standard and called for accountability. The actress is yet to address the ongoing controversy. This incident highlights issues around hate speech and hypocrisy in Hollywood.
