Selma Blair apologises for anti-Muslim Instagram comments linked to Gaza, admits 'ignorance'
Selma Blair apologises for anti-Muslim Instagram comments linked to Gaza, admits 'ignorance'
"I mistakenly and inadvertently conflated Muslims with Radical Islamists and fundamentalists. This was a terrible error in judgment"
3 min read
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 15: Selma Blair attends the 2nd Annual Academy Museum Gala at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on October 15, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Jewish American Hollywood actress Selma Blair has issued an apology after facing criticism for an anti-Muslim comment she posted online last week.
The comment, made in response to a video linked to Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, was widely condemned as Islamophobic.
In a statement shared on Instagram, Blair acknowledged her mistake and expressed deep regret for her words.
"I mistakenly and inadvertently conflated Muslims with Radical Islamists and fundamentalists," she wrote.
"This was a terrible error in judgment and resulted in hurting countless people, which I never intended to do," she claimed.
The actress went on to apologise to the Muslim community, her friends, and anyone else she offended.
She also vowed to learn from her mistake and promote tolerance and peace.
Hollywood Islamophobia
Blair's original comment, since deleted, called for the deportation of "terrorist supporting goons" and made sweeping generalizations about Islam. It sparked outrage on social media, with many users accusing her of bigotry.
Abraham Hamra's video on Instagram saw him chastise Tlaib and her colleague Cori Bush for voting against a bill preventing the immigration of people into the US "who participated in or otherwise facilitated" the 7 October attack on Israel.
Tlaib justified her opposition to the bill calling it "just another GOP messaging bill being used to incite anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian, and anti-Muslim hatred that makes communities like ours unsafe".
Blair posted an Islamophobic comment under Hamad's video.
"Deport all these terrorist supporting goons" Blair said, adding that "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."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, an advocacy group, also condemned the comment.
National Deputy Director of the CAIR Edward Ahmed Mitchell issued a statement saying: "Based on the hateful and ignorant remarks that Ms. Blair we doubt that she has ever engaged in any meaningful interactions with her Muslim colleagues in Hollywood or other members of the American Muslim community."
"We encourage Ms. Blair to apologize, and we also invite her to dialogue with our community," he added.
Blair was joined by controversial actors Michael Rapaport, who commented on Hamra's video "Love it", and Debra Messing, who posted: "THANK YOU".
Messing herself received backlash for ridiculing the exit of Palestinian Journalist Motaz Azaiza from Gaza on Instagram, going as far as to question Azaiza's journalistic credentials.
Israel's war on Gaza has killed over 28,000 Palestinians, including more than 12,000 children, according to health authorities in the coastal enclave.
Israel's actions have divided American celebrities even within the Jewish American community.
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