Pressure has mounted for Adidas to terminate its partnership with Kanye “Ye” West after Sunday morning’s show of support of his anti-Semitic comments from hate groups and the resurfacing of a video in which the rapper says, “I can say anti-Semitic things, and Adidas can’t drop me. Now what?”
Following a show of support from an anti-Semitic group who hung banners of support for the rapper with comments like “Kanye is right about the Jews” while doing a Nazi salute, Alexander Vindman, the retired Army lieutenant colonel, who testified during Donald Trump’s 2019 impeachment inquiry, resurfaced a video of the rapper that has now become viral.
“I can literally say anti-Semitic s— and they can’t drop me. I can say anti-Semitic things,” Ye began again, getting close to the mic and smiling at somebody off camera, “and Adidas can’t drop me. Now what?”
“This dude Kanye is a clown. @adidas what do you think about this? He seems to imply you’re okay with antisemitism,” Vinman wrote.
The heat continues to turn up for Ye, whose was locked out of Instagram and Twitter earlier this month after posting a blatantly anti-Semitic messages, one threatening to go “death con 3” on Jewish people. Since then, Jewish celebrities have called him out, saying his “words hurt and incite violence,” and late-night hosts throwing him into the bottomless pit of mockery. An interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson only made things worse.
And the floodgates opened, with reactions to the deafening silence from the German corporation that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories, including a line designed by Ye.
“Hello? @adidas?? Are you there?? Anyone? Stan Smith? David Beckham?? Is this thing on?? #SpeakOut #boycottadidas,” wrote comedian Judy Gold.
“Hey @adidas – we shouldn’t have to tell you what to do. But we’re all watching,” another Twitter user wrote.
George Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti Defamation League said, “Not only has @adidas remained silent on Ye’s #antisemitism, even as hate groups celebrate his dangerous rhetoric — they doubled down on their relationship, scheduling the release of new Kanye products. We must keep pressure on Adidas to #RunAwayFromHate.”
A petition has surfaced on change.org, demanding that Adidas end its partnership with Ye. It reads in part: “We, the undersigned, call on Adidas to end its partnership with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, due to his repeated antisemitic outbursts. By continuing to align itself with a public figure who has revealed himself to be a virulent antisemite, Adidas would be demonstrating that it does not care about racism against Jews.”
