In 2024, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported the highest number of antisemitic incidents ever recorded in one year. More than 10,000 antisemitic incidents were reported in the U.S..
From the unsettling presence of hate groups to the open, unrepentant comments made by influential personalities, it seems that the boundaries of acceptable speech have been dangerously blurred.
We stand at a critical point where we must remember the horrors of the past, including the atrocities committed during the Holocaust. We must recognize the dangerous implications of ignoring or downplaying the hate-filled ideologies we see today. Hints at neo-Nazism and outright antisemitic statements are unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.
It’s time to socially condemn Nazi behavior. We must make Nazis afraid of publicly being antisemitic again.
The uprising of hate
A Neo-Nazi group scattered fliers across Waterloo, Iowa neighborhoods before Veterans Day last year.
The New York Times reported the handouts said, in all capital letters, “We are your neighbors! We are the random stranger holding the door open for you! We are everywhere.”
Large public figures such as Ye (formerly Kanye West) have been publicly antisemitic without remorse, and with few repercussions outside of a loss of business. Elon Musk has been public with his insensitive and unfunny jokes about Nazism. At Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration event, he slapped his right hand on his chest before shooting his arm diagonally upward, palm facing down, in a gesture that strongly resembles a Nazi salute. He did this twice.
He responded to public outrage by posting several Nazi jokes to his X. “Don’t say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Gőring your enemies! His pronouns would’ve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming,” Musk said.
Over 55 million people saw this post. Although some people want to debate that Musk was giving his heart out to the crowd or doing the Roman salute, it is undeniable that his action resembles a Sieg Heil.
Even far-right political commentator Nick Fuentes said, “That was a straight up like ‘Sieg Heil’, like loving Hitler energy.”
This behavior must be condemned and has no place at a presidential inauguration. President Trump should not have let it slide.
The bottom line is clear. Antisemitism is rising. Nazis aren’t scared to state their opinion and hatred has extended into the Trump administration more than ever before.
Student impact
The presence of neo-Nazism is personally affecting students at the U, as growing antisemitic rhetoric is being heard nationwide.
Sydney Fabric, a first-year student at the U, shared her concerns about the rise in antisemitism. “It’s dismissive of everything that the Jewish community has been through, like with the Holocaust and facing anti-Semitism in the past,” Fabric said.
This growing dismissal and tolerance of antisemitic rhetoric is deeply troubling. Fabric believes that social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram play a significant role, making it increasingly common for people to joke about antisemitism, which contributes to its normalization.
“While it’s not supposed to be, I feel like [antisemitism is] becoming more widely accepted, in that sense, to like just make fun of it and make a joke about it, rather than taking it seriously and spreading awareness for stopping antisemitism,” Fabric said.
She emphasized the need for more awareness about why this issue should be taken seriously and not reduced to humor. “Regulations [are needed], because there are neo-Nazis here. Like, I don’t know about in Utah, but around the country, there are neo-Nazis,” Fabric said.
Condemning this behavior
The growing presence of neo-Nazism and antisemitic rhetoric in public discourse signals a dangerous shift toward normalizing hate. Simply rejecting it on social media or in conversation is not enough to stop its rise.
Condemning Nazism must go beyond vague statements. Removing Nazi symbols from public spaces and online platforms, implementing strict consequences for hate speech and educating the public on the historical and present-day harm caused by this ideology is crucial.
Germany, for example, outlawed Nazi symbolism shortly after World War II, recognizing the danger of allowing such imagery to persist. The U.S. has allowed this rhetoric to re-enter mainstream spaces, even appearing in the highest levels of political discourse.
President Donald Trump’s public posting of the upside-down pink triangle, a symbol the Nazis used to identify LGBTQ+ people, raises serious concerns about how closely extremist ideology is brushing up against political power.
Antisemitism has no place in the U.S. government. Allowing it to go unchecked threatens the foundations of equality and democracy. Now more than ever, we need enforceable policies, not performative rejection. Words alone won’t stop the spread of hate.
It shouldn’t need to be restated why this behavior is unacceptable.
We must combat antisemitism with education, real consequences and a united stand against hate in every form. Antisemitism has no place in our society or government.
e.thompson@dailyutahchronicle.com
The post Opinion: Make Nazis Embarrassed Again first appeared on The Daily Utah Chronicle.