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Actually, Elon Musk Really is a Lot Like Henry Ford

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Actually, Elon Musk Really is a Lot Like Henry Ford

Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt walked back his comparison, but it remains apt -- for all the wrong reasons.

Parker Molloy
Nov 8, 2022
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Actually, Elon Musk Really is a Lot Like Henry Ford

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During an appearance on CNBC on October 7, Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt praised Elon Musk by calling him "the Henry Ford of our time." At the time, Musk was the CEO of Tesla and was about to buy Twitter.

Twitter avatar for @SquawkCNBC
Squawk Box @SquawkCNBC
"I'm hopeful it will go through," says @JGreenblattADL on @elonmusk buying $TWTR. "To think what he could do with the public square...I'm hopeful he'll be able to apply his penchant for innovation to this company."
11:52 AM ∙ Oct 7, 2022
111Likes33Retweets

"I'm hopeful that it will go through," Greenblatt said, referring to the then-pending sale of Twitter to Musk. "I mean, look, as we've talked about before, Elon Musk is an amazing entrepreneur and extraordinary innovator. He is the Henry Ford of our time."

AI-generated illustration of Elon Musk shaking Henry Ford’s hand, via Midjourney.

This was, to put it mildly, odd. Ford's legacy as an automotive entrepreneur is closely tied to his legacy as a Nazi sympathizer and purveyor of antisemitic conspiracy theories in the decades leading up to World War II. Greenblatt almost certainly knows this, as ADL's own website notes the role Ford played in popularizing the false, antisemitic screed known as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. In 2020, Greenblatt himself even tweeted criticism of then-President Donald Trump after he praised Ford, writing, "Henry Ford as an antisemite and one of America's staunchest proponents of eugenics. The President should apologize. If he doesn't know why, our backgrounder on Ford's legacy will help."


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By that afternoon, Greenblatt had walked back his Ford-themed praise of Musk, tweeting a thread:

Admittedly, the Henry Ford reference was flat-out wrong. I certainly was not trying to praise Ford and didn’t intend to minimize his contemptible antisemitism in any way. And while I could have been much clearer, I was laying down a gauntlet about what we expect Elon Musk to do. As I have been saying for months, we have concerns around how Musk will handle hate and harassment on the platform.

As I’ve stated publicly time and again, we want to be cautiously optimistic about how Musk will run the platform because he successfully has innovated other industries and tackled incredibly complex problems. However it's alarming to see extremists exultant about his plans. And some of his ideas raise real questions about where he plans to take Twitter.

In the end, we would implore Musk to apply an equal level of innovation and resources, not just to optimizing the business model, but to stemming the flow of hate and disinformation so rampant on Twitter -- and improving public discourse as a result.

But Greenblatt was right! Musk is actually a lot like Ford.

Sure, there's the fact that Musk's Twitter takeover was followed by what the Network Contagion Research Institute called "a prolific surge in anti-Jewish rhetoric."

And sure, Musk personally welcomed the artist formerly known as Kanye West back to Twitter after his Instagram account got suspended for posting an antisemitic rant.

Musk welcoming West back to Twitter.

And sure, yes, then there's the fact that after West made even more antisemitic comments (which included a tweet in which he said he planned to “go death con 3 ON JEWISH PEOPLE” — yes, he probably meant DEFCON; yes, it was written in all-caps like that) he tweeted a Dragon Ball Z meme featuring him and West teaming up, adding, "Fun times ahead!!" (He'd later delete this without comment.)

October 17 tweets from Musk.

And sure, of course, then there's also the matter of the second meme he posted featuring West (and this time Trump, who recently pushed the antisemitic “dual loyalty” trope on his own social media site) as the three musketeers. (Again, he'd later delete this one without comment.)

October 18 tweet from Musk.

And yes, of course, then there’s the matter of Twitter’s algorithm suggesting that people follow West when they clicked on “The Jews,” which was the top trending topic on the site.

Twitter avatar for @jason_koebler
Jason Koebler @jason_koebler
Twitter suggesting people follow Kanye West as an expert on its top trending topic, "The Jews" vice.com/en/article/m7g…
Image
Image
2:36 PM ∙ Nov 4, 2022
545Likes173Retweets

And sure, on Sunday, he tweeted his agreement with a quote in a tweet falsely attributing a quote by American neo-Nazi Kevin Alfred Strom to Voltaire. (Once again, he silently deleted this without explanation.)

And yes, of course, on Monday, he then threatened to sue groups like the ADL and NAACP for urging advertisers to pause their Twitter ad spending.

Twitter avatar for @KlasfeldReports
Adam Klasfeld @KlasfeldReports
The "left" advocacy groups that called for a boycott include the ADL and the NAACP. The threat is to sue Jewish and Black anti-discrimination groups for their speech, stemming from their alarm at his content moderation? rollingstone.com/politics/polit…
Image
2:11 PM ∙ Nov 7, 2022
473Likes177Retweets

And then, okay, again, yes, also on Monday, he tweeted a meme featuring a photo of a Nazi soldier in 1940 France.

And yes, of course, there's the matter of him acting like the personal grievance concierge for the far-right.


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Twitter is to Musk as The Dearborn Independent was to Ford.

The Dearborn Independent was a newspaper purchased by Henry Ford in 1918. It became the vessel of choice for Ford’s antisemitic propaganda. On Twitter, Paul Fairie (he had a really great thread on the history of people arguing “nobody wants to work anymore”) broke down important moments in that paper’s history.

In 1918, Ford announced his departure from Ford Motor Company to launch a national newspaper (prior to his purchase, the Independent was only local).

Twitter avatar for @paulisci
Paul Fairie @paulisci
November 1918
FORD WILL TAKE A FLYER IN THE NEWSPAPER GAME

WILL RETIRE FROM ACTIVE MANAGEMENT IN THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY PLANT

SON EDSEL TO 'FILL SHOES'

Will Take Over Complete Control of Auto Interests While Father Devotes Time to Publishing a National Weekly to Exploit His Ideas

Detroit Nov 21 -- Henry Ford today announced his retirement from active participation in the management of the Ford Motor company, to be taken over by his son Edsel.

In making this announcement today Mr. Ford said he intended to undertake the publication of a national weekly newspaper, dividing his time between the publication and his tractor industry.

Edwin C. Pipp for many years editor of the Detroit News will head the editorial staff of the Ford paper.

Mr. Ford recently purchased the Dearborn Independent, published in his home town near here, and it is this publication he intends to develop into a national periodical.
--Battle Creek Enquirer, 22 Nov 1918
9:41 PM ∙ Nov 5, 2022

Ford presented the Independent as a fact-based publication that “tells the facts. It is As Independent As Henry Ford.” Similarly, Musk recently tweeted that “Twitter needs to become by far the most accurate source of information about the world. That’s our mission.”

Twitter avatar for @paulisci
Paul Fairie @paulisci
October 1919
The Ford International Weekly

THE DEARBORN INDEPENDENT

"Here are the facts" you can say to yourself when you open your copy of this magazine.

There are no fewer than a dozen great issues engaging the attention of the American people today.

It means much to be sure of your facts, and with so many conflicting claims to pass upon one is not always sure of being able to separate the false from the true.

The Dearborn Independent tells the facts. It is 

As Independent as Henry Ford

It searches for and presents the truth concerning men and events, here and abroad, and leaves you to draw your own conclusions.

It is a clean, forward-looking, fearless magazine; handsomely illustrated and well printed.

One dollar and your address on the dotted lines will bring you the magazine for a year.

--The Grand Island Herald, 30 Oct 1919
10:01 PM ∙ Nov 5, 2022
59Likes1Retweet

Six months later, the Independent was running front page headlines like this, “The International Jew: The World’s Problem.”

Twitter avatar for @paulisci
Paul Fairie @paulisci
May 1920
The Ford International Weekly [cover page]
THE DEARBORN INDEPENDENT 

The International Jew: The World's Problem

[small unreadable text]

--Dearborn Independent, 22 May 1920
10:04 PM ∙ Nov 5, 2022
83Likes7Retweets

And like most people with various bigotries, Ford didn’t openly identify as being bigoted. In fact, Ford went so far as to argue that he and the Independent were not antisemitic, citing “the fact that we employee 5,000 Jewish workers.” Ford claimed that what people were perceiving as antisemitism was just him showing his deep concern for “world peace.” Similarly, Musk said that he purchased Twitter “to help humanity.”

Twitter avatar for @paulisci
Paul Fairie @paulisci
February 1921
Not Anti-semistic [sic]

Thus does Mr. Ford explain the Dearborn Independent articles.

"We are not anti-semetic [sic]. Had the protest against anti-semetism, which was signed by President Wilson, Cardinal O'Connell and others have been presented to me, I would have signed it.

"The best proof of our feeling toward the Jews is the fact that we employ 5,000 Jewish workers.

"It is my desire to bring about world peace. There can be no world peace until the international Jewish bankers cease providing money for wars.

--The Oklahoma City Times, 12 Feb 1921
10:07 PM ∙ Nov 5, 2022
62Likes1Retweet

Musk also pretends to care about “world peace,” though his idea of “peace” seems to consist of asking countries being invaded to surrender.

Twitter avatar for @paulisci
Paul Fairie @paulisci
February 1921 (II)
FORD TRYING TO EXPLAIN

Now that Ford has broken his long silence to explain the anti-Semetic propaganda which has appeared in his freely distributed paper, the Dearborn Independent, he is placed in a more pitiable light than he was before this abortive attempt to exculpation. His strictures & slanders on the Jewish race, he now says, had for their sole object "the promotion of world peace". Such an explanation will strike the average person as being too foolish for serious attention. Just how his defamatory articles attempting to arouse animosity against a whole race of people who are scattered in various lands & give allegiance to many flags can superinduce harmony & fraternity among the nations, is a puzzle baffling to persons whose minds function in a normal way. Ford has belittled himself by his avowals and has still further strengthened the presumption that he is a featherweight, if not a featherhead, who has been very much over-advertised.

--The Selma Times-Journal, 18 Feb 1921
10:15 PM ∙ Nov 5, 2022
94Likes7Retweets

One month after issuing a statement claiming that he and the Independent were not antisemitic, the paper ran a front-page story about “Jewish versus American Rights: Demands made by Jews in scores of American communities throw light on Jewish conception of their ‘rights.’”

Again, this sort of hypocrisy is common. Racists rarely say (or maybe even believe) they’re racist. Sexists don’t say they’re sexist. Homophobes don’t often say they’re homophobic. Transphobes don’t often announce to the world that they’re transphobic. And, well, you get the idea.

Twitter avatar for @paulisci
Paul Fairie @paulisci
March 1921
The Ford International Weekly 

THE DEARBORN INDEPENDENT

Detroit Michigan March 12, 1921

"Cutting Up Old Circus Money": The first of the most interesting collection of reminiscences ever gathered on the circus of another generation.

Jewish versus American Rights: Demands made by Jews in scores of American communities throw light on Jewish conception of their "rights"

Money Making - A Ship of Mercy: Two splendid stories one having to do with our currency factory, the other with the new hospital ship Relief

Ousting Devil in Small Town: A story, graphically illustrated, of some of the dangers of the village and how common sense removes them.

--Dearborn Independent, 12 Mar 1921
10:19 PM ∙ Nov 5, 2022
55Likes2Retweets

August 1921’s Independent front page included the headline “Jewish Jazz — Moron Music — Becomes Our National Music.” You know, normal stuff that people who totally aren’t antisemites would publish.

Twitter avatar for @paulisci
Paul Fairie @paulisci
August 1921
The Ford International Weekly

THE DEARBORN INDEPENDENT

And Now Leprosy Is Yielding to Science: Years of experimenting brings a remedy
Fountain Lake, the Home of John Muir: A story of naturalists wilderness abode
Fighting the Devil in Modern Babylon: First of a series of articles on New York by Rev. Dr. John Roach Straton
Jewish Jazz-Moron Music-Becomes Our National Music: Story of "Popular Song" Control in the United States
The Chief Justices of the Supreme Court: Only ten men have held this post since the tribunal was first organized
Teaching the Deaf to Hear With Their Eyes: How Chicago is educating afflicted children
Many by-Products From Sweet Potatoes: Recent discoveries prove great possibilities

--Dearborn Independent, 6 Aug 1921
10:28 PM ∙ Nov 5, 2022
58Likes1Retweet

Just as Ford bought the Independent to advance his own political agenda…

Twitter avatar for @paulisci
Paul Fairie @paulisci
That Time a Car Manufacturer Decided He Wanted to Own a Publisher in Order to Advance His Own Political Agenda 🧵
Twitter avatar for @paulisci
Paul Fairie @paulisci
The Story of The Dearborn Independent 🧵
3:41 PM ∙ Nov 7, 2022
75Likes40Retweets

…Musk bought Twitter to do the same.

Twitter avatar for @elonmusk
Elon Musk @elonmusk
To independent-minded voters: Shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties, therefore I recommend voting for a Republican Congress, given that the Presidency is Democratic.
3:22 PM ∙ Nov 7, 2022
313,090Likes47,800Retweets

May history remember them both as the ghouls they are/were.

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Actually, Elon Musk Really is a Lot Like Henry Ford

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2 Comments
Joseph Mangano
Nov 8, 2022

Though I don't imagine it will happen, Elon Musk's purchase and handling of Twitter in the days, weeks, and months to come should be a glaring example of why big social media platforms need to be regulated as a public utility.

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Matthew
Nov 8, 2022

I haven't opened Twitter since the sale became official. Seeing his tweet from today now about voting Republican slightly makes me want to open it just to cancel, but hard for me to even open it to do that at this point. (But to be clear, I have been much happier off of Twitter, no doubt about that!)

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