Press Releases

NTC Launches Petition Calling on Nick Cannon to Get Educated On Anti-Semitism from ADL

For Immediate Release

July 15, 2020

Contact: kon@newtolerance.org

Nick Cannon, former husband of Mariah Carey who said “men don’t subscribe to monogamy because they feel like it’s not natural in their DNA,” is once again in the news, this time exhibiting another startling display of ignorance. During an episode of Cannon’s Class, his podcast that he calls “specifically…academic,” Cannon expressed a dizzying array of ignorant and backwards views about the Jewish people and their history. Rather than apologize for his anti-Semitism, he tried to cover it up. New Tolerance Campaign is rallying its activists to unmask his hate and force him to learn why he is wrong so he does not continue to radicalize his fans with hate.

In the show, Cannon said that black people are the true chosen people of Israel and therefore, as the original Semites, cannot be anti-Semitic. In the course of the discussion, Cannon referred to “the honorable Louis Farrakhan” and praised his work several times. Farrakhan is the leader of Nation of Islam, which is classified as an anti-Semitic group by both the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Southern Poverty Law Center. Further, Cannon expressed strong opinions that Jews have been given too much power.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, told Jewish Insider that “anyone seeking a Ph.D in Jew-hatred should watch this ‘interview.’” ADL’s CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted that it was “Truly disturbing that @NickCannon would use his platform to perpetuate false anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and lift up the vehemently anti-Semitic Louis Farrakhan.” The American Jewish Committee tweeted “.@NickCannon spreading anti-Semitic conspiracy theories about ‘Rothschilds’ and ‘Zionists’ to millions of his followers is abhorrent and unacceptable. His message of hate has no place in our society and should be condemned by all people of good conscience.”

Following the blowback, Cannon issued a series of Tweets that sought to highlight the historical partnership between the black and Jewish communities, though he did not walk back any of his fallacious comments. As part of his response, Cannon stated that “I encourage more healthy dialogue and welcome any experts, clergy, or spokespersons to any of my platforms to hold me accountable and correct me in any statement that I’ve made that has been projected as negative.” Well, Nick, the time is now. Let’s get you educated.

We nominate the Anti-Defamation League, which conducts a number of educational programs for all audiences, to hold you accountable and correct you. Their A World of Difference Institute would be a great place to start. It “recognizes that attitudes and beliefs affect actions, and that each of us can have an impact on others, and ultimately, on the world in which we live.” Nick, you said much the same thing in the statement you posted on your Facebook page. The Institute’s programming helps participants “recognize bias and the harm it inflicts on society” and “improve intergroup relations” among other areas of focus. It seems like an awfully good fit for your educational needs. 

New Tolerance Campaign is asking all who oppose hate to demand that Nick Cannon contact ADL to enroll himself in their A World of Difference Institute program. He owes it to his fans and followers to know what he is talking about. Let’s make sure he does.

View the petition

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