The Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC), Australia’s leading organisation fighting hatred in all its forms has criticised Senator George Christensen for appearing on The Convict Report an Australian, alt-right podcast that has been known to peddle bigoted stereotypes and views. According to media sources, The Convict Report has joked about “MP Nova Peris being raped by family members; labelled ABC 7.30 host Stan Grant a “reverse Michael Jackson”; promoted a caricature of former treasurer Joe Hockey as the “slimy Semite”; and questioned whether prime minister Malcolm Turnbull was Jewish because of his previous career as a merchant banker.” The show is also part of the Right Stuff Radio Network, a racist, anti-Semitic website that features articles and shows such as The Daily Shoah and This Week in Genocide.
Dr. Abramovich, Chairman of the ADC, issued the following statement:
“While we do not know what is in Senator Christensen’s heart, for an elected official to be interviewed on a podcast that traffics in bigoted and demeaning stereotypes is deeply troubling. Such appearances carry the risk of legitimizing and mainstreaming intolerance, hatred. I am doubly concerned that this podcast provides a direct link and is part of The Right Stuff, a racist and anti-Jewish website that features articles and internet radio shows by white supremacists that peddle a dangerous and ugly rhetoric. The Right Stuff Radio network counts as part of its ‘entertainment’ shows such as This Week in Genocide, a term coined by white supremacists to allege that the white race is “dying” due to assimilation and non-white immigration and to charge that Jews are responsible for this “genocidal” action. Another show advertised on The Right Stuff is The Daily Shoah, which originated the use of the echo symbol around names to identify people as Jewish. This “parentheses meme,” has been deployed on social media to harasses Jewish journalists and other Jews. According to The Right Stuff, “all Jewish surnames echo throughout history. The echoes repeat the sad tale as they communicate the emotional lessons of our great white sins, imploring us to Never Forget the 6 GoRillion”. Regardless of the issue and how charged the atmosphere is, public figures have a great responsibility to show true leadership and to reject any form of divisive speech, racism and prejudice that debase civil discourse. We therefore call on Senator Christensen to openly repudiate The Convict Report’s warped views which are beyond the pale, as well as their association with The Right Stuff, and to pledge that he will not appear on that show again.”
The B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission, founded in 1979, is Australia’s leading organization fighting racism through educational programs that combat bigotry, prejudice and all forms of hatred.
For further information please contact Dr Dvir Abramovich on 9272 5677.