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We have but one question for Michigan State University this morning: which brainchild thought it appropriate to include a trivia question about Adolf Hitler at yesterday’s game?
No, really. Who thought this was a good idea? And furthermore, who thought a picture of the Nazi dictator on the huge Jumbotron paired with the trivia question wouldn’t go over like a fart in church?
We know, we know. The trivia was “provided by a third-party source” or something. So say the representatives at MSU. Hitler’s image was accompanied by a trivia question about his birthplace. Michigan State University spokesman, Matt Larson, did some clean up:
MSU is aware that inappropriate content by a third-party source was displayed on the video board prior to the start of tonight’s football game. We are deeply sorry for the content that was displayed, as this is not representative of our institutional values. MSU will not be using the third-party source going forward and will implement stronger screening and approval procedures for all video-board content in the future.”-Matt Larson, Michigan State University
What????!!! That can’t be! There is no possible reason ever to put Hitler on a Jumbotron! Someone must lose their job!
— Katniss (@awilson146) October 22, 2023
I’ll say. The “third party source” is The Quiz Channel, a YouTube channel that houses many different interactive quizzes.
Matt Larson says, they are “deeply sorry” for the “content displayed”. Deeply sorry does not cut it in light of recent events in Israel, Matt. But Mr. Larson could not even bring himself to say this. You know what I love about these universities? They teach false narratives of history and still cannot bring themselves to say that Adolf Hitler was an ugly, evil, garbage human who killed many. Instead they call him “inappropriate content”. And, institutional values? Can we say Larry Nasser? Can we say Mel Tucker? So, give it a rest on the “institutional values”.
Pandering to the large muslim.population
— KO1369 (@SavageJrhd) October 22, 2023
Perhaps Rasida Tlaib was fan-girling in the crowd, it’s plausible. More on Michigan State Univeristy’s “institutional values” can be read here:
Michigan State University is committed to supporting our community amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas. We condemn the recent acts of violence and share the concern of many in our community regarding the staggering loss of life in Israel and Gaza. MSU strongly opposes hate, bigotry, antisemitism and Islamophobia and the way these may manifest into fear and violence.”-MSU.edu
But, we’ll allow an image of Hitler on the ol’ Jumbotron.
Some are defending this as an “innocent mistake” since it came from a “third-party source”. Sure, it can be a mistake but just days after Samantha Woll, a synagogue president, was found fatally stabbed outside of her Detroit home? And, in truth, is there even a place for a horrific dictator’s picture in a pre-football-trivia-game? What the hell? It doesn’t matter that the question asked (where was Hitler born) was an “innocent, innocuous” question. Replace this question with how many Jews were killed during World War II would have had a similar impact because the guy’s smiling, ugly mug was up on a screen for all to see. Where was Hitler born? The trivia company could have done the same and replaced Hitler with somebody else. Anybody else.
May as well put the Grand Wizard of the KKK up on the Jumbotron, Michigan State. Or, let’s throw “ending the daily encounter of Germans and Jews, was a solution to inherent racism“, 1619 Project founder, Nikole Hannah-Jones, up there. It was just an “innocent” question and visual of Adolf Hitler up on that Jumbotron, amiright?
Oh, it was that “third party vendor”….
No excuse for not vetting content before it is shown and that isn’t acceptable. You didn’t see a porn flick up there did ya?? So obviously there are *some* filters in place. With what’s happening in the world especially that is unbelievably poor taste to put it mildly.
— Kim Bergsma (@1540Pine) October 22, 2023
Michigan State got spanked by Michigan in that game yesterday. Good, They deserved it. And this does not come lightly from yours truly, a Buckeyes fan.
And this is where we are with in light (more darkness, I’d say) of our institutions of higher learning, churning out liberal, “tolerant”, good, little, compliant, anti-Semites.
The Rock at MSU was recently painted with the message, WE ARE STILL HERE” for Indigenous Peoples’ Day, complete with the Palestinian flag and the statement, “FREE PALESTINE, END COLONIZATION”.
Just like European colonizers have ethnically cleansed indigenous people here for hundreds of years, Israel has been doing the same thing to Palestinians. ‘We are still here’ reflects that Indigenous people the world over will not surrender to those who seek to exterminate them.”-Students United for Palestinian Rights President, Samir Levitt
Sounds like Samir needs a few history lessons about ethnic cleansing and colonization with regard to the Jewish people and Israel and the Palestinian State. My guess is this Samir cat voted for Joe Biden and cried at the sky, calling all the Trump voters “nazis”, as his parents did, in 2016. Hey, Samir, where was Hitler born? And, let’s really talk about ethnic cleansing and genocide in the now, shall we? You and your fellow Michigan State students of like-minds are collectively dumber than that rock y’all paint to “make a statement”.
Photo Credit: Branislav Ondrasik, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons/Cropped
John Shepherd says: Everybody thinks Hitler was born in Austria. That is false. He was born in Gaza. /sarc
Here is warning for true friends in Israel. In a couple of weeks Populists will declare this a forever war and demand Biden cut off aid to Israel.
Hate_me says: There is nothing wrong with history trivia regarding Hitler. Asking where he was born and showing his picture is hardly advocating for his policies or philosophy. Even on the Jumbotron. There is nothing antisemitic about this, people need to stop inventing reasons to be offended, and everyone else needs to stop giving a damn about people being offended.
The world today regularly ignores the timeless advice of George Santayana.
tom says: Lisa Carr – Sounds like you should have done a little more research into the people you defamed in your article. Get your facts straight. This is not a simple issue, no matter how you care to present it. Ridiculous.
Gus says: Lisa – Had you researched Samir Levitt before perjuring his name you would know that he is half Jewish, related to Holocaust survivors and the majority of his Jewish ancestors perished in Nazi concentration camps. You would also know that Samir has nothing to do with sourcing information for the quizzes shown during MSU football games, including the recent quiz with the question about, and image of, Hitler. Get your facts straight.
Darleen Click says: Kapos were “Jews”, too.
jess says: Be very careful what you write about people in your blog – perjury is a criminal offense. A retraction and public apology to Samir Levitt is in order.
Darleen Click says: How old are you, dear, not to know that “perjury” is about knowingly lying under oath in an official judicial proceeding?
Quoting Samir’s own words and then opining on them is not only NOT ‘lying’, it isn’t defamation by any rational standard.
Whose troll are you? You picked up the same nonsense from “Gus” above. Are you just another keyboard jihadist with raging case of Judenhass?
Liz says: You’re a very unsophisticated troll.
Your handler must’ve stepped out to go to the restroom or something.
Carol Marks says: You can learn about the evil dictator who ordered millions of Jews to die in history books in school ( or you used to). The visual of him on a Jumbotron looks like idolization. And a trivia question? Like the whole Holocaust was trivial? No thank you. Shameful.
Nina says: A. This is a blog, not a court of law, so perjury doesn’t apply.
B. Samir may have been born Jewish, but according to many reports, he converted to Islam. I’m sure his parents are so proud.
C. Samir’s quote came from the publication and reporter who interviewed him. It wasn’t made up.
How about this quote of his from the Dearborn protest? “We join together for the liberation of Palestine and hold the Zionist regime responsible for the conditions that gave rise to the violence,” Levitt said at Ford Woods Park. Source: https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/15/hundreds-rally-in-dearborn-to-support-a-free-palestine-amid-israel-gaza-war/
So, according to Samir, Palestine good = Israel bad. Got it.
Directly quoting someone’s remarks made at a public event AND offering up an opinion about those remarks is part and parcel of this little thing we call Free Speech.
Amy Levitt says: I am incredibly proud of my son, Samir.
Interesting Blog – it’s always nice to see our right to Freedom of Speech practiced in real time!
Sincerely,
Amy Levitt
Lisa Carr says: First off, I know nothing about the trivia company that supplies the trivia but know, on Michigan State’s behalf, there should have been more vigilance. That is all.
Was not trying to tie Samir Levitt to this trivia faux pas at all. Just trying to tie in how college campuses are very pro-Palestine. Sure he is a smart, articulate person and perhaps has more insight to see both sides. In providing the above quote, perhaps my assessment of his intentions/character was unfair. I will take that. Unfortunately, the radical masses on most college campuses do not see both sides.
Lisa Carr says: P.S. I was not intending to slander anyone’s “good name”. As I may have benefited from taking pause and choosing my words more carefully before writing them, others leading these initiatives (Samir included) need to watch their words,
Amy Levitt says: Lisa,
I appreciate your comments above.
Any opinion can be expressed as long as it does not incite violence.
Best of luck on your Blog – it has a valid place in the overall discussion.
Sincerely,
Amy Levitt
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