Facebook Refuses to Delete Anti-Semitic Post by NAACP

By David Caplan, 1010wins Radio

Facebook has refused to remove anti-Semitic remarks and a corresponding article from a well-known conspiracy theory-driven, fake news website posted on the NAACP’s Passaic, New Jersey, branch’s Facebook page with the caption, “blacks dying so Jews can live.”

Safeer Z. Quraishi, Administrative Director at the NAACP New Jersey State Conference, told 1010 WINS Friday that the organization — at both the national and state levels — considers the caption and the accompanying story abhorrent.

He said a former member of the branch who held such beliefs who was given the boot in August is likely behind the post, and that the individual has changed the password so only he can gain access to the page.

“This rhetoric is ridiculous,” Quraishi said. “The NAACP New Jersey State Conference and the national office do not condone this message. We’re a civil rights organization. Anti-Semitic comments are not acceptable by any representative from this organization.”

Posted to the Passaic chapters’s page on Wednesday is a story published by Disclose.TV with the headline, “America Cannot Afford Clean Water For Flint, But Israel Gets $50 Billion.” Additionally, the post includes the user-written caption, “The Very Bull****We Are Talking About Blacks Dying So Jews Can Live.”

Disclose is a website notoriously known for publishing conspiracy theories and fake news, with a particular interest in publishing UFO-related stories. It was included in a list compiled by U.S. News & World Report titled, “Avoid These Fake News Sites at All Costs.”

A Facebook user named Adam Reich flagged the post to Facebook, tweeting, “Hi @Facebook, how does inciting hate against Jews not violate your “community standards”? It’s clearly #hatespeech. Look at the history of the leader of the group for further proof of the intent.”

But Reich was told — according to a screenshot of the company’s response — although they understand why the post is offensive, it was not coming down, and he should instead block the page, unfollow or unfriend it.

“Thank you for the report — you did the right thing by letting us know about this,” reads the response. “The post was reviewed, and though it doesn’t go against one of our specific Community Standards, we understand that it may still be offensive to you and others. No one should have to see posts they consider hateful on Facebook.”

NAACP’s Quraishi said after the organization was made aware of the post, he reached out to Facebook to have it taken down and to have the password reset so legitimate members of the NAACP may access the page.

“I have been in contact with Facebook starting early in the week,” he said. “I am asking them to take it down and if they are able to gives us access … We are trying to relinquish the password.”

Quraishi said he has been in contact with Facebook and is awaiting to hear a definitive response. “We are working on it,” he said. “We haven’t heard back.”

He added, “We are working to find a more permanent solution to make sure this person does not get access (to the page).”

1010 WINS reached out to Facebook to comment why it did not take down the post, is the post considered anti-Semitic, and will they take it down, per the NAACP’s request.

Quraishi said he believes the individual who posted the article and wrote the accompanying caption is a former member, in particular, because of the “typing style and the posts are very similar (to ones in the past by the individual), so it’s my educated guess (that it is him.).

Quraishi said the individual is the only one with access to the page currently.

1010 WINS sent a direct message to the Facebook page seeking comment.