Steven Spielberg denounces 'extreme' anti-Semitism ravaging American college campuses in first comments about Israel-Hamas war

Steven Spielberg denounced 'extreme' anti-Semitism ravaging American college campuses in his first comments regarding the Israel-Hamas war.

In an event celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Shoah Foundation, an organization dedicated to holocaust education founded by Spielberg, the film director addressed a room at the University of Southern California.

At the event on Monday, attended by over thirty Holocaust survivors, Spielberg said: 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'

'I am increasingly alarmed that we may be condemned to repeat history – to once again have to fight for the very right to be Jewish,' he said in a video of the speech released by Deadline. 

He called out extremism on college campuses and the idea of 'The Other' that 'poisons discourse' and creates a 'dangerous wedge throughout our communities' and 'leading to anti-Semitism.' 

Steven Spielberg denounced 'extreme' anti-Semitism ravaging American college campuses in his first comments regarding the Israel-Hamas war

In an event celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Shoah Foundation at USC on Monday, Spielberg addressed a room with over 30 Holocaust survivors. Spielberg said: ' Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it'

He called out extremism on college campuses and the idea of 'The Other' that 'poisons discourse' and 'creates a wedge throughout communities'

'The 56,000 testimonies we have recorded are invaluable in teaching new generations what survivors have intoned for 80 years. Never again,' he said. 

'Yet in listening to them, the echoes of history are unmistakable in our current climate. The rise of extremist views has created a dangerous environment, and radical intolerance leads a society to no longer celebrate differences but instead conspire to demonize those who are different to the point of creating “The Other.”'

'"Othering" rationalizes prejudice and encourages the willful denial and distortion of reality to enforce preconceptions,' he said. '"Othering" is the kindling that fuels extremism and illiberalism.'

'We see every day how the machinery of extremism is being used on college campuses…where now, fully 50 percent of students say they have experienced some discrimination because they are Jewish,' Spielberg stated. 

Spielberg condemned the dangerous rise of extremist ideologies, warning against the consequences of radical intolerance that demonizes those who are perceived as different. 

'This is happening alongside anti-Muslim, Arab, and Sikh discrimination. The creation of 'the Other' and the dehumanization of ANY GROUP based on their differences, is the foundation of fascism. It's an old playbook dusted off and being widely distributed today.' 

Spielberg condemned the dangerous rise of extremist ideologies, warning against the consequences of radical intolerance and repeating history

He condemned both the violent actions of terrorists and the tragic loss of innocent lives, including women and children, in Gaza. 

'We can rage against the heinous acts committed by the terrorists of October 7th and also decry the killing of innocent women and children in Gaza .'

Spielberg emphasized the importance of remembering history to avoid repeating it. He highlighted the alarming prospect of having to once again defend the fundamental right to be Jewish. 

'In the face of brutality and persecution, we have always been a resilient and compassionate people who understand the power of empathy,' Spielberg continued. 

'It is crucial in the wake of the horrific October 7 massacre. It is crucial to the stopping of political violence caused by misinformation, conspiracy theories and ignorance. 

'It is crucial because stopping the rise of anti-semitism and hate of any kind is critical to the health of our democratic republic and the future of democracy all over the civilized world.'