‘Alt-Right’ Taps Holocaust Imagery To Troll CNN For ‘Blackmailing’ Meme Maker

Kaczynski’s head was photoshopped onto the body of an SS officer. Image by Twitter

By Ari Feldman July 5, 2017

“Alt-right” Twitter has responded to the Trump-wrestling-CNN-meme controversy by photoshopping CCN reporter Andrew Kaczynski’s head onto an SS officer and referencing George Orwell’s “1984.” The reaction comes on the heels of CNN reporter Andrew Kaczynski writing that his organization could release the name of the man who created the meme if he continues making racist and intolerant memes.

In Kaczynski’s article documenting how he found “HanAssholeSolo,” the meme creator, he wrote that because Mr. Solo had apologized, “showed remorse,” and promised to not repeated his “ugly behavior,” CNN would not publish his name. But then Kaczynski wrote this: “CNN reserves the right to publish his identity should any of that change.”

Cue “alt-right” backlash.

Twitter erupted with anti-CNN memes, with some users calling for #MemeJihad and others photoshopping Kaczynski’s head onto the body of a Nazi SS officer. And the hashtag #CNNisISIS is popular again.

Kaczynski responded by tweeting that his line only meant to note that CNN had not made any specific agreement with HanAssholoSolo concerning his identity. People across the political spectrum agreed that, at the very least, Kaczynski’s statement was poorly worded. HanAssholeSolo, for his part, apparently called Kaczynski to say he had not felt threatened.

One thing’s for sure: If Kaczynski were Jewish, the “alt-right” response would make the current “backlash” look like a parking ticket.

Contact Ari Feldman at [email protected] or on Twitter @aefeldman.

Ari Feldman is a staff writer at the Forward. He covers Jewish religious organizations, synagogue life, anti-Semitism and the Orthodox world. If you have any tips, you can email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @aefeldman.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO