'Bigotry & anti-Semitism': Alyssa Milano disavows anti-Trump Women’s March, is accused of 'racism'

Alyssa Milano will not speak at the next Women’s March event, citing her disapproval of the organization’s ties with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. Her disavowal, however, has triggered counter-arguments of racism.

In a recent interview, actress, liberal activist and founder of the #MeToo movement, Alyssa Milano, stated that she would not be participating in the next Women’s March, a massive feminist demonstration which was initially organized in opposition to President Trump’s inauguration last year.

Read more

#MeToo’s Alyssa Milano accused of hypocrisy over links to ‘Sharia law-supporting’ Muslim activist

Originally a driving force behind the march, Milano pulled out when the close relationship between its organizers and controversial black nationalist and Islamic leader Louis Farrakhan drew heat from the left and the right.

“Any time that there is any bigotry or anti-Semitism in that respect, it needs to be called out and addressed. I’m disappointed in the leadership of the Women’s March that they haven’t done it adequately”, the actress commented in regard to her decision.

Her disappointment is primarily directed at Tamika Mallory, one of the leaders and organizers of the Women’s March, who has been attending the Nation of Islam’s Savior's day celebration for 30 years. Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, mentioned her from the podium during his speech at the event which took place in Chicago earlier this year. In an Instagram post from the event, Mallory referred to Farrakhan as the “greatest of all time”, and posted photos of herself and co-organizer Carmen Perez posing with him.

Farrakhan’s speech itself was characteristically filled with anti-Semitic invective (“The powerful Jews are my enemy.”) alongside comments that affirmed the Nation’s stone age view on gender and savage opposition to LGBT rights.

Naturally, these ideas did not sit well with many of the pussy-hatted participants of the Women’s Marches.

Women’s March organizers quickly responded with tweets distancing themselves from Farrakhan’s positions, but refused or neglected to address their relationship to him.

Now, proving that anything can be racist in 2018, Milano herself has come under fire, with critics arguing that her whiteness somehow makes her arguments invalid. Lawyer, journalist and author Glenn Greenwald saw Milano’s disavowal as an attempt to force out the march’s organizers based on their skin color. Greenwald, a gay man, was content enough to ignore the Nation of Islam’s description of homosexuality as “an assault on black America,” however.

Milano had also been asked by conservative journalist Laura Loomer two weeks beforehand to disavow feminist Muslim activist Linda Sarsour, another Women’s March figurehead. Sarsour once said a critic of Islam who was a victim of female genital mutilation “deserved” to have her vagina taken away, and tweeted in favor of Sharia law. Last year, Sarsour blamed the “Jewish media” for her tainted reputation.

While Milano refused to distance herself from Sarsour at the time, she later came around, and now refuses to participate in the Women’s March as long as both Mallory and Sarsour are involved.

Controversy has stalked the Women’s March activists in recent months. Ice Cream maker Ben & Jerry’s was slammed online for partnering up with the organization to release an anti-Trump themed, ‘Pecan Resist’ flavor two weeks ago. After a storm of criticism, the Vermont company said that while it does not agree with Sarsour “on everything,” it stands by the “work Linda has done to promote women’s rights.”

Like this story? Share it with a friend!