Selma Blair apologizes for Islamophobic post calling for deportation of ‘terrorist supporting goons’ and saying ‘Islam destroyed countries’ saying she ‘inadvertently conflated’ radical fundamentalists with Muslims
Legally blonde actress Selma Blair has apologized for leaving an Islamophobic comment on social media, claiming she ‘accidentally confused Muslims with fundamentalists’.
Blair, 51, came under fire after eagle-eyed internet users spotted her comment under a video on Instagram.
In the February 2 post, the Cruel Intentions actress called for the deportation of Democratic Reps. Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib, who is Muslim herself, calling them “terrorist-supporting goons.”
The since-deleted comment read: “Deport all these terrorist-supporting goons. Islam has destroyed Muslim countries and then they come here and destroy the spirits. They know they are liars. Twisted justifications. May they meet their fate.’
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the country’s largest Muslim civil rights organization, condemned the statement and called on her to apologize.
Selma Blair has apologized after being accused of Islamophobia for a comment she left on an Instagram video
The Feb. 2 comment called for the deportation of Democratic Reps. Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib, deeming them “terrorist-supporting goons” and claiming that “Islam has destroyed Muslim countries.”
The Legally Blonde actress, 51, claimed she ‘wrongly and unintentionally lumped Muslims in with radical Islamists and fundamentalists’
“Based on the hateful and ignorant comments Ms. Blair made, we doubt she has ever had any meaningful interactions with her Muslim colleagues in Hollywood or other members of the American Muslim community,” said National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell.
“We encourage Ms. Blair to apologize, and we also invite her to engage in dialogue with our community.”
On Tuesday, Blair returned to social media to post a lengthy apology. “This is a time of great pain and fear for many around the world, but it is also a time to learn and better understand how words matter,” she wrote.
Blair claimed she had commented on a report “about two members of Congress who opposed the October 7 ban on Hamas terrorists from entering the US.”
The original post criticized Bush and Tlaib for voting presently on the No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act, which would prevent foreign nationals who participated in or facilitated the October 7 Hamas attacks from seeking immigration-related assistance in the United States.
‘In my comments I have accidentally and unintentionally lumped Muslims in with radical Islamists and fundamentalists, a terrible mistake in my words, and it has resulted in hurting countless people, which was never my intention, and I deeply regret this very much,” Blair continued, adding that she quickly deleted the comment.
‘I made a mistake in my writing and I fully acknowledge how I have contributed to the Muslim community being understandably very upset. I respect and love all peace-loving communities, all over the world.
‘It was my Muslim friends who helped raise me and showed me the way. I am determined to pass on their love and understanding. We cannot allow ignorance and anger to be our downfall.”
“I made a mistake in my writing and I fully acknowledge how I have contributed to the Muslim community being understandably deeply upset,” Blair wrote before reaffirming her support for “all marginalized communities.”
The 51-year-old received an outpouring of support for her apology, with other netizens commenting that the statement seemed disingenuous.
Some critics pointed out that the apology did not address her comments about Tlaib (left) and Bush (right).
Blair ended the apology by reaffirming her support for marginalized communities and promising to ‘do better’.
While her supporters flocked to the comments, with many posting the colors of the Israeli flag, others saw the expression of regret as unfair.
“No, you’re only posting this because you were called out – don’t lie,” one netizen commented.
Others assured Blair that she had nothing to apologize for. ‘You never said anything about ALL Muslims. You have no reason to apologize,” one user wrote.
‘She said Islam has destroyed the Arab countries. Pretty common for me. Disgusting,” another replied.
In the wake of her apology, Blair also faced criticism for posts she liked on X, formerly Twitter.
These included vague statements denouncing “Antifa” and “the woke agenda,” as well as a viral conspiracy theory linking an early version of Minnesota’s new state flag to Somalia.
‘Armed citizens do not need legislation to defend themselves or their state/country. It is our God-given right to do this,” read one liked comment.
Netizens pointed out that she liked other anti-Muslim comments, including one that called Islam “the religion of evil, created in hell” and another that called it “a hateful and violent sect.”
Blair also came under fire for posts she liked on X, formerly Twitter, including a post calling Islam “the religion of evil, created in hell.”
The actress was criticized for liking a post that appeared to challenge gun control, writing: “Armed citizens don’t need legislation to defend themselves or their state/country.”
Blair’s account on the platform and her own tweets have now been deleted
Blair’s account on the platform has now been deleted.
“Selma Blair’s stupid apology completely ignores her liked tweets and replies she posted here,” one X user commented.
‘So unfair and insincere. The same goes for the articles I’ve read about it, completely glossing over the whole thing. Awful.’
The actress also drew the ire of Briahna Joy Gray, Bernie Sanders’ former national press secretary.
“To be clear, this apology does not address the fact that Selma Blair said Rashida Tlaib and Cori Bush should be deported, and broadly discredited Islam as ‘destroying’ Muslim countries,” Gray wrote.
“The video she liked and responded to also called Tlaib an “idiot,” a “hateful anti-Semite,” and a “liar.” Blair has not just contributed to ‘disinformation’. And this apology is not responsive.”
Rates of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism have skyrocketed in the United States since October 7, when Hamas militants poured from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns, killing civilians and taking hostages.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, anti-Semitic incidents in the US increased by 388 percent in the four weeks after October 7.
Similarly, CAIR reported that the number of Islamophobic incidents in the US increased by 216 percent over the same period.