Selma Blair has been criticized by a disability advocate for her ‘hateful’ Islamophobic post – who claimed the actress hung up the phone when she tried to confront her.
Maria Town, president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, shared her scathing comments on Instagram.
She said she clashed with the Legally Blonde star, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018, in a conversation that “didn’t go well” despite having worked together before.
It comes after Blair, 51, was forced to do so apologizes for leaving an Islamophobic comment on social media, claiming she “accidentally confused Muslims with fundamentalists.”
Selma Blair has been criticized by a disability advocate for her ‘hateful’ Islamophobic post – who claimed the actress hung up the phone when she tried to confront her
Maria Town, president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, shared her scathing comments on Instagram
Maria, who previously worked as a Senior Associate Director in the Obama White House Office of Public Engagement, shared a series of slides to reveal details of the apparent exchange.
She wrote: ‘I have read Selma Blair’s Islamophobic, racist and hateful comments. Her comments are harmful and wrong.
“Since she is someone I have worked with, I wanted to speak with her and engage her before I share my thoughts publicly.
“I reached out to her manager several times to talk to her. Today I finally got to talk to her.”
Maria, originally from Louisiana, continued, “The conversation didn’t go well.
‘She at first pretended not to know what I meant and asked what I was talking about when I told her I was alarmed by her recent messages.
‘I referred to her messages and immediately repeated her words. I said: You can publicly disagree with people, including members of Congress, without being racist or wishing them harm.
‘The conversation ended when she said to me, ‘Maria, I wish you would think for yourself for once,’ and she hung up.
Maria, who previously worked as a Senior Associate Director in the Obama White House Office of Public Engagement, shared a series of slides to reveal details of the apparent exchange
“As she shared in the apology she recently posted, she told me she meant “Islamicists” and not “Islam.”
“I responded that this change did not make her comments any less Islamophobic or racist. The conversation continued from there.”
The post continued: “If she hadn’t hung up on me, I would have told her that you can support Jewish people without being Islamophobic.
‘You can actually support Jewish people and Muslims at the same time.
“Islamophobia, xenophobia and racism have no place, especially within rights and justice movements or inclusion efforts.
‘Racist, nationalist systems create a false choice: the idea that the presence of another group is a threat to your own safety.
“Using fear to justify further harm to people is no justification at all. Using fear for your own safety to justify Islamophobia and racism doesn’t make anyone safer or more secure. It just creates more fear.”
But Maria had even more to say when she concluded: “When people with high visibility and the ability to influence culture repeat Islamophobic and racist ideas, these systems become further entrenched in our policies, in our society, in our minds.
Maria concluded: ‘When people with high visibility and the ability to influence culture repeat Islamophobic and racist ideas, these systems become further entrenched in our policies, in our society, in our minds’
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.”
“If people like me, and by that I mean specifically white people who grew up in a Christina community, don’t denounce Islamophobia and the associated racism and hatred, because we ‘don’t know enough’ or ‘that’s not our issue, ‘We allow this hatred to continue and grow.
“When people like me – those with close ties to people like Selma Blair – don’t express hatred when we see it, whether that be in one-on-one conversations, public forums, etc., then we perpetuate the damage.
“Despite Selma’s assessment of me, I do think for myself, and I know his kind of hatred is never acceptable.”
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.
“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.”
Earlier this week, Blair returned to social media to post a lengthy apology following widespread backlash
She ended the apology by reaffirming her support for marginalized communities and promising to ‘do better’
Earlier this week, 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.”
Blair ended the apology by reaffirming her support for marginalized communities and promising to ‘do better’.