fbpx

Justin Bieber’s Anne Frank furor

[additional-authors]
April 16, 2013

Justin Bieber, no stranger to controversy, stirred another one with his visit to the Anne Frank House.

Bieber, visiting the Netherlands over the weekend for a concert in Arnhem, visited the landmark on Friday night for two hours. Afterward he wrote in the guestbook, “Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber.”

Of course, the comment made the Internet explode, since so many online already are dedicated to either loving or hating Bieber. Here was one comment: ”I just can’t believe that he would turn something that important into a publicity platform for himself. What a dirtbag.” That was just the tip of the iceberg.

True Beliebers (who did not spend their childhood hiding in the attic from Nazis) said in his defense that he is “just a human” and that it was “ironic that all of you are spewing hate. Isn’t this why Anne Frank and countless others had to go into hiding?”

Missing the point a little, but a good thought.

The authority on offensiveness, the ADL's Abraham Foxman, said Frank was a fan of celebrities and pop culture, so he doesn’t ”see anything wrong” with what Bieber wrote. At least Biebs dodged that bullet.

Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.

Editor's Picks

Latest Articles

When Everything Becomes a Product—Including Girlhood

In her debut book, “Girls®: Generation Z and the Commodification of Everything” Freya India presents a stinging indictment against those she blames for having turned normal girls into GIRLS®, an ideal target market for the social media, pharmaceutical, beauty and online therapy industries.

Gabba Gabba Oy!

For Cate Thurston, the chief curator at the Skirball, the exhibit gives the museum a chance to “explore this sort of underserved story” about the Jewish relationship and participation and crafting the look of punk

Recognizing Jewish Heritage Month

On this beautiful Sacramento morning, in the face, perhaps in defiance of, so much in the world that is painful, tenuous and deeply troubling, we convened and we lifted up what connects us – the promise of growth and healing, and the potent ability for people to endure, to create change, and to scaffold our communities in justice and truth.

J Street: All Tough, No Love

Slinging criticism without responsibility and spewing all complaints all the time, is barn-burning, not bridge-building.

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.