Amazon sells jihadist and Nazi materials

0

Amazon allegedly doesn’t tolerate violence. Its policies state: “Amazon does not allow products that promote, incite or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual or religious intolerance or promote organizations with such views. We’ll also remove listings that graphically portray violence or victims of violence.”

That’s simply not true. Several products promoting terrorist groups were found on the platform.

A flag from the terrorist group Hamas, a beanie that has the word “lynching” emblazoned across it, and a shirt with the slogan, “All My Heroes Killed Colonizers” are proudly sold on Amazon. In a previous study, the company was found selling a “Kill All Republicans” T-shirt. A shirt with an image of Jesus Christ wearing the crown of thorns had the logo, “Kill Your Idols” across it. Several pieces of jewelry and articles of clothing promoting Nazi symbols are also sold on the platform.

A  flag with the Shahada, or Muslim phrase that is the basic statement of the Islamic faith, can be found on Amazon. The flag is carried by Hamas, an Islamic group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States State Department in 1997. In the item’s product description, the vendor writes, “FlagDistributor does not necessarily endorse any meanings or connotations you may assign to this or any other flag, ‘Meaning, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.’ We support the spirit of the 1st Amendment to the U.S Constitution; Censorship is UnAmerican and we don’t practice it.” The URL of the product states “hamas.”

Additionally, a ring with a seal that bears a resemblance to the Al-Shabaab terrorist group from Somalia is sold as well. In 2008, the United States designated Al-Shabaab as a foreign terrorist group. Robert Spencer, the director of JihadWatch, informed the Media Research Center that “The round design on the ring is not the exclusive property or design of al-Shabaab. ISIS used the same design on its own flags.”

Finally, a black flag with the shahada emblazoned on it is also sold on Amazon. This flag appears to be the same style of flag that former Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin-Laden posed in front of during videos.

Amazon sells at least 100 items affiliated with white supremacy and Nazi ideology. Ninety-seven of those items include Nazi or white supremacist symbols and runes listed on the left-wing Anti-Defamation Legue’s “Hate Symbols Database.” Amazon recognizes that historical memorabilia has a place in this world, stating in its vending policies that the company “reserves the right to make a determination on the historical value of the item.” However, even among some of the stamps and coins with swastikas and other Nazi symbols, several modern pieces of jewlery, patches, flags and apparel with slogans such as “Team Aryan Lifetime Member” and other hateful dogwhistles like “#akia” (A Klansman I Am) remain on Amazon.

Some of the items sold on Amazon are upsetting to Catholics and Christians who may find the images offensive. One T-shirt had Jesus Christ on the front, along with the slogan, “Kill Your Idols.”

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here