[ [link removed] ]A CBS affiliate fired meteorologist Sam Kuffel after she criticized
Elon Musk for gesturing in what resembled a Nazi salute. Sign the petition
to demand they reinstate her NOW!

Dear MoveOn member, 

During Donald Trump's inauguration, tech billionaire and richest man in
the world Elon Musk—who spent more than $250 million to help elect
Trump—gave a speech to the crowd in which he gestured, twice, with what
resembled a Nazi salute. Not only has Musk refused to apologize for the
association, whether it was intentional or unintentional—he has actually
doubled down since the backlash, attending a rally for the far-right
Alternative for Germany, trivializing the Holocaust, and posting offensive
puns on X.^1

Sam Kuffel expressed criticism of Musk and his salute on her personal
Instagram account. Her employer, CBS 58, was alerted to the post and she
was swiftly fired from her position as a meteorologist. All for expressing
her private views on her private social media account. 

While billionaire Musk evades any accountability for his actions, everyday
people like Kuffel have to fear for their livelihoods for speaking out as
private citizens in the face of extreme hate. Nearly 90% of readers who
took a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel poll disagree with CBS 58's decision to
fire Kuffel.^2

[ [link removed] ]Add your name to the petition to urge CBS 58 and their parent company,
Weigel Broadcasting, to reverse this decision NOW!

Private citizens should be able to express dissent without retaliation or
firing. Add your name to urge CBS 58 to stand on the right side of history
and reinstate Sam Kuffel! 

[3]Sign the petition

Musk’s controversial salute has been praised by people like Nick Fuentes,
a white supremacist and Hitler admirer who was excited about Musk’s
perceived "straight-up sieg heil, like loving Hitler energy."^3 It bears
noting that Musk reinstated Fuentes' account on X after it was previously
suspended for antisemitic hate speech.^4

[ [link removed] ]Musk doesn't care that his gestures and remarks are being celebrated by
neo-Nazis and white supremacists. Meanwhile, everyday people are facing
backlash for speaking out against him. Will you sign the petition?

Musk's gestures, remarks, and posts take place during an increase in
neo-Nazi and white supremacist demonstrations across the United
States.^5 And many of these same groups are celebrating Trump and the rise
of the far right. Shortly after the election, neo-Nazis gathered outside a
community theater production of "The Diary of Anne Frank" in Michigan,
cheering for both Hitler and Trump.^6

In the face of rising hate, President Donald Trump’s silence is
significant—and the actions of Musk are indefensible. We need more people
like Sam Kuffel speaking out and fighting back against hate. And they
should be able to do so without being punished or experiencing
retaliation. 

[ [link removed] ]Will you sign the petition and let CBS 58 know that the general public
SUPPORTS Sam Kuffel and the right of private citizens to safely express
dissent?

The rise in neo-Nazi and white supremacist demonstrations coincides with
an increase in hate crimes in cities across the country, like New York,
Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix.^7 As hate groups are given more platforms
to amplify their agenda, and their ideologies are endorsed by mainstream
figures, violence can and does follow.^8

David Moskovic, a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor, expressed his concerns
upon seeing Musk’s gesture on a national stage, stating: "I would have
never thought this would happen in my lifetime, and it's happening. It's
scary what's happening right now in the United States."^9

When Musk was confronted with the impact of his actions and the trauma
they evoked in people like Moskovic, instead of apologizing, Musk lashed
out, trivialized the Holocaust, and joked about Nazis. We should all be
able to call it like it is and say that his behavior is unacceptable,
without risking our livelihoods.

[ [link removed] ]Click here to add your name to the petition and demand the station
reinstate Sam Kuffel and denounce hate speech! 

Thanks for all you do.

–Aliya, Corinne, Evelyn, Emily, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Jewish non-profit chief says Musk will spur violence with his 'Nazi
salute,'" The Guardian, January 26, 2025
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

2. "Channel 58 fired meteorologist Sam Kuffel over Musk comments. What do
you think? | Opinion," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 24, 2025
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

3. "Elon Musk doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt," Vox, January 24,
2025
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

4. "Elon Musk to reinstate X account of white nationalist Nick Fuentes,"
Axios, May 3, 2024
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

5. "White Supremacist Incidents Are Rising Across the U.S.," The New York
Times, November 21, 2024
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

6. "Neo-Nazis Are on the March Across America," Wired, November 26, 2024
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

7. "Hate crimes reached record levels in 2023. Why 'a perfect storm' could
push them higher," USA Today, January 5, 2024
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

8. "Hate speech and real harm," United Nations, accessed January 27, 2025
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

9. "Auschwitz survivor says he was alarmed by Elon Musk's gesture at Trump
event," Toronto Star, January 24, 2025
[link removed]

You're receiving this petition because we thought it might interest you.
It was created on MoveOn.org, where anyone can start their own online
petitions. You can [ [link removed] ]start your own petition here.

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