[media-credit name=”Credit: Twitter.com” align=”alignnone” width=”818″][/media-credit]
Brett Kavanaugh, a nominee for the position of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, has been the subject of some serious backlash on social media — especially Twitter — since one of his aides was accused of making “white supremacist” gestures even though the victim of the alleged attacks was of Jewish and Mexican heritage.
Zina Bash, who is the nominee’s assistant, was also present during the hearing for Kavanaugh’s nomination that was held on Tuesday when the attention of the public was brought to the way her arm was positioned while resting.
Many interpreted the pose as being connected in some way to a notorious symbol used by the majority of white nationalist groups.
More context for the Zina Bash incident during the Kavanaugh Hearing-she is sitting normally, then checks her phone to read something (some are saying a text but we have no confirmation), then she holds the pose at issue for over 30 seconds with a slight smirk. You be the judge. pic.twitter.com/CTmNLTXGHp
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) September 5, 2018
It did not take long for the first attacks on social media to begin when one of the Twitter users, the activist Amy Siskind, commented on the image by rhetorically asking what Bash’s hand was doing.
Apparently, for many users on social media, Bash’s gesture was an expression of giving the white power sign behind the back of the renowned judge during his hearing.
Some even expressed the opinion that the gesture alone should mean disqualification for Kavanaugh.
The critiques of Bash’s position and the comments about her hand quickly started circulating on social media, but it seems so far none of Bash’s family and friends were concerned about the vicious rumors.
The attacks today on my wife are repulsive. Everyone tweeting this vicious conspiracy theory should be ashamed of themselves. We weren’t even familiar with the hateful symbol being attributed to her for the random way she rested her hand during a long hearing. 1/3
— US Attorney John Bash (@USAttyBash) September 4, 2018
Following the allegations against Kavanaugh’s assistant, her husband, John Bash, who is also a US Attorney, commented on Twitter that the attacks against his wife were repulsing and complete nonsense since Zina was born in Mexico and her grandparents were Holocaust survivors. Bash also added that they had nothing to do with hate groups and never had the intention of doing so.
What is interesting is that the whole thing started as a prank where 4Chan users were convinced that they could make the sign go viral on social media and claim it is a white power sign.
Initially, it just meant OK.
Former White House intern denies flashing ‘white power’ symbol in photo with Trump https://t.co/GnTixzYjyz @washtimes #JackBreuer pic.twitter.com/KteqPZYFA3
— Jessica Chasmar (@JessicaChasmar) December 29, 2017