‘He has a point’: Internet agrees as Bill Maher blasts anti-Israel protesters for ‘posturing’ like Trump
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In a recent segment of HBO's 'Real Time With Bill Maher' comedian and political commentator Bill Maher sparked controversy with his scathing critique of protesters opposing America's support for Israel's actions in Gaza.
Maher, known for his outspoken views, likened the protesters to none other than former President Donald Trump, who he labeled as "history's greatest attention w***e".
Bill Maher's scathing rebuke of narcissism in activism
During his segment, Maher took aim at what he saw as ineffective protest tactics, arguing that actions such as blocking traffic only serve to alienate potential allies rather than advancing the cause.
"Someone needs to tell the people who block traffic in the name of a cause, no one likes you. And you’re probably hurting your cause," said Maher.
He derided the protesters' support for regimes opposing Israel, accusing them of prioritizing self-promotion over genuine activism.
Maher's criticism extended to what he perceived as the protesters' lack of perspective, suggesting that they focus on issues such as gender apartheid in majority Muslim nations instead of fixating solely on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Drawing parallels to Trump, Maher highlighted what he viewed as a narcissistic tendency among activists, where the pursuit of personal validation eclipses genuine advocacy.
"The way to bring people around to your point of view is not to make them late to pick up their kids from daycare," Maher remarked. "Something you protesters on the bridge seem to have the luxury of not having to worry about, which seems kind of privilege-y."
"I’m not saying there aren’t sincere passions about Gaza, especially among people from the region, but Social Justice Warriors, for a lot of them, it seems like it’s more about the warrior-ing than about whatever the cause is."
"If you really cared about apartheid so much... wouldn't you start with the hundreds of millions of women in the world who live under a true apartheid, a gender apartheid of the most brutal kind?" continued Maher.
"Small matters, when activism merges with narcissism. Less about the cause and more about me, look at me, watch me! And if you like the way I’m fighting injustice, remember to like and subscribe!"
Maher's blunt condemnation
Maher didn't mince words when addressing specific incidents, including the self-immolation of a man ostensibly protesting Gaza's plight and a separate incident outside a New York Trump trial. "So you can tell yourself you're a martyr for the Palestinian cause, but it's a lot less special when the next guy does it for Stormy Daniels," Maher said.
In a particularly controversial moment, Maher endorsed Google's decision to fire employees who staged sit-ins to protest the company's policies. "Maybe the question that today's protester needs to ask themselves more than any other is, 'Why do I care so much about this particular cause?'" Maher posited.
"And, not to rub it in, but you know who all this posturing for a cause reminds me of? This, um, fat guy from Florida who’s always pretending that he’s all about the cause of making America great again, when plainly, he’s simply history’s greatest attention w***e," said Maher.
Internet reacts to Maher's critique
In response to Maher's critique, diverse opinions flooded social media platforms. Many social media users seemed to agree with Maher.
One user wrote, "How many hundreds of thousands died in Syria in a brutal bloodbath? But not a peep. Thanks for the reminder, Bill."
Another added, "People chanting from the river to the sea while not knowing which river and which sea. We've reached peak human stupidity."
One user wrote, "He has a point about protest in general... just stay on the side of the road and ask for people to beep their horn if they agree. Blocking traffic just pisses people off."
One replied, "Bill Maher’s nuanced takes are a breath of fresh air, when the far left and the far right are dominating the discourse with their insanity."
Another said, "The point of a protest is to inconvenience the powerful, the second you start hurting the average person, you loose your support."
One commented, "Holding a protest sign at the side of the road is legal. Blocking traffic is not."
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
