Child-friendly content creator Ms. Rachel has expressed a heartfelt apology to her massive following after inadvertently liking a comment on Instagram that she identified as ‘antisemitic’.
Rachel Griffin Accurso, popularly known as Ms. Rachel, is cherished by parents globally, regularly garnering countless views on her educational children’s videos on YouTube.
The 43-year-old singer-songwriter, often praised for her vibrant positivity, recently found herself at the center of controversy. This arose as she utilized her extensive online presence to advocate for the welfare of children in Gaza amid 15 months of conflict and deprivation.
Her advocacy continues even three months following a ceasefire, during which, according to Chatham House, more than 450 Gazans have further perished due to actions by occupying Israeli forces. However, Ms. Rachel faced backlash when she liked a comment proclaiming ‘Free America from the Jews’.
The offensive remark was made by a user under one of her posts advocating for liberation in some of the world’s most conflict-ridden regions. In that post, Ms. Rachel called for ‘Free Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Congo, Free Iran’.
While her post did not upset her followers, a screenshot showing her liking the antisemitic comment puzzled and concerned some, leading to direct inquiries from fans.
After realizing the mishap, she removed the comment and posted an explanation on Instagram, clarifying that the like was accidental. As frustration mounted, the typically cheerful creator responded with an emotional video apology.
“So I thought I deleted a comment, but I actually hit like and hide,” Ms. Rachel shared, her voice filled with emotion.
She further explained her efforts to remove antisemitic comments from her feed, stating: “I would never agree with an antisemitic thing like the comment. We have Jewish family, a lot of my friends are Jewish.”
The YouTube personality conveyed her frustration, expressing that the incident made her feel like ‘we can’t be human anymore online’ and reiterated a sentiment she’s voiced in the past.
With tears in her eyes, she added: “I’m so sorry if anyone thought that I would ever agree with something so horrible and antisemitic like that. I don’t.”
In her usual optimistic manner, Ms. Rachel concluded: “I want to say that it’s OK to be human and it’s OK to make mistakes and I’m old, so I am not as good with touching things online, I guess. I have liked things by accident before.”
Many of her 4.8 million followers expressed understanding, knowing it was an unintended mistake. One follower reassured her: “Do not be broken up over it. As a Jew who follows you, I wouldn’t have thought for a second that you meant to do it on purpose.
“Not a single second. Not even a millisecond.”