The actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger have spoken about the story of his father, a "broken man" who was a member of the Nazi party, to raise awareness about the danger of anti-Semitism.
Austrian-born actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recalled his family's Nazi past that he hopes will serve as an example in the fight against anti-Semitism, a phenomenon that appears to be growing in the United States.
In an interview in the magazine, the 'Terminator' star referred to his father, Gustav Schwarzenegger, who was a member of the Nazi party during World War II.
"My father, and millions of other men, were sucked into a system of hate through lies and deceit. And we've already seen where that leads," the actor said.
"I've seen firsthand how broken this man was," he continued, "the kind of atrocities that happened. How many millions of people had to die and then end up losing."
This "just doesn't work. I mean, we're going to go and get along. And love is more powerful than hate," he told the network.
Schwarzenegger's comments come amid heightened levels of anti-Semitism and a rise in hate crimes in the US.
A report released by the Anti-Defamation League last month found that anti-Semitic incidents in the US are at their highest level since the organization began tracking them in 1979. Data released by the federal police (FBI) in March shows that the number of reported hate crimes also increased in 2021.
The 'Conan the Barbarian' star said he did not know the reason behind the rise in anti-Semitic hatred and violence, but stressed that "we have to find a way to mitigate it."
"I think it's very clear that the more liberal we are on social issues, you see the other side getting angrier and angrier and there's more and more hate in general," the Republican politician insisted.
"There are people who created the insurrection and went absolutely crazy in Washington on January 6 (2021, trying to take over the US Capitol). And so many people are angry. Not just white people angry against blacks, or people against Jews and all that, but just generally angry."
He also said that he is not concerned that former President Donald Trump will appear as the Republican Party's favorite to win the 2024 election and ventured that he does not believe he can win another term.
"Being one of a party's frontrunners and letting them dig this ever-deeper hole will make it easier for the Democrats to win," Schwarzenegger said.
"It's sad to see that. That they couldn't find new talent, with a new face who is a reasonable, smart, intelligent person who can lead this country with a Republican point of view," he concluded.
