This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Homonyms beware! You might be racist.
A sexy, new blue jeans advertising campaign by American Eagle is drawing fire from some who claim it is a subtle bit of Nazi propaganda.
Actress Sydney Sweeney appears alongside the slogan, "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans." One of the iterations has Sweeney putting up a large ad that features the word "genes" crossed out and replaced with "jeans."
That appears to be too much for those with a heighten sensitivity to racism – real or imagined.
As the Gateway Pundit reported, a report on the ABC News program "Good Morning America First Look" first raised the specter of racism. Anchor Rhiannon Ally Tuesday said, "The play on words is being compared to Nazi propaganda with racial undertones."
For the story, ABC News interviewed professor Robin Landa with Kean University, who likened the American Eagle ad campaign to the early 20th century American eugenics movement that justified white supremacism.
Newsweek also sounded the alarm, quoting professor Robin Landa: "The campaign's pun isn't just tone-deaf – it's historically loaded."
The magazine reported: "Landa said that the phrase 'good genes' was once central to American eugenics ideology, which promoted white genetic superiority and enabled the forced sterilization of marginalized groups.
"Landa added that, when major brands use language with such weight, they risk reinforcing harmful ideologies under the guise of clever messaging."
Predictably, the internet was not quiet about the Nazi claims.
One man on X posted: "As a PROUD black man, I see nothing wrong with Sydney Sweeney and American Eagle parading her 'good genes/jeans.' Celebrating blue eyes and blonde hair isn't 'white supremacy.' Those are conventionally attractive, GOOD GENES. That doesn't mean they're the ONLY good genes."
Savannah Hernandez posted: "What the Sydney Sweeney ad actually shows is a cultural shift toward hot women again (thank God) Gone are the days of fat women and trannies accosting us with their ugliness."
Another female X user opined: "I love the new Sydney Sweeney ads for American Eagle. Normal hot girls are BACK! Not porn. Not trans. Not gay. Not obese to make a point. Not wearing a headscarf to be inclusive. Not political. Just a hot girl in jeans. The world is healing …"
