Satire Editor Joel Berry Sparks Controversy with "Antisemite Cries Out" Tweet

Joel Berry, Managing Editor of the satirical news website The Babylon Bee, ignited a fresh wave of debate on October 31, 2025, with a provocative social media post stating, "The antisemite cries out in pain as he strikes you." The tweet quickly drew attention due to its loaded language and the historical context of similar phrases.

Berry, known for his outspoken commentary and often unapologetic stance on contentious issues, posted the statement on his personal X (formerly Twitter) account. As managing editor of The Babylon Bee, a platform recognized for its conservative-leaning satire, Berry frequently engages in social and political discourse that garners both support and criticism.

The phrasing of Berry's tweet closely mirrors a known antisemitic trope: "The Jew cries out in pain as he strikes you." This original phrase, widely recognized as having Nazi origins, is used to depict Jewish individuals as manipulative aggressors who feign victimhood. By substituting "antisemite" for "Jew," Berry's tweet appears to invert the target of the accusation, suggesting that those labeled as antisemitic are themselves the true aggressors who then claim pain.

This latest social media engagement follows a pattern of controversial statements from Berry. In July 2025, he faced significant backlash for claiming that all professing Catholics in Gaza supported Hamas, a statement he refused to retract. At the time, Berry asserted, "I apologize for nothing. Go pound sand," in response to critics.

The use of such a historically charged idiom by a prominent figure in satirical media raises questions about intent, interpretation, and the boundaries of commentary in public discourse. Critics may view the tweet as an attempt to weaponize a dangerous trope, while supporters might see it as a sharp, if abrasive, critique of perceived hypocrisy.