Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks out against rise in hate crime and anti-Semitism: ‘You still have a chance to choose a life of strength’

Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke out against the rise in hate crimes and anti-Semitism in a 12-minute clip he posted to social media on Monday.

The action star, 75, said he sought not to preach to the choir, but speak to people who ‘heard some conspiracies about Jewish people or any race or gender and thought, “That makes sense to me.”‘

The Austria-born star, who documented his trip to Auschwitz last fall, cited his own personal experiences watching his late father and other men whose lives were in disarray in the wake of World War II.

‘There has never been a successful movement based on hate,’ the outspoken actor said. ‘Nazis? Losers. The Confederacy? Losers. The Apartheid movement? Losers – and the list goes on and on. I don’t want you to be a loser. I don’t want you to be weak.’

The ex-California governor said that he was speaking out to people who might be involved in hate speech or movements, urging them to analyze their life choices and the paths they lead to.

‘Despite all my friends who might say, “Arnold, don’t talk to those people. It’s not worth it,” I don’t care what they say,’ The Terminator star said. ‘I care about you. I think you’re worth it. 

‘I know nobody is perfect … I can understand how people can fall into a trap of prejudice and hate.’

Schwarzenegger said that growth occurs through the more difficult paths in life, citing his own experience toward bodybuilding stardom through painful workout sessions.

‘It’s easier to make excuses that the Jewish people conspired to hold you back then it is to admit that you just needed to work harder,’ he said. ‘It’s easier to hate than it is to learn … nobody who has chosen the easy path of hate has gotten to the end of the road and said, “What a life.” No – they die as miserably as they lived.’

Schwarzenegger emphasized the grim endings of those who devote themselves to a life of hate. 

He said, ‘If you find yourself wondering if the path of hate might make sense to you for one reason or the other, or even wrapping yourself in the flag of hate, I want you to know where that path ends.

‘I’ve seen enough people throw away their futures for hateful beliefs. So I want to speak to you before you find your regrets at the end of that path.’

Schwarzenegger said in the clip, which was distributed by ATTN, that there is still an offramp for people who have engaged in hate speech to change their ways. 

‘No matter how far you’ve gone, I want you to know you still have a chance to choose a life of strength,’ he said. ‘You have to fight the war against yourself.’

Schwarzenegger said that while going down the path of hate and blame is easier in life – ‘You don’t have to change anything, everything in your life that you aren’t happy about can be somebody else’s fault,’ he said – ultimately, ‘You will end up broken.’

He added, ‘I don’t want you to go through all that.’

Schwarzenegger said that growth occurs through the more difficult paths in life, citing his own experience toward bodybuilding stardom through painful workout sessions 

Schwarzenegger said in the clip that there is still an offramp for people who have engaged in hate speech to change their ways 

In the clip, the actor said, ‘It’s easier to hate than it is to learn … nobody who has chosen the easy path of hate has gotten to the end of the road and said, “What a life”‘

Schwarzenegger said that while going down the path of hate and blame is easier in life, ultimately, ‘You will end up broken’