The New Yorker was forced to apologize on Monday after one of its writers falsely accused a U.S. Marine veteran of having a Nazi tattoo on his elbow.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement tweeted a photo of Justin Gaertner, a Marine veteran who lost his legs while serving in Afghanistan and now works as an ICE computer forensics analyst.
Gaertner has a cross-like tattoo on his elbow, and The New Yorker’s Talia Lavin suggested in a now-deleted tweet that it was actually an Iron Cross, a symbol often associated with Nazism. Lavin’s unfounded tweet sparked a significant amount of anger directed at Gaertner, and ICE had to send follow-up tweets explaining the tattoo.
“The tattoo shown here is the symbol for his platoon while he fought in Afghanistan,” ICE explained.
Justin Gaertner is a combat wounded U.S. Marine who continues to serve his country as an ICE computer forensics analyst, helping solve criminal cases & rescue abused children. The tattoo shown here is the symbol for his platoon while he fought in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/BaOBxaAMHS
— ICE (@ICEgov) June 18, 2018
ICE also released a full statement slamming the baseless attacks and demanded an apology from Lavin and The New Yorker.
“Over the weekend, social media perpetuated by a tweet by New Yorker reporter Talia Levin [sic] erroneously implied that a tattoo on one of [Gaertner’s] arms was an Iron Cross and essentially labeled him a Nazi,” ICE wrote. “Levin deleted her post after military veterans responded that the tattoo looked more like a Maltese cross, a symbol associated with fire fighters.”
The statement continued, “The tattoo on his left elbow is actually ‘Titan 2,’ the symbol for his platoon while he fought in Afghanistan…Anyone attempting to advance their personal political opinions by baselessly slandering an American hero should be issuing public apologies to Mr. Gaertner and retractions.”
“This includes Levin and The New Yorker,” they concluded.
Read the full ICE statement regarding erroneous attacks on ICE employee for #military tattoo: pic.twitter.com/BwA8kFWNFV
— ICE (@ICEgov) June 18, 2018
Per Gaertner, the tattoo on his left elbow is “Titan 2,” the symbol for his platoon while he fought in Afghanistan. The writing on his right arm is the Spartan Creed which is about protecting family and children. pic.twitter.com/qs8H3tkd6l
— ICE (@ICEgov) June 18, 2018
The New Yorker did apologize on Monday, as reported by National Review.
“The New Yorker has just learned that a staff member erroneously made a derogatory assumption about ICE agent Justin Gaertner’s tattoo. The personal social-media accounts of staff members do not represent the magazine, and we in no way share the viewpoint expressed in this tweet,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “The tweet has been deleted, and we deeply regret any harm that this may have caused Mr. Gaertner.”
