Former California governor and Terminator star Arnold Schwarzenegger raised his voice against antisemitism and hate on Wednesday, citing his own family history as an example for others to follow.
"I was born to a father who was a Nazi," Schwarzenegger said at a CNN forum.
"My father was, and so many other millions of men were, sucked into a hate system through lies and deceits. And so, we have seen where that leads," he said in an exclusive interview with CNN.
Schwarzenegger, who hails from Austria and migrated to the United States in 1968, has been vocal about his father's association with the Nazi Party during World War II.
"I've seen it firsthand how broken this man's - these men were," he said. "The kinds of atrocities that happened. How many millions of people had to die and then they ended up losers...in the Confederacy, losers, as they all have, this just doesn't work. I mean, let's just go and get along. And love is more powerful than hate."
In March, the actor released a video message where he referenced his father and urged people to choose the path of strength instead of hate. He called on everyone to fight against their personal battles instead of taking the easy path of hate.
Comments in the wake of a surge in hate crimes
Schwarzenegger's comments come in the wake of a surge in hate crimes across the US. According to a report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) released last month, incidents of antisemitism in the US have reached their highest levels since 1979.
Additionally, data released by the FBI in March indicates that the number of reported hate crimes in the US has also risen.
During a forum with Dana Bash, Schwarzenegger expressed his concerns over the recent increase in hate crimes and antisemitic violence, stating that he doesn't know the reason behind it but feels that measures should be taken to reduce it. "I think we have to figure out a way of toning it down," he said.
"I think it's very clear that the more liberal we go with social issues, you see the other side becoming more and more angry and there's more and more hate in general," he added. "There are people who created the insurrection and you know went absolutely berserk in Washington on January 6th. And it's just so many people that are angry. Not just angry about Whites against Blacks, or people against Jews and all this but just angry in general."