Amazon has released a new advertisement for its Prime program that features an older priest and an imam getting together for tea and conversation. While they are talking, it becomes apparent that both have aching knees. When their meeting concludes, each decides to give the other a gift.
Both men order the gifts from Amazon and receive them at their respective homes at the same time. Once both boxes are open, it becomes clear they have each ordered and received the same gift, which is a pair of green kneepads. The advert concludes by showing each man kneeling in prayer in accordance with his faith. Both men also smile at the kind act of the other.
Some have said the commercial is a subtle way of getting back at Donald Trump, whose distrust of Muslim people was a major talking point of his presidential campaign. Many Muslims now live in fear because they are unsure of what their future holds.
Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, posted a rare tweet in which he praised the advertisement. Bezos has been openly adversarial with Trump in the past, namely after he purchased the Washington Post newspaper. Trump said at the time that Amazon was evading tax laws, and Bezos was using the newspaper as a way to gain power in the nation’s capitol.
Bezos said the advertisement was meant to send a message of respect, acceptance and love without being attached to politics.