According to the Entertainment on Today blog, Chris Rock has upset some white people with a 4th of July tweet:
“Happy white peoples independence day the slaves weren’t free but I’m sure they enjoyed fireworks.”
It didn’t seem all that bad to us, but this is how some people responded:
“Good one! I bet your Guatemalan house staff got a good chuckle,” tweeted David Burge,
Then there’s Jeff Schreiber, managing editor of libertarian-conservative blog America’s Right, who tweeted:
“Slavery existed for 2000yrs before America. We eradicated it in 100yrs. We now have a black POTUS. #Go( (expletive) Yourself.” Schreiberlater followed up with, “I’m not saying we’re blameless for that horrid practice, but for @chrisrock to indict the US as he did is inappropriate at best.”
Actor Don Cheadle had Rock’s back when he retweeted Chris’ message with a simple “Haha.” But that only added Cheadle to some Twitter user’s enemies lists.
Cheadle later jumped into the Twitter fray, debating the comment with others. “Where exactly is the bigotry in that joke? Who is the victim? 18th century whites?” Cheadle wrote in a later tweet.
Actor Zach Braff also joined the fray, tweeting, “Slaves weren’t freed for another 90 years. So maybe just enjoy some of the fireworks…”
Then things got political. Bradford Jones tweeted back at Rock and Braf with: “u bashed July4th as “White peoples independence day.” Know who gave u urs? Republicans. ur welcome.”
Apparently Rock could care less about the digital dust up. His next tweet was about a potential New York Knicks trade. But one reader found a connection even there. Lincolntf wrote to Rock, “White men trading black men amuses you these days, eh?”
