Comedian Chris Rock tweets “happy white peoples independence day” and conservative Michelle Malkin’s Twitchy site takes offense. Um, Chris Rock could care less what Republicans think. Still, come on Chris, do we always have to drag race in every dogfight? Didn’t Fredrick Douglass make a similar statement decades ago?
Comedian Chris Rock Tweets “Happy White Peoples Independence Day,” Frederick Douglass was Skeptical of Independence Day too.
Happy white peoples independence day the slaves weren’t free but I’m sure they enjoyed fireworks
— Chris Rock (@chrisrock) July 4, 2012
Tweets about Frederick Douglass:
“This Fourth July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.”Fred Douglass #FREEDC!
— Marion S. Barry, Jr. (@marionbarryjr) July 4, 2012
Read Frederick Douglass’ famed fourth of July speech, “What is the fourth of July to a Slave?” demanding abolition: ht.ly/c0CwA
— AfricanBurialGround (@AFBurialGrndNPS) July 4, 2012
He is a lover of his country who rebukes & does not excuse its sins ~ Frederick Douglass#July4th
— RayBeckerman (@RayBeckerman) July 4, 2012
Excerpt of Frederick Douglass’ speech about July 4th:
What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are, to Him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages.There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour.
Go where you may, search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the Old World, travel through South America, search out every abuse, and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me, that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival….
Read the entire speech: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h2927t.html
Reaction to Chris Rock’s tweet:
The Declaration of Independence led directly to emancipation, @chrisrock. No nation with that as a foundation could long tolerate slavery.
— Loren Heal (@lheal) July 4, 2012
No more of your movies anymore QT @chrisrock: Happy white peoples independence day the slaves werent free but Im sure they enjoyed fireworks
— Luckyjoe (@suthernboy100) July 4, 2012
.@chrisrock<– I think you owe us all a refund for your crap movies ..@jtLOL
— CHICO (@chicostien) July 4, 2012
@chrisrock Slavery existed for 2000yrs before America. We eradicated it in 100yrs. We now have a black POTUS. #GoFuckYourself
— Jeff Schreiber (@AmericasRight) July 4, 2012
@chrisrock Good one! I bet your Guatemalan house staff got a good chuckle.
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) July 4, 2012
@chrisrock Is such a crybaby privileged idiot who should be proud of America.When was he ever a slave?Poor millionaire victim! Boohoo!
— Dave Muegge (@DaveMuegge) July 4, 2012
I don’t dislike Chris Rock because he’s black. I dislike Chris Rock because he’s an asshole.
— Overtaxed (@KrankyInKC) July 4, 2012
There were some tweets in support of Chris Rock’s comments:
Realest tweet ever. RT @chrisrock: Happy white peoples independence day the slaves weren’t free but I’m sure they enjoyed fireworks
— Mrs. Kanobie (@MrsKanobie) July 4, 2012
@ASShOle_Ash: LMFAOOO this what Chris Rock said “Happy white peoples independence day the slaves weren’t free but I’m sure they enjoyed…
— Win:Win (@Qtwoonetwo) July 4, 2012
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