Chris Rock's 4th Of July Tweet

[MrsSpringsteen]

I kept this separate from the other thread because I didn't think it belonged there

msn.com Thursday, July 5, 2012


"Happy white peoples independence day," Chris Rock tweeted on the Fourth of July holiday before adding the zinger, "the slaves weren't free but I'm sure they enjoyed fireworks."

As quickly as the pithy line went live, Twitter exploded with commentary over it. A handful of Rock's followers declared they would never watch any of his films again because of what they deemed to be his anti-American sentiment.

Blogger David Burge hit back at the comic, quipping, "Good one! I bet your Guatemalan house staff got a good chuckle."

While other conservative bloggers blasted Rock's tweet as "inappropriate at best," Zach Braff suggested that Rock simply chill out, writing, "Slaves weren't freed for another 90 years. So maybe just enjoy some of the fireworks ..."

The holiday joke did get a few backers, though.

Don Cheadle, who re-tweeted the comment with a "Haha" in front of it, later defended himself against critics. "Where exactly is the bigotry in that joke?," he asked. "Who is the victim? 18th century whites?"

And, as HipHopWired.com points out, Rock is hardly the first African-American person to question the validity of Independence Day. The site quotes extensively from a letter written by Frederick Douglass back in 1852 in which he asked President Franklin Pierce to consider why and how the Fourth of July represents the "sham" that promises American freedom -- despite the reality that the country's economy was built on slavery.

What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? by Frederick Douglass

[BVS]

I really don't get the outrage. Rock is known for his equal opportunity race jokes. Why take this one so seriously?

[Jive Turkey]

^ that

[Danny Boy]

I think it's a great jab.

Americans are way too sensitive about anyone suggesting America is anything but perfect.

[MrsSpringsteen]

I guess anyone who is "outraged" about it thinks it was anti-American. Plus we have a black POTUS now.

Jeff Schreiber ‏@AmericasRight

@chrisrock Slavery existed for 2000yrs before America. We eradicated it in 100yrs. We now have a black POTUS. #GoFuckYourself

[PhilsFan]

That's the most predictable thing ever. If you gave me the scenario: "Chris Rock tweets on the Fourth of July, what does he say?" I would have guessed exactly that. He's like a parody of himself.

[LemonMelon]

Kinda lame, predictable, unfounded, etc.

It took us a century, but we got our country reupholstered. Brought our freedom game up. Lincoln taught us.

[ladyfreckles]

National holidays never instilled a feeling of pride into me. Maybe I'm just bitter because of what people have twisted the origin of this country into. What I mean by that isn't so much political as it's about facts being changed for the sake of instilling more patriotism in us. History books lying about what happened to the natives (not all, but some do this, including mine), constant misrepresentations of the founding fathers to suit whoever's need (quotes out of context, claiming this is a "christian nation" after so many lives were lost fighting to keep religion OUT of government, etc), and political shows twisting stories about the revolution for their own gain.

We're still a great country to live in, but we often don't know what we stand for anymore. People get far too defensive when America is subject to criticism.

Originally Posted by Danny Boy

I think it's a great jab.

Americans are way too sensitive about anyone suggesting America is anything but perfect.

This.

[trojanchick99]

Well, considering there actually was a Whites only gathering complete with cross burning in Alabama that day, maybe he had a point.

A three-day whites-only religious conference — which will conclude with a flaming cross — in Lamar County, Alabama, has some residents upset at the racist implications while the minister complains that his freedom of speech is being violated.

"Yes, we believe that the Europeans and their descendants are the chosen people of God," according to the website for Christian Identity Ministries, which is holding the event with Church of God’s Chosen. "We believe this, not because we think that the white race is superior, but because there is overwhelming proof in support of this belief. We do not back down from this belief, because we are certain."


"It was put up throughout the town in the middle of the night. (It was) when everyone was asleep without the permission of the business owner," said Tyler Cantrell, manager of Norris Music in nearby Winfield, Ala., the report said.
According to the flier, the three-day conference, being held in a rural area, will end with a "Sacred Christian Cross Lighting Ceremony."
Business people are upset. The city is upset,” Winfield Mayor Wayne Silas told the TV station. "The city of Winfield does not condone this."
Christian Identity Ministries founder Mel Lewis, who spoke to a reporter from WAFF TV of Huntsville, charged that the Winfield mayor was violating his flock’s right to free speech.
"The mayor ordered our fliers to be taken down," he said. "When did they start religious censorship?"
"We are not breaking any laws. We're not violating any ordinances. We're bringing the Word of God to people who want it, obviously, or they wouldn't be here," said Lewis at the rural venue, decorated with Confederate flags and KKK banners.
The cross-burning ceremony planned for Friday — reminiscent of the Ku Klux Klan practice used to intimidate blacks — was especially troubling, said Hezekiah Jackson, president of the Birmingham Metro Chapter of the NAACP.
"The only context that I'm familiar with is one that is not very positive. And one that really symbolizes an era that many of us have hoped to put behind us," Jackson told WIAT TV of Birmingham. "And that is this whole era of Jim Crow, this whole era of white supremacy, this whole era of discrimination and racial hatred."
Lewis said the "cross lighting" ceremony is a symbolic rite of purification that long predates the Klan's inception, according to the report.
Some of the participants in the conference are Ku Klux Klan members, organizers said, though that was not a requirement.
"We don't have the facilities to accommodate other races, and we have nothing, not one bit of animosity, no racism whatsoever," Christian Identity Ministries Pastor William J. Collier told WIAT.

Whites-only Christian gathering riles some Alabama neighbors - U.S. News

[Irvine511]

Originally Posted by LemonMelon

but we got our country reupholstered. Brought our freedom game up. Lincoln taught us.

we've got some Cirque du Soleil freedom now!

i can't believe America bought me this watch either.

[LemonMelon]

The one with the bezel! Italy was wearing this watch, I saw it!

[Irvine511]

yo yo America, yo-yo this is the best birthday ever! where you learn to treat an american like this?

[the iron horse]

Thanks Chris Rock for doing your best to help heal race relations in the U.S.




The founders of the U.S. Constitution did try to confront the issue
of slavery.


"Those opposed to slavery brought up issues of morality. Luther Martin of Maryland said that forbidding Congress from banning the importation of slaves was “inconsistent with the principles of the revolution and dishonorable to the American character.” Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania said that slavery was a “nefarious institution” and a “curse of heaven on the states where it prevailed.” George Mason of Virginia spoke at length about the horrors of slavery and criticized slave owners, who he called “petty tyrants,” and the slave traders who, he said, “from a lust of gain embarked on this nefarious traffic."


BRIA 25 2 The Major Debates at the Constitutional Convention - Constitutional Rights Foundation



Sure they failed, but some did try. It took a bloody civil war to put an end to it.

Chris Rock needs to to read some of the sermons of Martin Luther King Jr.

[maycocksean]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

"Those opposed to slavery brought up issues of morality. Luther Martin of Maryland said that forbidding Congress from banning the importation of slaves was “inconsistent with the principles of the revolution and dishonorable to the American character.” Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania said that slavery was a “nefarious institution” and a “curse of heaven on the states where it prevailed.” George Mason of Virginia spoke at length about the horrors of slavery and criticized slave owners, who he called “petty tyrants,” and the slave traders who, he said, “from a lust of gain embarked on this nefarious traffic."

So these guys basically agree with Chris Rock. . . What's the problem?

[Jive Turkey]

Originally Posted by maycocksean

What's the problem?

Thin skin and misplaced nationalism

[Moonlit_Angel]

*Sigh*

First off, like it or not, Chris is right.

Second, a simple "Happy 4th!" couldn't have sufficed?

[Jive Turkey]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

Thanks Chris Rock for doing your best to help heal race relations in the U.S.

Ya, black man. When are you going to start caring about race relations? Stop throwing wrenches into the process!

Chris Rock needs to to read some of the sermons of Martin Luther King Jr.

I thought you were being insensitive at first, but then I saw you referenced Martin Luther King, so it's all good

[Hewson]

Originally Posted by LemonMelon

. Lincoln taught us.

After he finished off the vampires.

[cobl04]

^I saw the trailer for that. My eyes nearly fell out of my head.

I don't see the big deal. Every year when Australia Day rolls around, most aboriginal Australians choose to call it Invasion Day. All the "POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD" white folk get offended by it, even though the indigenous people of this country have every bloody right to say it. Good on Chris Rock. And LM. And Irvine.

[Moonlit_Angel]

The only thing that bothers me about Chris' statement is that stupid people will come out of the woodwork-but then again, they'd do that no matter what.

Plus, shock value.