Source: Kevork Djansezian/NBC / Getty
While former Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney took the streets to yell (eye-roll), “Black Lives Matter,” actor Terry Crews stayed at home to basically tell his social media followers the exact opposite.
On Sunday, Crews thought it was a good idea to tweet that white people need to help bring down white supremacy because if they don’t, that will bring on this made-up term called “Black supremacy.”
(At least he capitalized the “B” in ‘Black,” I guess.)
Given how he played Gabrielle Union and some of the other questionable things he has said on Twitter, it’s clear that this is on-brand for him. But, all I can say is “HUH?”
Dude, what is Black supremacy? Is it Black power? Black pride? An understanding of our rich history of fighting and organizing for our equality? Believing that our lives matter and should matter equally under the law? Not being afraid to punch a Nazi or call out white privilege or racist Karens for trying to treat us like 3/5 a person? Or, is Black supremacy the ability to stand up for yourself and not want to hug or forgive deplorables and tapdance for them?
If that’s what it’s about, great! Sign me up. But the reality is…it doesn’t exist because supremacy is about power, being able to pull and manipulate the strings of the systems that oppress because you have that type of power. You know who has that kind of power? White folks.
Now that doesn’t mean Black people can’t create change or influence the world, because we can (Just look at the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Lives Matter Movement, and how often mainstream culture and the Kardashians steals from us.) But it feels like Crews believes that by white people not doing the work, this somehow leaves Black folks angry, bitter and mean to white people, which can create this type of “Black supremacy,” which once again folks, doesn’t exist.
But let’s just say, we did treat white people poorly, their lives wouldn’t really change because of it. Their feelings would just get hurt, a point I had to make to a white woman who tried it on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/kelleent/status/1269787271693168640?s=20
But back to Terry, who got eviscerated by Black folks for this “All Lives Matter” nonsense and congratulated by Trump supporters. We are not all in this together. And with everything going on in the world right now, what we need are Black celebs who are for us, understand the issues and can OPEN THEIR PURSE. If not, move around and keep your mouth shut.
Thankfully, because as Twitter always does, folks took this infuriating moment and somehow turned it into a joke, providing a much-needed laugh on social media. But one of my absolute favorites included this tweet from Ryan K. Smith, the Deputy Editor of hip-hop pub Don Diva Magazine, basically calling on Black folks to share their personal style by asking, “What will you be wearing the day Black supremacy takes hold?”
Could you imagine such a glorious day?
From there, folks started retweeting, showing off their unique perspective and fashion-sense from hotep haute couture (my personal fave) to 90s lewks to Queen Bey to divine ballgowns. Here’s the best Black Twitter had to offer!
(Thank you Ryan!)
