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Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Terry Crews faces new backlash over racial comments

Photo credit: NBC Universal
Photo credit: NBC Universal

From Digital Spy

Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor Terry Crews has found himself in hot water once again with the Twitter community after his latest Black Lives Matter comments.

Earlier this month, Crews was criticised by his former co-star Tyler James Williams after he made a comment on Twitter referencing "Black supremacy". At the time he wrote: "Defeating White supremacy without White people creates Black supremacy. Equality is the truth. Like it or not, we are all in this together."

Williams replied stating that Crews had the narrative wrong and that he found it hurtful to think that he was saying they were calling for Black supremacy. "No-one is calling for Black supremacy and the narrative that we are hurts our cause and our people. We're just vigorously vetting our 'allies' because time and time again they have failed us in the past," he commented.

Now, Crews has reignited the matter by today tweeting (June 30): "If you are a child of God, you are my brother and sister. I have family of every race, creed and ideology. We must ensure #blacklivesmatter doesn't morph into #blacklivesbetter."

Photo credit: NBC Universal
Photo credit: NBC Universal

Related: Brooklyn Nine-Nine scraps season 8 episodes following George Floyd protests

But Twitter was not happy with his continued comments, with one firing back: "Who is this message for? Truly? Who has given you the impression that this is the goal or this is even a possibility?".

"You could have left out that last sentence," noted another. "No one wants to be better. We want to be treated fairly and equal." This sentiment was echoed by someone else who added: "Equality means equal, not better than."

The backlash facing Terry doesn't seem to be going away at this moment in time, as a fourth individual pointed out "we can't even get to Black lives equal yet". "This is the goal," they said. "We never said only Black lives matter, we never said Black lives matter more. We say Black lives matter because in today's society Black lives do not matter to a lot of people and are in danger."

Related: Marvel star Anthony Mackie praised for "powerful" and emotional Black Lives Matter interview

"What in the actual hell? This is the very definition of a strawman argument," one blasted. "Why would you suggest a movement created to advocate for the prosecution of cops/citizens responsible for racially motivated killings could somehow morph into 'we're better'."

"Black Lives Matter says, simply and literally, the humanity of Black people matters. We are not less than or disposable. The only way that impacts white people is in the way they interact with Black people," echoed another Twitter user.

"We're so far from that bridge, Terry," someone else said. "Black Lives Matter is, in part, a rallying cry and a protest slogan to galvanize people into doing the justice work needed to derail the deaths, dehumanization and destruction of Black lives that racism causes. Justice is not a competition."

To which Crews himself responded, adding: "You are right. I just want to make sure it stays that way. No competition, just creativity."


For more information on how you can support Black Lives Matter, please visit its official website or donate here. Readers can also donate to the UK anti-discrimination group Stand Up To Racism, and the Unite Families & Friends Campaign, which supports those affected by deaths in police, prison and psychiatric custody.


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