Rob Schneider—yes, Rob Schneider—on Monday lectured a civil rights leader on the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. It did not go well.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day the Deuce Bigalow star tweeted a message to Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), suggesting he follow in King’s footsteps to not “give in to his anger or his hurt.”
https://twitter.com/RobSchneider/status/821054409106821120
Though Schneider’s advice might have been paved with good intentions, explaining King’s philosophy to Lewis, on MLK Day of all days, comes off as tone-deaf and ignorant of Lewis’ career as a civil rights activist. In the ’60s the politician served as a president of the civil rights organization the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and was a freedom rider who helped end desegregation on buses in the South.
Lewis also co-organized and spoke at the March on Washington, when King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech—he’s the last living speaker from the rally, having been 23 at the time.
Clearly, Schneider picked the wrong day—nay, the wrong civil rights leader—nay nay, the wrong living civil rights leader to try and white-splain King’s protest strategies to.
naw man, you're not the one. pic.twitter.com/UNqSKlDIA9
— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) January 16, 2017
shouts to you for making The Hot Chick but maybe don't explain the struggle for civil rights to people who were actually in it
— Richard Lawler (@rjcc) January 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/owillis/status/821071927280275456
— Stacey with an e (@StaceGots) January 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/jmemad/status/821074366779785218
An hour later Schneider tweeted another message, possibly in reply to the criticism, quoting Cory Booker on love and patriotism.
https://twitter.com/RobSchneider/status/821099971969576961
It’s cool, folks: When in doubt of your criticism of a prominent civil rights leader, just quote another black politician to justify your stance.
Sorry, Schneider. Looks like your words of wisdom might be of more use to a distraught Adam Sandler character than the last living speaker from the March on Washington.