The Twitterverse is imploding after Ellen DeGeneres posted a funny picture with Olympic gold-medalist Usain Bolt some people found “triggering” and “racist.”
DeGeneres, a comedienne known for her philanthropy and host of The Ellen Show, posted a goofy picture to Twitter on Monday – a photoshopped image of her riding on Bolt’s back as he sprints down a track.
This is how I’m running errands from now on. #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/gYPtG9T1ao
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 15, 2016
The message that accompanied the post read: “This is how I’m running errands from now on. #Rio2016.”
The post instantly offended the sensibilities of several folks online, who vented their grievances in responses to the picture.
“You thought it’d be funny to post a pic of yourself riding on the back of a Black man?” Mike wrote. “Nope. Delete this racist garbage.”
“So riding on his back like a mule, a horse as some form of property is fun to you … Ok,” user “777-9311” wrote.
Others, like Fighting Jurist, posted historic images of black slaves serving as rides for their white owners.
@fourfivehours @TheEllenShow @usainbolt they were complimented on their strength. So i guess they weren’t racist. pic.twitter.com/sXgo85VSvW
— Fighting Jurist (@Br_mabe) August 16, 2016
“They were complemented on their strength,” Fighting Jurist wrote in the post. “So I guess they weren’t racist.”
“I find the image of a white woman riding on a black man’s back triggering,” Tony Sparks posted. “Some don’t, I do & that’s life.”
Of course plenty of people with knowledge of DeGeneres’ humanitarian efforts, or those with a scintilla of common sense, defended the talk show host.
“Usain Bolt retweeted it so if he isn’t offended, why are you?” Lindsey questioned.
“It’s Twitter, morons love to feel offended over nothing,” Sevcotarian 420 wrote.
“She’s not riding on his back because he’s black you racist moron, it’s because he’s the fastest man on the planet,” Roman Stenzel added.
@TheEllenShow @usainbolt No, she’s not racist. But the image conjures a long #history many may not be familiar with. pic.twitter.com/YnNiRJYUP9
— Paul Guinan (@Boilerplate1893) August 16, 2016
“Literally I’m black and don’t take offense to this,” commenter “R” posted. “She’s basically complementing him on his speed and stamina.”
“Of all the people in the world to accuse of being racist, you guys chose @TheEllenShow?” Ann Hale wrote. “Find something better to do.”
Even Time magazine published an editorial on the issue titled “Ellen DeGeneres Is Not Racist” by Columbia University professor John McWhorter.
McWhorter wrote:
Ellen DeGeneres is a racist? The exploration of such a thing now elicits as urgent a response in many smart people as global warming, endemic poverty and gun control. It is time to reconsider the mission creep that has led the left from seeking to change the mechanisms of society to stirring up campfires once or twice a month about awkward witticisms, passing indications of ignorance and other eternal wrinkles of human psychology, in the name of a “social justice” that is really all about self-affirmation.
This is not progress—it’s religion.
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