Actor Terry Crews has been criticised for saying the Black Lives Matter movement must not “morph into Black Lives Better”.
The Brooklyn Nine-Nine star and America’s Got Talent host, who is black, tweeted: “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.”
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
— terry crews (@terrycrews) June 30, 2020
The tweet drew strong criticism on social media.
Comedian Amanda Seales, who hosted Sunday’s BET Awards, accused Crews of becoming an “enemy of the people”.
She said: “This is unintellectual and irresponsible. You are developing into an enemy of the people. Ignorance will be your downfall.”
YouTube personality Franchesca Ramsey was another critic.
She said: “Terry. what in the actual hell? this is the very definition of a strawman argument. why would you suggest a movement created to advocate for the prosecution of cops/citizens responsible for racially motivated killings could some how morph into ‘we’re better.’”
Actress Holly Robinson Peete wrote: “Terry we trying to ‘matter’ and get to ‘equal’ and you are worried about better??”
Activist April Reign, who launched the #OscarsSoWhite campaign, also criticised Crews.
She said: “I’m a bit mad at myself for being even more disappointed at Terry Crews today. I thought that we had hit rock bottom. I didn’t realise I had any energy left for him, and that makes me mad.”
Brother, I recommend we pitch in, using every sphere of influence we’re in, to help eradicate racism and white supremacy, thereby helping ensure equity and justice for Black people. Let’s do that, without imagining a terrorized people trying to “take over.” Eradicate racism.
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) June 30, 2020
Bernice King, the daughter of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, said the Black Lives Matter movement is a “rallying cry” and that “justice is not a competition”.
Crews responded to her tweet, writing: “You are right, @BerniceKing. I just want to make sure it stays that way. No competition, just creativity.”
This is not the first time Crews has caused controversy with his comments on the Black Lives Matter movement.
On June 8, amid the worldwide protests against racial inequality, he tweeted: “Defeating White supremacy without White people creates Black supremacy. Equality is the truth. Like it or not, we are all in this together.”
Following a furore, he expanded on his comments, saying “I believe it is important we not suffer from groupthink”.