After a white, 18-year-old gunman carried out a racist attack at a Buffalo, New York grocery store on May 14th, John Legend called for the de-platforming of Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson, whose prominent espousal of Great Replacement Theory the singer says “poisons the minds of millions.”
Great Replacement Theory argues that people of color who immigrate to the United States are going to replace white Americans, and often blames Democrats for initiating immigration as a tool to enhance their voting base. The Buffalo shooter posted a 180-page manifesto to the anonymous message board 4chan repeating these views, as well as other white supremacist ideologies. He ended up killing 10 people and injuring three others in the attack, which he live streamed on Twitch. Almost all of the victims were Black.
“Tucker and similar proponents of this evil ideology continue to poison the minds of millions,” Legend posted to Twitter on May 16th, while retweeting a video compilation of Carlson promoting Great Replacement Theory. “They have contributed to multiple terrorist massacres and will continue to do so. This is sickening and dangerous. This should not be on a major cable network.”
Legend continued, “Followers of this ideology have been massacring Jews, Blacks, Asians, Latinos. When will we ostracize and deplatform these terrorist sympathizers on our TV and social networks?”
“In no other context would a terrorist sympathizing news anchor be allowed to continue to spew this nonsense as the body count continues to mount,” Legend said in another tweet. “Why do white supremacist terrorist sympathizers get a pass?” See the artist’s full thread below.
When he’s not spewing bigoted, fear-mongering ideologies, Carlson enjoys hanging out with fellow racist Kid Rock and being weird about cartoon characters. Just a wonderful guy all-around.
Followers of this ideology have been massacring Jews, Blacks, Asians, Latinos. When will we ostracize and deplatform these terrorist sympathizers on our TV and social networks?
— John Legend (@johnlegend) May 16, 2022
In no other context would a terrorist sympathizing news anchor be allowed to continue to spew this nonsense as the body count continues to mount. Why do white supremacist terrorist sympathizers get a pass?
— John Legend (@johnlegend) May 16, 2022