'Look who's talking': Roseanne Barr slammed for tweet calling out 'racist anti-Semitic bigotry that exists in our country' after synagogue shooting
People won’t soon forget Roseanne Barr’s racist tweet about Valerie Jarrett.
Over the weekend, Barr spoke out about the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, which was carried out by a man who made anti-Semitic statements during the shooting and targeted Jews on social media prior to the attack. The comedian, who is Jewish, wrote on Twitter that she prays “this terrible attack on Jews will be the catalyst for Americans to finally wake up” and address the “deep and rife scourge of racist anti-Semitic bigotry that exists in our country.”
I pray that this terrible attack on Jews will be the catalyst for Americans to finally wake up as to the deep and rife scourge of racist anti-Semitic bigotry that exists in our country.
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) October 28, 2018
While she expressed a seemingly sincere and definitely important sentiment, commenters were quick to redirect the conversation back to her own remark comparing Jarrett, a former adviser to then-President Barack Obama, to an ape. In essence: Yes, anti-Semitic bigotry is wrong — and so is “all racism.”
Look who’s talking.
— Hella Priefer (@HellaPriefer) October 28, 2018
This coming from a racist.
— Justin LeBlanc (@JustinL61177560) October 29, 2018
Yes Roseanne. All racism is bad, regardless of race, creed, nationailty or religion.
— Ann Brown (@AnnBrow30209255) October 28, 2018
Yeppers the voice of reason and compassion
— Wyatt Smith (@azwyatt1) October 28, 2018
The irony here. Lmao.
— ColoradoWildFeathers (@HippieChicCeo) October 28, 2018
Roseanne said something nice? Must be an Ambien post.
— Chris Richardson ?? (@ThunderySkye) October 28, 2018
Well that’s an changed tune
— Kerry Raibley (@KRaibley) October 29, 2018
— Siobhan Marie Day (@MarieSiobsbhndy) October 29, 2018
Critics also pointed out Barr’s ties to President Trump, whose own hate speech and refusal to condemn racist groups like the KKK has led to toxicity in the country. (Trump did speak out against this attack, though many, including the mayor of Pittsburgh, have taken issue with his saying there should have been an armed guard in the synagogue.)
Starting Wth you and Trump.
— LizNegroni (@liznegroni) October 29, 2018
Well the person you love so much has followers that are nazi's and you defeated them plus are you forgetting you made fun of Jews too… pot painting the kettle black
— Christina Arnold/Jones (@xXxCLEOBABYxXx) October 29, 2018
Talk to 45. But that's okay, nothing will happen.
— Sandy G (@sgourley2b) October 29, 2018
Led by your boy @realDonaldTrump ……………
— Travis (@derke03) October 29, 2018
Then you should stop supporting Trump . A main catalyst in inspiring the Hatred he spews. Your Buddy
— Guadalupe Sierra (@Lupe0110) October 29, 2018
Pretty quickly, the image of Barr dressed as Hitler started popping up. (Here’s the backstory. It was for a satirical Jewish magazine, but many obviously still found it offensive.)
Did you feel this way when you posed for this photo shoot? pic.twitter.com/ixQTjh9S4F
— Alex Williams (@RadtownUSA) October 28, 2018
Hypocrite!!! pic.twitter.com/kOrA7nmIKE
— rob ingram (@calirob1208) October 29, 2018
Barr had defenders too. People who agreed with what she said — and people who replied to her critics.
You know she's Jewish, right?
— Creepy Uncle Joe (@Uncle_Ickle) October 28, 2018
Yes, a comedian who makes jokes. There’s plenty of them but yet Roseanne, due to her political alignment, gets vilified…. seems legit.
— Malix Corvin (@therubexcube) October 28, 2018
Barr saw her eponymous show canceled in May following her tweet about Jarret. The show was reborn — with her character killed off — as The Conners. In an interview with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach last month, Barr, who often appears with the rabbi to discuss Judaism, said she planned to move to Israel when the reboot debuted earlier this month to avoid seeing it.
“I have an opportunity to go to Israel for a few months and study with my favorite teachers over there, and that’s where I’m going to go and probably move somewhere there and study with my favorite teachers,” she said during the podcast interview. “I have saved a few pennies, and I’m so lucky I can go … and study with any rabbi that I can ask to teach me, and it’s my great joy and privilege to be a Jewish woman.” Whether or not she went is unclear though because she tweeted during the premiere of the show just a few words: “I AIN’T DEAD, BITCHES!!!!”
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