Marianne Williamson defends controversial Hurricane Dorian tweet: 'I’m neither crazy, irresponsible nor dangerous'

Erin Donnelly
·Editor
Updated
Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidate author Marianne Williamson is interviewed before the second night of the second Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidates debate in Detroit, Michigan, U.S. July 31, 2019. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
Marianne Williamson responded to backlash over her Dorian tweet. (Photo: REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

Marianne Williamson is defending herself after a tweet she posted about warding off Hurricane Dorian with the “power of the mind” was ridiculed. The presidential candidate subsequently deleted the controversial tweet after commenters pounced.

While most of the criticism made fun of her new age message, some accused it of being insensitive in light of Dorian’s rising death toll and widespread damage.

Marianne Williamson's now deleted tweet that suggested "two minutes of prayer" for those in the way of the storm. (Photo: Twitter)
Marianne Williamson's now deleted tweet that suggested "two minutes of prayer" for those in the way of the storm. (Photo: Twitter)

The 67-year-old spiritual adviser replaced the message with a more generic tweet, offering up prayers to those affected by Dorian, writing, “May the peace of God be upon them and their hearts be comforted as they endure the storm.”

But she stood her ground in a response to journalist and popular Twitter user Yashar Ali. (Ali contributes to HuffPost, which is owned by Verizon Media, the parent company of Yahoo.) Earlier on Wednesday, Ali alerted his followers that Williamson had deleted the tweet, though he did not comment on its content.

It’s not the first time their paths have crossed. On Aug. 1, two unnamed sources told Ali that after the most recent CNN Democratic debate, Williamson’s guest had allegedly scolded a staffer for improperly knocking on the candidate’s dressing room door. His tweet sharing the story prompted Williamson’s friend, actress Frances Fisher, to identify herself as the guest in question and explain why she’d objected to the “jarring knock.” She went on to demand that he “delete [the] incendiary post.” He did not do so.

Now Williamson has accused Ali of trying to “mischaracterize” her image by posting a screenshot of the deleted Dorian tweet. She also challenged him to an “honest and fair public dialogue,” adding, “I’m neither crazy, irresponsible nor dangerous.”

Ali rebuffed the offer and pointed out that he “did not editorialize” over its content.

He also defended himself from Fisher after the Titanic actress called him a “b****” for posting her friend’s deleted tweet. Williamson, he argued, should expect to be held accountable for her messaging as a presidential candidate.

Fisher also hit out at Ali’s refusal to “clear the air” in a “public dialogue,” as Williamson had requested.

Williamson — who just defended her views in a New York Times profile this week — also lashed out at “the overly secularized Left” for treating those who pray with “mockery or condescension.”

Even so, Williamson’s original tweet continues to make the rounds on Twitter, though her supporters have demanded that she be taken more seriously.

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