Twitter has been a breeding ground for controversy and criticism over the last few days as countless people have attacked Rachel Jeantel, the Florida teen who was on the phone with Trayvon Martin just moments before his death, as she testifies in the George Zimmerman trial. But one celebrity tweeter, Olympic track star Lolo Jones, recently came under fire after she compared Jeantel to the famous Tyler Perry’s famous alter-ego “Madea.”
Rachel Jeantel looked so irritated during the cross-examination that I burned it on DVD and I’m going to sell it as Madea goes to court.
— Lolo Jones (@lolojones) June 27, 2013
Clearly, this is the month of “celebrities who don’t know when to shut up instead of saying ignorant, offensive comments.” There’s no question that many people see Jeantel as “ghetto,” and it also goes without saying that we live in a society that is both infatuated with the idea of “ratchet” and “ghetto” people, and yet criticizes and despises them at the same time.
But the reality is that Jeantel is a person, and regardless of what stereotypes anyone thinks she falls under. She is a person whose voice matters. Right now, her voice is a critical piece in the murder trial of a young black man, and the outcome of this case will have a greater effect on society at large than any lame joke about Madea or any of the hate that is been spewed about Jeantel online.
Sadly, this isn’t the only ignorant comment that the world has been forced to swallow in recent times. Check out some other offensive celebrity moments below. – nicholas robinson
