Samuel L. Jackson's 'racist' reason for voting Obama: 'Because he was black'
In an interview with Ebony, Jackson shares his views on the American political system. Not everyone is appreciative
Amid grumbling from some black intellectuals and media personalities about Obama's record on tackling poverty, says Newsweek's Allison Samuels, Black Hollywood is weighing how much to support President Obama's reelection campaign. When Ebony asked actor Samuel L. Jackson where he stood, his answer raised some eyebrows. Obama's "message didn't mean sh*t to me," Jackson said, according to the New York Post. "I just hoped he would do some of what he said he was gonna do." Implying that Obama has not yet been able to behave like a "scary" "n*gga," Jackson said he hopes Obama will be more "scary" in his second term, "cuz he ain't gotta worry about getting re-elected." "I voted for Barack because he was black," Jackson said. "Cuz that’s why other folks vote for other people — because they look like them." Is this an honest insight, or gross intolerance?
Give him points for honesty: Well, "leave it to Samuel L. Jackson to keep it real," says ReBecca Theodore-Vachon in The Urban Daily. Agree with him or not, he "has no shame in his game that he voted for President Obama because of his race."
"Samuel L. Jackson: 'I voted for Obama because he was black'"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Jackson's an "ignorant buffoon": The Pulp Fiction star "clearly is proud that he never lets politics get in the way of his bigotry," but he's also empirically wrong, says Selwyn Duke in American Thinker. After all, Obama won 43 percent of the white vote in 2008, including 54 percent of young whites, proving that at least "whites can be colorblind." On the other hand, 96 percent of blacks supported Obama. Make of that what you will.
"Samuel L. Jackson drops the act"
This is insulting... to Obama: All this interview tells us is that Jackson is so worried about his career he feels the need to "make some ridiculous, racist, disgusting comments about President Obama," says Mikel Alger in Impre. People voted for Obama because they wanted change, and "one of these changes was better relations between the races and cultures of the United States." And calling the president a "n***er"? No way, Jackson. "Hopefully these statements are the end of his career."
"Jackson calls Obama the N-Word: What does this say to non-blacks?"
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The toilet roll tax: UK's strange VAT rules
The Explainer 'Mysterious' and 'absurd' tax brought in £168 billion to HMRC last year
By The Week UK Published
-
Why is Tesla stumbling?
In the Spotlight More competition, confusion about the future and a giant pay package for Elon Musk
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
How Taylor Swift changed copyright negotiations in music
under the radar The success of Taylor's Version rerecordings has put new pressure on record labels
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published