Once again, Black Twitter has managed to turn an unfortunate situation into pure hilarity.
Late Thursday night, Yahoo Finance mistakenly tweeted a headline that read, “Trump wants a much n—-r navy: Here’s how much it’ll cost.” The major error quickly sent Black Twitter into a frenzy, but instead of being angry, social media users managed to flip the gaffe into a comical hashtag that took the platform by storm.
Hashtag #NiggerNavy promptly began trending on the popular social media site, as Yahoo Finance scrambled to delete the racially offensive tweet. It took the tech company nearly 20 minutes to realize its blunder and issue an apology, but by that time, the uproarious hashtag had already taken off.
We deleted an earlier tweet due to a spelling error. We apologize for the mistake.
— Yahoo Finance (@YahooFinance) January 6, 2017
By early Friday morning, Black Twitter and #NiggerNavy were No. 1 trending topics, and for obvious reasons.
Social Media user @Hello_From_MARS suggested that if Black America had its own Navy, All Lives Matter supporters would be left to save themselves.
When the U.S.S. All Lives Matter sinking #NiggerNavy pic.twitter.com/GHVcIQKh8L
— STROUD BOYS (@TweetsFromEric_) January 6, 2017
User @brownlashon figured it was time for the national anthem to be upgraded from a slow march to a classic hip-hop banger.
https://twitter.com/brownlashon/status/817255592574058496
Thanksgiving dinner in the #NiggerNavy would probably be late hitting the table, according to @20JC13.
Captain: Have thanksgiving dinner ready by 1400 sailor, we have mouths to feed.
1800: I got two more pies left then we can eat#NiggerNavy pic.twitter.com/CDPlXmWtns
— 🥷🏽 (@frenchadjacent) January 6, 2017
And for some, the #NiggerNavy was an ode to Black Mothers everywhere.
https://twitter.com/mcausome/status/817378905338290177
Me: "Can we stop at the Bahamas?"
General: "Do you got some stop at the Bahamas money?"
— Bari (@DtxBari) January 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/simpson_kareem/status/817251437717487624
USA: we going to war in 5 minutes.
Soldier: Ight, but my mama said i gotta be home by 10:30 #niggernavy— Kel (@__kel1) January 6, 2017
#niggernavy "They're sending me to Korea"
Black Moms: Well until I get Korea parents number you ain't going nowhere
— 𝑻𝒂𝒉𝒋 𝑩. (@TLBC44) January 6, 2017
However, in the midst of the laughable reactions, a few white critics made it known that they didn’t find the faux pas funny at all, and even deemed Black Twitter “racist” for successfully turning a racial slur into something to poke fun at.
https://twitter.com/scrowder/status/817370221782716416
https://twitter.com/MarkDice/status/817293499116568576
https://twitter.com/_LordMC_/status/817306608904482816
But Black Twitter quickly clapped back at its haters for falsely accusing them of being racist towards … themselves? Moreover, many social media users noted that white people were likely angry because they couldn’t join in on the Twitter fun without being deemed racists themselves.
First Yahoo tweets nigger navy
Second Black Twitter jokes about #NiggerNavy. Since white people can't make nigger jokes, they call us racist pic.twitter.com/4rY34fAAuO— Rocky Bilboa (@ThadBaggins) January 6, 2017
How is Black Twitter racist? B/c the community doesn't go out of its way to make white ppl feel comfortable? That's not what racist means.
— Joe Shōgun (@BostonJerry) January 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/AubreyOVOGraham/status/817388423602376706
Black Twitter been hilarious! That is the only place where we can take racists ideals and flip them on their heads. Sorry @CNN #niggernavy
— You better watch those B Words! (@euphoric_mimi) January 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/BobbyBudnic/status/817236807469436928
Other users pointed out the hypocrisy of it all, noting how bitter white critics were quick to call African-Americans racist while seemingly forgetting the race-based atrocities they’ve committed against people of color for centuries.
Black twitter over here chilling.. creating our own lane because yall don't want us in yours, but WE'RE racist and violent. LMAO
— globey’s groove (@MCoveteur) January 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/TalentedVegan/status/817376229632409601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Still, many users lauded the resiliency of the Black community as a whole, applauding its ability to cackle in the in face of racism and bigotry.
"Black twitter" turned #NiggerNavy into a joke. We turned racism into laughter and smiles. You know…what we been doing for centuries…?
— #KIDDKASH💰 (@KIDD__KASH) January 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/FeministaJones/status/817358505820717057
