A Tennesee boy describing the bullying he goes through each day has gone viral and as many celebrities have given him their support the conversation has quickly turned to his mother’s Confederate ties. Keaton Jones tearfully explained to his mother what he experiences from students and the revelation is heartbreaking, but social media users have been zeroing in on Kimberly Jones, whose pro-Confederate photos have sparked outrage.
First came the anti-bullying video from her son. Posted over the weekend, Keaton tells his mother how kids at school torment him.
“They make fun of my nose, they call me ugly, say I have no friends,” Keaton says in a Facebook video. “They pour milk on me and put ham down my clothes.”
Despite his hurt, Keaton had a message of hope for other kids who may be experiencing the same torment.
“I don’t like that they do it to me and I sure don’t like that they do it to other people ’cause it’s not OK,” he continued. “People that are different don’t need to be criticized about it ’cause it’s not their fault. But if you are made fun of just don’t let it bother you. Stay strong, I guess.”
But Keaton doesn’t have to be strong alone. Many famous faces — from LeBron James to Cardi B — have encouraged the boy and taken his side.
Damn right! Bullies are straight up wack, corny, cowards, chumps, etc, etc! Keaton keep your head up buddy and push forward! You're the best https://t.co/pqDgay77l9
— LeBron James (@KingJames) December 11, 2017
I can’t get that boy I️n that video out my mind 😪I wish i can give him a hug and beat the shit out them kids that pick on him .I don’t care if they kids 👊🏽👊🏽FUCK YOU !!
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) December 10, 2017
And i don’t cry much ,actually i do 😂but that video had me fucked up all night long 😪😪😪😢😢Shit hurt me like it’s my own
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) December 10, 2017
That’s a damn shame. Keaton if your around when we play in Memphis i would love to invite you to one of our games. Head up Champ! https://t.co/Moh9ObdgX8
— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) December 11, 2017
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcj-qNHjRY7/?hl=en&taken-by=badgalriri
https://www.instagram.com/p/BciHk-4Djl7/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bchv-mkj9Uv/
However, the positivity soon dwindled as his mother’s apparent racism has led to a very different response online — and could be why the original Keaton video has been privatized or deleted on Jones’ Facebook page.
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Once Bullied for Her Dark Skin, Fifth-Grader Now Confidently Struts Her Stuff
Students Hug It Out with Brooklyn Youth Who Was Being Bullied
“Dear butt [sic] hurt Americans, If you aren’t bleeding, no bones are sticking out and you can breathe, STOP crying!” she wrote in part in an August 25 Facebook post, which was around the time the NFL national anthem protest controversy was reignited.
Some have chimed in on the Black celebrities who backed Keaton before Jones’ stance went public.
Others still vowed to support Keaton.
And several were still unmoved.
In response, a Keaton Jones Instagram account, purportedly managed by his mother, issued an apology for her past Facebook posts.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BckHI6UhAVG/?taken-by=keatonjones11
