Amy Schumer’s statements about the Israel-Hamas war and the captivity of hostages have stirred backlash online, but her use of quotes by Martin Luther King Jr. to push her points has caught the eye of his youngest daughter, Bernice King.
The comedian has been in the spotlight as of late for her various social media posts since the onset of the Oct. 7 attacks that ignited the war in the Gaza Strip and West Bank region.
It is estimated that 10,000 people have been killed — 8,500 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis — since the conflict entered its fourth week. Hundreds of others, including some Americans, have been held hostage by Hamas.
Schumer, who is Jewish, is among over 100 entertainers and executives who signed an Oct. 23 open letter to President Joe Biden showing their support for the #NoHostageLeftBehind campaign. Other notable signees include Chris Rock, Jordan Peele, Justin Timberlake, Sean Combs, Tiffany Haddish, and Tyler Perry.
In several of the posts shared on the “Trainwreck” actress’ Instagram, she has also drawn attention to attacks on Jewish people, sometimes in what has been perceived as an attempt to highlight parallels between the killings of people in the war-torn region and the genocide of Jews during the Holocaust. She’s also drawn criticism for equating Hamas to all Gazans and Arabs. Schumer disabled comments on her Instagram posts between Oct. 7 and Oct. 31.
However, a video compilation Schumer shared of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. discussing Israel and extending support to the Jewish community has spearheaded a flood of backlash against the actress.
“The whole world must see that Israel must exist, and has the right to exist, and is one of the great outposts of democracy in the world,” said Martin in a clip from 1967. The video goes on to show him stating, “I would still take a stand against antisemitism because it’s wrong, it’s unjust, and it’s evil,” and that he would “take a stand against bigotry.”
Bernice King, the daughter of the late activist, took issue with the usage of her father’s words. In a thread of tweets, she called Schumer to task.
She began, “Certainly, my father was against antisemitism, as am I. He also believed militarism (along with racism and poverty) to be among the interconnected Triple Evils. I am certain he would call for Israel’s bombing of Palestinians to cease, for hostages to be released.”
and for us to work for true peace, which includes justice.
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) November 1, 2023
He said, “Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.”
We have much to correct.
Here is a clip of my father talking about withdrawing from the Vietnam War and “moral power.”#MLK pic.twitter.com/Y0ZMp1K6qa
She then advised the stand-up comic to fully educate herself on the teachings of the civil rights icon. “I encourage you to read ‘Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?’ I mourn with all who are mourning. I know that we can’t afford to diminish & dehumanize each other if we are truly committed to ridding humanity of the Triple Evils & to freedom from oppression for all,” wrote King.
The entertainer was also blatantly called out by other members of social media. “Amy Schumer is using MLK to justify genocide. Call it what it is,” wrote an X user in response to the controversial video post. Another person stated, “I really hate that MLK’s daughter has to constantly challenge people like Amy who use her father’s legacy and his speeches to validate their perversions of the truth.”
I really hate that MLK’s daughter has to constantly challenge people like Amy who use her fathers legacy and his speeches to validate their perversions of the truth. https://t.co/RQWHSGXkxG
— Tops (@SincerelyTops) November 1, 2023
Other’s remarks were more scathing. “To use MLK to justify genocide is actually f—ing DEPRAVED. If there is a hell this b—h has a one-way ticket no matter what she does from this moment forward,” read a comment.
This isn’t the first time Schumer has called on the words of King. She previously used a photo of the late activist in an Oct. 12 Instagram post with the following quote: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Unlike the video, it was not shredded by outraged social media users due to it not being widely shared on other platforms.
However, the comedian sensed that the intention of her post was misconstrued and issued a statement on Nov. 1, just one day after Bernice educated her on the consequences of misusing the historical figure’s words.
“Couple things. What I want is EVERY HOSTAGE BACK. I want safety and freedom from Hamas for Palestinians and Israelis. I want safety for Jewish people and Muslims as well. Everyone. Just like you. I want peace. You will never see me wishing harm on anyone. Saying I’m Islamophobic or that I like genocide is crazy,” she wrote.
The “Last Comic Standing” alum then enabled comments but first cleared up a few facts about herself, namely that she came from humble beginnings, that she met her cousin, Sen. Chuck Schumer, 17 years ago—on Oct. 25, she posted support for a bill he has endorsed that would provide Israel with substantial financial aid. The post was met with mixed reactions.
Trending NOW:
Never miss a story — sign up for ATLANTA BLACK STAR’S free daily newsletters to stay up-to-date on the latest developments from top news headlines to celebrity news.
