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Hollywood actor and vocal Trump supporter Jon Voight created a stir over the weekend after sharing a video on Twitter.
In it the 80year-old actor declares that racism was actually "solved long ago" and that President Trump is "not a racist."
The video came after a weekend in which two mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio claimed the lives of 31 people and injured dozens more, with many blaming Trump's rhetoric about immigrants for being a major contributing factor to the violence in El Paso in particular.
In the video, 80-year-old Voight states that "too many are angered by the voice of racism" pointing out how the issue has persisted for the black community since the Civil War.
But then he proclaims:
"But this has been solved long ago by our forefathers, for peace and love."
He continues:
"It seems that the angered left and the angered minorities want to hold President Trump accountable for past lives. You see, we have been gifted with truth. And as I see it, anger is among the old chains that were binding to the people of slavery. Old wounds that still seem fresh."
After bringing up the Holocaust and then segueing into a patriotic speech about the opportunities that America provides, Voight then turns his focus to defending Trump, saying:
"These angered left-wingers preach love, but only pollute. We must understand that this is a nation of liberty, and this President is honoring all. He is not a racist, but a man who loves his country, and has every intention to make this land great again."
You can watch the entire video below:
Jon Voight’s message for America. https://t.co/xCTOpLPDA4— Jon Voight (@Jon Voight)1564938793.0
People were quick to call out Voight's bizarre speech.
@jonvoight @HONEYDIJON @jemelehill here is an example of how racism has been solved in Galveston Texas recently https://t.co/dEkx2UYUp1— Don Crisp (@Don Crisp)1565107116.0
@jonvoight Does black twitter know racism is over? Or will fedex not deliver the memo without a signature?— Naveed Jamali (@Naveed Jamali)1565155744.0
@jonvoight Wow, Jon spot on. I'll tell my African American neighbor to get over it after another Chevy Tahoe driver… https://t.co/eMffVx2Rxv— Dodge Ram Owner (@Dodge Ram Owner)1564967012.0
“Racism was solved long ago by our forefathers with peace and love” is a remarkable interpretation. https://t.co/eh7lOWhcnA— Seth Masket (@Seth Masket)1565125757.0
@jonvoight Did he really just say that racism was solved by our forefathers? The same forefathers who owned slaves?— 𝙼𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝙱𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚍 (@𝙼𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝙱𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚍)1565115794.0
Man. This popped up on my TL and you know how someone is serious and you can’t stop laughing. This looks like his… https://t.co/Owlf8Nhg8H— Bakari Sellers (@Bakari Sellers)1565119813.0
An old rich white man explaining that racism is over didn't sit well with many.
If there was an Oscar for banal whitesplaining, Jon Voight deserves one. Racism "has been solved by our forefathers… https://t.co/TMiBLtyHUi— Steve Silberman (@Steve Silberman)1565126186.0
Jon Voight’s message: “If I, as a rich white man, am not affected by racism in America, how can anyone be?!” https://t.co/lxSO8hR3PV— David Griner (@David Griner)1565119095.0
@jonvoight says racism “has been solved long ago.” So...what? The perpetrators of racist murders in Charlottesvil… https://t.co/k3eJio7pMt— Leonard Pitts, Jr. (@Leonard Pitts, Jr.)1565127539.0
@jonvoight https://t.co/gBDdkuc3wx— Kevin ██ (@Kevin ██)1565089098.0
People weren't feeling any sympathy for Trump either.
@jonvoight He mocks the disabled, calls Mexicans rapists, Nazis fine people, pays pornstars, cheats on 3 wives, put… https://t.co/eifhc2HDcv— Brazen Politics 🌊🌊 (@Brazen Politics 🌊🌊)1565099000.0
@jonvoight @vee817 Give me a break. Trump thrives on dissent, on fomenting hate and he lives his white supremacy id… https://t.co/BdmHkkozOL— Beki Knott (@Beki Knott)1565148829.0
@jonvoight Here’s my message for America. Vote out the racist president in 2020. Vote Blue.— Cindy (@Cindy)1565109541.0
Voight has famously had a complicated relationship with his daughter, Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie.
And if this is any indication of what Jolie has had to deal with her entire life, perhaps we can see why.
@jonvoight No wonder he's estranged from Angelina.— ★彡Breiterbart★彡 (@★彡Breiterbart★彡)1565137485.0
@jonvoight Used to feel sorry for this guy... now I see why Angelina dumped him 😳🤷🏽♀️— Roslyn (@Roslyn)1565126348.0
Not a good look, Mr. Voight.
Get back in that Anaconda's stomach, would ya? https://t.co/EZ0WxLGndO— Jonathan Barkan (@Jonathan Barkan)1565127259.0
The book America's Unholy Ghosts: The Racist Roots of Our Faith and Politics is available here to learn more about the current state of institutional, documented racism in the United States.
Perhaps someone could send a copy to Jon?