If you've spent any time on planet Earth, you've probably heard the "I can't be racist because I have friends who are (insert group they just did or said something racist about here)."
It's downright predictable.
But that doesn't stop people from still trying to use it to explain away racist words or actions.
The latest to raise the "some of my best friends..." defense is #1 son, Donald Trump Jr. in his new book.
In this instance, though, Jr. is making a case that current President Donald Trump Sr. can't be racist despite repeated examples of racist language or actions throughout his father's life.
The get out of racism free card Trump Jr. is playing?
When singer Michael Jackson owned property in Trump Tower, Don Sr. let Jr. play video games with him.
Donald Trump Jr. says the president "isn't very good at being racist" because he let his son hang out with Michael… https://t.co/J0MyJhaSz0— Newsweek (@Newsweek) 1572975605.0
HBCU Donald Trump Jr. Says Michael Jackson's Friendship Is Proof Dad Isn't Racist https://t.co/UOfwJuUZWW https://t.co/waDZ9BP39Q— HBCU News Channel (@HBCU News Channel) 1572986824.0
Trump Jr: Would a racist "let his son...hang out with Michael Jackson"? https://t.co/39IgJFuDaF https://t.co/TeeyKaTr4C— The Hill (@The Hill) 1572998285.0
Trump Jr. says dad letting him hang out with Michael Jackson means he’s not racist. "If he's a racist, he's sure n… https://t.co/Mdlg2pNebE— Complex (@Complex) 1572978430.0
Although not everyone reported the news with quite the same... neutrality.
The Trump family is trying to use Michael Jackson's name to clean up their racism. https://t.co/CJIBB65ZQG— NewsOne (@NewsOne) 1572998400.0
Anyway...
Case closed!
@Complex Racism is officially ended after this statement.— ken 🗣💯 STAN PATRICK WILLIAMS (@ken 🗣💯 STAN PATRICK WILLIAMS) 1572978594.0
That's the clearest, clear cut case of "not a racist" ever, in the history of the world.
Bigly.
@thehill The Trump's version of "I'm not racist 'cause I have a black friend."— Jack (but not THAT Jack) (@Jack (but not THAT Jack)) 1572998545.0
@YahooNews 1) “I can’t be racist. Some of my best friends are black.” 2) Yikes— Zefram Marks (@Zefram Marks) 1572985208.0
@YahooNews 1. Some of my best friends... 2. Bet he never stayed at the Trump's house overnight.— Liz Sammon🌈 🇺🇸 (@Liz Sammon🌈 🇺🇸) 1572987229.0
Donald Trump Jr. says his dad can’t be racist cause he let him and his brother play video games with Michael Jackso… https://t.co/UfWign55k6— Cyrus McQueen (@Cyrus McQueen) 1572833610.0
@BaronChau91 @Newsweek That’s right! The first thing a racist person says is: I’m not racist because I have black f… https://t.co/DL1NwTKoyI— Chuck (@Chuck) 1572977456.0
Jr.—or someone—wrote:
"Oh, and by the way, given all the things my father has been called, particularly a 'racist,' it sure sounds odd that he'd let his son vacation with a black man or hang out with Michael Jackson, doesn't it? If he's a racist, he's sure not very good at it."
Apparently dad improved his racism skills when he was cited for race based housing discrimination, made racist statements about Native Americans in congressional testimony, took out full page ads calling for the death penalty for innocent young men of color then refused to admit he was wrong after the Central Park Five were exonerated, made false claims about Muslims in New Jersey on 9/11, made false claims about Mexicans and Central and South American immigrants, told women of color in Congress to go back to their own countries, inspired more than one White nationalist to commit, plan or promote violence...etc....
@Newsweek uh...he isn't very good at most things, I grant him that. But he's pretty outstanding at being racist.— Tim, Travelling Historian (@Tim, Travelling Historian) 1572977749.0
Yes, no matter what his record says or what he's said or done, Donald Trump Sr. is clearly not very good at racism. 🙄
*confused barking* https://t.co/bJ4GbVmQLW— Racism Watchdog (@Racism Watchdog) 1572982579.0
Oddly, not everyone is buying what Jr. is selling even though Trump has used the "I know a famous Black person!" defense more than once.
Any old photo of Trump with Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton is supposed to be irrefutable proof that Trump can’t be ra… https://t.co/EIm4JPDQ52— Keith Boykin (@Keith Boykin) 1572990955.0
Don Jr thinks the fact that his dad let him play video games with Michael Jackson (!) as a kid proves the president… https://t.co/RPgzOZy5rJ— Mehdi Hasan (@Mehdi Hasan) 1572841073.0
So Don Jr tries to put forth that his Dad is not a racist because he let his son hang out with Michael Jackson! No,… https://t.co/VLM77DI3mD— Aad Gadgie (@Aad Gadgie) 1572971303.0
@thehill The short answer to Donald Trump Jr. asking would a racist let his son meet Michael Jackson and access to… https://t.co/GO5BexxcED— 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐞 (@𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐞) 1572974176.0
@exavierpope @thehill Trump liked to be seen hanging out with hard to access stars as it would boast his own Narcis… https://t.co/EDEnpBUfd5— Texas Bear (@Texas Bear) 1572986056.0
Twitter user Nepotist 45 (@Nepotism45) pointed out you can treat a whole group of people badly while treating individuals in that group well by asking:
"QUESTION: How can a serial killer be a serial killer if he has friends that are alive?"
@Nepotism45 @DonaldJTrumpJr YOU, sir, win all the internets today.— THE REEL QSTORM (@THE REEL QSTORM) 1572983465.0
Don Jr.'s argument—and book—aren't quite getting the response he hoped for among people who don't own anything with MAGA printed on it.
Trump's idiot son — no, the OTHER idiot son — says the friendship his father had with Michael Jackson is proof that… https://t.co/kNgd3npSlA— Victor Laszlo (@Victor Laszlo) 1572998416.0
@RacismDog @immnamna Your Dad would have let you play with John Wayne Gacy if he thought it would improve his social standing.— MotherHood (@MotherHood) 1572982944.0
@YahooNews https://t.co/zVtyA8MUoc— Patricia (@Patricia) 1572978468.0
People had alternate explanations for why Don Sr. was friendly with Michael Jackson.
@thehill The draw of celebrity was always too much for Trump to resist.— Susanb (@Susanb) 1572998454.0
@thehill Problem is Michael Jackson wasn't an ordinary African American he was "King of Pop" so there is a differen… https://t.co/R9by4XSe0g— Barb (@Barb) 1572999398.0
@thehill It's not the color but the dollars that trump sees.— Carole S (@Carole S) 1573001173.0
@thehill We all know wealth transcends race anyway. You’re good, so long as you’re one of the “elite”.— Steve Markow (@Steve Markow) 1572998471.0
Don Jr.'s book with a long name designed to pander to his father's support base was released on November 5, 2019.
Also released on 11-5-2019 was Figgered: My Dad is Bigger Than Your Dad, available here.
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