Rob Schneider Tried to Explain the Civil Rights Movement to John Lewis — and No One Was Having It

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By Thea Glassman January 17, 2017

Jewish actor Rob Schneider got blasted on Twitter yesterday after he tried to explain Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy to congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis.

The 53-year-old, best known for comedy flicks “The Animal” and “The Hot Chick,” sent out a tweet to Lewis after the activist came under social media cross-fire from President-elect Trump.

“Rep. Lewis. You are a great person. But Dr. King didn’t give in to his anger or his hurt. That is how he accomplished & won Civil Rights,” he tweeted.

Rep. Lewis. You are a great person. But Dr. King didn’t give in to his anger or his hurt. That is how he accomplished & won Civil Rights.

— Rob Schneider (@RobSchneider) January 16, 2017

Schneider, it seems, was responding to Lewis saying that he planned to boycott Trump’s inauguration. (Trump responded that the congressman was “all talk, talk, talk – no action or results. Sad!”)

The internet did not take kindly to Schneider’s attempt to educate Lewis, who was a close friend of King, on the civil rights movement.

@RobSchneider naw man, you’re not the one. pic.twitter.com/UNqSKlDIA9

— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) January 16, 2017

.@RobSchneider don’t whitesplain mlk to the man who literally sat at the table with mlk pic.twitter.com/oAg4VqlEb4

— Oliver Willis (@owillis) January 16, 2017

Rob Schneider lecturing @repjohnlewis is the most embarrassing thing he’s ever done. Yes, this includes The Animal.

— Wil Wheaton (@wilw) January 16, 2017

Rob Schneider: known for his hot takes on racial justice pic.twitter.com/rqdVFregHJ

— Eliza Skinner (@elizaskinner) January 16, 2017

Take heed, @repjohnlewis. If there’s anyone still alive who would know what Dr. King was really like it’s @RobSchneider.

— Sonar Jose (@SonarJose) January 16, 2017

Meanwhile, it appeared Lewis was unconcerned/completely unaware of the whole Schneider twitter debacle. He spent Martin Luther King day tweeting out messages of love for the civil rights hero, calling him a “friend…mentor…like a big brother.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was my friend, my mentor; he was like a big brother.

— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) January 16, 2017

He gave his life for us. pic.twitter.com/tKtk0fvY6J

— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) January 16, 2017

We honor Dr. King’s legacy through service to our community and adherence to the philosophy & discipline of nonviolence #MLKDay #goodtrouble pic.twitter.com/URVlDGT2Yq

— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) January 16, 2017

Thea Glassman is an Associate Editor at the Forward. Reach her at glassman@forward.com or on Twitter at @theakglassman.

Thea Glassman was an associate editor for the Forward. Follow her on twitter @theakglassman.

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