Over the Fourth of July weekend, actress and left-wing activist Debra Messing bashed musical talent Kanye West for potentially running for the White House in 2020 and “taking” “black voters” away from former Vice President Joe Biden.
In a tweet from an account that has since been protected, @TheRickyDavila tweeted to Messing: “To be clear, Kanye West is a redhat [sic] wearing MAGA Lunatic, so if he’s wanting to run for the Presidency, it’s probably a plan between [T]rump and Kanye to strip whatever support they can away from Biden as a last ditch effort. That’s what I believe.”
Messing was in agreement, and went a step further. The “Will & Grace” star said it was “disgusting” for West, who is black, to “take … black voters from Biden,” who is white.
Absolutely. He’s playing Jill Stein. He’s trying to take you g black voters from Biden. It’s disgusting. https://t.co/9tlAkn3JxU
— Debra Messing✍🏻 (@DebraMessing) July 5, 2020
The comment sparked the ire of Nina Turner, national co-chair of socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) presidential campaign.
“You just can’t stop dipping can you [Debra Messing]? Your connotation is racist,” said Turner, who is black.
“1. Black voters are not owned by anyone,” she continued. “Our vote should be earned every election cycle. 2. We can think for ourselves & don’t need your help. 3. Sometimes it’s best to stay out of family business.”
You just can’t stop dipping can you @DebraMessing? Your connotation is racist🤬.
1. Black voters are not owned by anyone. Our vote should be earned every election cycle. 2. We can think for ourselves & don’t need your help. 3. Sometimes it’s best to stay out of family business. https://t.co/RVsqJFDbS4— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) July 5, 2020
Messing landed herself in hot water last year when she posted support for a sign that said black Trump supporters suffer from “mental illness.”
“Debra Messing apologized for ‘recklessly supporting’ an Alabama church sign that said ‘a black vote for Trump is mental illness,’ and defended herself against accusations of racism in a series of tweets,” Yahoo! reported in September of last year.
“I apologized for liking that church sign. I said I regret it. I shud [sic] have thought before recklessly suppprting [sic],” the actress responded to conservative activist and comedian Terrence K. Williams, a black Trump supporter himself.
NUMBER 1– I apologized for liking that church sign. I said I regret it. I shud have thought before recklessly suppprting. You won’t accept this but black people are targeted by Trump’s GOP for voter supression. Charlottesville was about Trump supporters hating POC and Jews. https://t.co/K0ch9YOQ8F
— Debra Messing✍🏻 (@DebraMessing) September 4, 2019
On Monday, Messing responded to Turner’s reply.
“Oh PLEASE, Nina,” she wrote. “Kanye is a [sic] avowed Trump supporter. Trump’s numbers have plummeted, Trump doubles down on his racist platform at Mt Rushmore, and 100 days before election Kanye is going to announce NOW? I thought you were smarter than than [sic] Nina. Clearly it is an attempt to help.”
Oh PLEASE, Nina. Kanye is a avowed Trump supporter. Trump’s numbers have plummeted, Trump doubles down on his racist platform at Mt Rushmore, and 100 days before election Kanye is going to announce NOW? I thought you were smarter than than Nina. Clearly it is an attempt to help https://t.co/Cszxi5dTB0
— Debra Messing✍🏻 (@DebraMessing) July 6, 2020
In another response to Messing, Turner posted a series of seven tweets blasting the actress for her comments and warning her to never “fix your mouth to question my love for my people,” noting that she has “been a black woman all my life.”
“Debra, Debra, [Debra Messing], so you go from bad to worse,” wrote Turner. “The leader of the Karen coalition strikes again!”
“Although it is customary for the Karens to call the manager on Black folks, how dare you attempt to create public conflict between two Black women leaders … in the public space. Not only is it disrespectful to [Stacey Abrams] and me, it is disrepectful [sic] to our Black foremothers who sacrificed so we could have a voice in the first damn place,” she wrote.
“Your attempt to use Stacey (as if Black women have not been used enough over the last 400 years) as the ‘Black manager friend card’ proves my original point, which is Black people are not a monolith,” Turner stated.
Turner continued: “You questioning my intellect is one of the oldest smears in the book. Black people have faced this stereotype since the inception of this country … It is RACIST to continue insisting that Black people (seasoned or young) will vote for [Kanye West] solely because he is Black. In case you didn’t realize it, Kanye has white & Black fans yet you continue to insult Black voters.”
“Further, since you are into NUMBERS & STATISTICS … over 40% of young Black voters prefer progressive policies over popularity,” said Turner. “My original reply to you was not about Kanye & his intentions to run for president, but about you minimizing Black people’s power at the polls.”
“Lastly,” she wrote, “Don’t You Ever Fix Your Mouth to Question My Love for My People. I have been a Black Woman All My Life!”
in the public space. Not only is it disrespectful to @staceyabrams and me, it is disrepectful to our Black foremothers who sacrificed so we could have a voice in the first damn place. 2. Your attempt to use Stacey (as if Black women have not been used enough 2/
— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) July 7, 2020
It is RACIST to continue insisting that Black people (seasoned or young) will vote for @kanyewest
solely because he is Black. In case you didn't realize it, Kanye has white & Black fans yet you continue to insult Black voters. Further, since you are into NUMBERS & STATISTICS 4/— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) July 7, 2020
Lastly, Don’t You Ever Fix Your🤬Mouth to Question My Love for My People. I have been a Black Woman All My Life! 6/
— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) July 7, 2020
— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) July 7, 2020