On Thursday, Sally Kohn tweeted that earlier in the day she’d forgotten her wallet, but an “MTA officer let me on the subway for free.” Kohn hashtagged the tweet “#classprivilege #whiteprivilege.” Kohn was then roundly criticized for “turning a kind gesture into a race issue.”
Kohn responded with this question today:
Dear right wing, just curious, if I tweeted how lucky I am re free speech & tag #AmericanPrivilege would you similarly wig out and object??
— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) May 9, 2015
Because First Amendment protections for all Americans can be equated with alleging that the reason somebody gave you a free subway ride was because of your skin color?
@sallykohn Free speech is a right, not a privilege. Called Bill of Rights for a reason. #wordsmeanthings
— Jason Leight (@Jason_Leight) May 9, 2015
Kohn received some helpful schooling:
@sallykohn Wigging out is the synonym for pointing out flawed premise? I find UR comment insincere as U try 2 chill speech U disagree with.
— Stacey (@ScotsFyre) May 9, 2015
https://twitter.com/SMadurski/status/597037134290165760
@sallykohn Dear @sallykohn , no, we wouldn't because it's not similar at all.
— Ex-GOP Greg (@Flying59Vette) May 9, 2015
Free speech isn't "luck." Did CNN use that Men in Black mind eraser tool on you & @ChrisCuomo re: the Constitution? https://t.co/cmZBb5yuzq
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) May 9, 2015
https://twitter.com/RobProvince/status/597035209456951296
@sallykohn @TTom13 Leftist have to keep latching on to that White Privilege agenda. They got nothing else. Baltimore, Detroit, Newark. #dems
— Chainsaw McGurn (@58Bjh) May 9, 2015
@sallykohn even you are protected by our constitution #AmericanPrivilege @HarrietBaldwin
— Karen S (@ksdvm86) May 9, 2015
Free speech isn't a privilege, it's a right. https://t.co/a6KU47T3Bo
— Casey (@space_case12) May 9, 2015
@sallykohn Be thankful for freedom and #AmericanPrivilege. U won't be seeing hashtags #SaudiPrivilege #KoreanPrivilege #YazidiPrivilege
— Harriet Baldwin ?? (@HarrietBaldwin) May 9, 2015
https://twitter.com/SMadurski/status/597035542664974338
@sallykohn Oh, did you repay for the 'free ride you got? Or is the Democrat still too strong in you?
— Jeff McIrish (@JeffMcIrish) May 9, 2015
Kohn showed signs of starting to get it, albeit unintentionally:
https://twitter.com/TTom13/status/597038116914864128
.@TTom13 so being American automatically confers privilege but being white does not?
— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) May 9, 2015
https://twitter.com/JoshToTheSmith/status/597041148360810496
@sallykohn @TTom13 Being American confers RIGHTS that were won with courage, blood and effort. That which has been earned is not 'privilege'
— Jeff McIrish (@JeffMcIrish) May 9, 2015
@sallykohn @TTom13 you don't have to be an American citizen to receive benefits, white, black, Hispanic or any other ethnicity. So no.
— Yam Skinner (@YamSkinner) May 9, 2015
@sallykohn @TTom13 No, not all Americans are white. No matter what color, Americans live better than most other countries.
— Matthew Dempster (@dempstermd) May 9, 2015
@sallykohn How about #AmericanRights ? Privledge implies it can be taken away
— BitterKlinger (@Ohio_Grassman) May 9, 2015
Bottom line:
@sallykohn @TTom13 Geesh, are we still talking about this? Time to move on Sally. Just accept that someone did something nice for you.
— Sherry Swain (@SherrySwain) May 9, 2015
Endorsed!