Is it ever a good time to be Joyce Carol Oates? The jury’s still out on that one. But one thing’s for sure: This is definitely not her week.
As Twitchy told you, Joyce dove head-first into a dumpster fire earlier this week when she basically said that Mississippians are illiterate, book-banning hicks.
So funny! If Mississippians read, Faulkner would be banned. https://t.co/vK7EEBxmOX
— Joyce Carol Oates (@JoyceCarolOates) October 18, 2017
Aside from the overt anti-Southern bigotry of her remarks, there’s also the racist implications, as Mississippi has the highest black population of any state. Whoops.
Well anyway, that hot take was apparently a cringeworthy chaser to other ill-advised comments from the day before.
Oates is on a roll, folks. https://t.co/MqsHvU2izg
— Alex Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) October 20, 2017
She really is:
If one objects to a white writer writing about non-whites, does one also object to non-white writers writing about whites?
— Dan Therriault (@dantherriault) October 17, 2017
& what of highly educated, cultured blacks (like brilliant Jean Toomer) writing of illiterate, barely articulate Southern Negroes? https://t.co/1ddWRYGdEs
— Joyce Carol Oates (@JoyceCarolOates) October 17, 2017
Hmmmm …
— RBe (@RBPundit) October 20, 2017
What
— Danielle A. Jackson (@danielleamir) October 20, 2017
Say what?
— Mimi (@green22bean) October 20, 2017
What the hell?
— Eddie S. Glaude Jr. (@esglaude) October 20, 2017
What the hell?!
— Akash Gay Saran ?️? (@AkashSmarts) October 20, 2017
Uh wut https://t.co/ckGA9VlAV6
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) October 20, 2017
What the actual fuck
— Rainne (@chanceofrainne) October 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/_ElizabethMay/status/921399352412827648
How is it possible for one person to be this consistently tone-deaf?
Damn, you again? pic.twitter.com/fGpXq9DH9B
— Laurie Bertram Roberts✊??️?♿️? (@smartstatistic) October 20, 2017
And what of supposedly great writers making ignorant, context-free comments about literature and race?
— A Girl Has No Name (@karalive99) October 20, 2017
Tell us more, Joyce. But, not too many of those B I G words, now. You know we barely articulate, illiterate Southern Negroes won’t relate. pic.twitter.com/MyFRSfmnuL
— BrilliantBad&Boujee (@LOfficielEbony) October 20, 2017
I'm a proud literate Southern Negro.
— Chocolate Covered Cherry (@msmyrafaye) October 20, 2017
Oh dear yeah this is super racist, please do better.
— “I’m Gonna Tell My Kids” Meme Hate Account (@csilverandgold) October 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/mensah4000/status/921396111620919302
I’m disappointed in you. Seriously. Just sad.
— Marvin Webb (@marvinwebb) October 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/youarerad/status/921381310844698625
"& what of highly educated, cultured blacks (like brilliant Jean Toomer) writing of illiterate, barely articulate Southern Negroes?" pic.twitter.com/wAuElpVGMs
— One of The Blacks, YAHERDME (@Black_Ted_Mosby) October 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/barrielibrary/status/921381324337774592
https://twitter.com/_peech/status/921377532817100800
Lol stop
— Nate Marshall (@illuminatemics) October 20, 2017
You really need to stop. Just stop.
— jessica ⚡ (@hullojess) October 20, 2017
…wow.
You need to take several seats.
Immediately.
— bae arthur (@mostlybiscuit) October 20, 2017
You need to stop tweeting.Your generalizations about who reads and who you consider cultured have made me no longer want to read your books.
— Leah Rachel von Essen (@reading_while) October 20, 2017
"Barely articulate Southern Negroes" = the last words I'll ever read by Oates.
— Alanna Cotch (@alanna_cotch) October 20, 2017
Jesus Joyce. It's time to log off
— matthew's cool tweets zone (@mmmontycarlo) October 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/mollypriddy/status/921400126597349378
https://twitter.com/notthatalexjone/status/921403781308473344
No. No no no no no no no no. Delete your account.
— Fancy Holiday Katie ??? (@katiemenn) October 20, 2017
Um. Rethink. Or just delete your account.
— ραттι ∂ιgн (@pattidigh) October 20, 2017
Join the Conversation
VIP members get the ability to comment on articles.