Elon Musk took to Twitter to defend cartoonist Scott Adams, whose once-popular comic strip "Dilbert" was dropped from hundreds of newspapers following his recent racist remarks.
In last week's episode of Adams' YouTube show, "Real Coffee with Scott Adams," Adams repeatedly claimed that Black people were members of a "hate group" or a "racist hate group" in response to a poll from the conservative firm Rasmussen Reports that revealed only 53% of Black American respondents agreed with the statement, "It's OK to be White." Adams added that he would no longer "help Black Americans" and advised white Americans "to get the hell away from Black people."
On Sunday, Musk, who currently owns Twitter, replied to a thread that defended Adams, who is white, saying, "The media is racist."
"For a *very* long time, U.S. media was racist against non-white people, now they're racist against whites & Asians," Musk wrote. "Same thing happened with elite colleges & high schools in America. Maybe they can try not being racist."
For a *very* long time, US media was racist against non-white people, now they’re racist against whites & Asians.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 26, 2023
Same thing happened with elite colleges & high schools in America.
Maybe they can try not being racist.
Musk also agreed with another tweet in the reply thread that said, "Adams' comments weren't good. But there's an element of truth to this . . . it's complicated. Mainly we've leaned into identity with predictable results, and power today is complicated. We were on the right path with colorblindness and need to return to it."
In a Saturday episode of his show, Adams clarified his prior statements, asserting that "everyone should be treated as an individual" without discrimination.
"But you should also avoid any group that doesn't respect you, even if there are people within the group who are fine," he added.
Adams' long-running comic, which satirizes white-collar office culture, has so far been discontinued by The Los Angeles Times, the San Antonio Express-News, the USA Today Network, the Plain Dealer in Cleveland and other publications that are part of Advance Local media, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Distributor Andrews McMeel Universal also announced that it's severing ties with the cartoonist, reports NPR.
At @Gannett, we lead with inclusion and strive to maintain a respectful and equitable environment for the diverse communities we serve nationwide. #TeamGannett pic.twitter.com/GvHR1w9ae3
— USA TODAY NETWORK PR (@USATODAY_PR) February 24, 2023
Adams has been a vocal supporter of Donald Trump and is no stranger to controversy, including once questioning the death toll of the Holocaust.
