Ebony Magazine Apologizes for Editor's Twitter RantFriday, 28 Mar 2014 11:31 PM
By Cathy Burke
Ebony magazine issued an apology Friday after a senior editor engaged in a nasty Twitter exchange with Republican National Committee staffer Raffi Williams, mistakenly calling him "a white dude" and describing conservatives as "roaches."
Jamilah Lemieux came under attack for the Thursday tweets — and refusal to apologize.
For the Conservative trolls in my mentions, I thought @Raffiwilliams was White because I didn't blow up his avi. And I apologized. Go away.
— Jamilah Lemieux (@JamilahLemieux) March 27, 2014
“Ebony strongly believes in the marketplace of ideas," the legendary magazine said in a statement, The Grio reported.
"As the magazine of record for the African American community, Lemieux’s tweets in question do not represent our journalistic standard, tradition or practice of celebrating diverse black thought."
The exchange began when Lemieux tweeted her disdain over plans for a new publication for black conservatives by The Washington Times and Ben Carson, The Grio reported.
"I 100% do not want to know more, I wish I knew less!"
Lemieux tweeted, prompting Williams to reply:
“…wish you knew less? hoped you would encourage diversity of thought.”
https://twitter.com/RaffiwilliamsLemieux shot back: ”Oh great, here comes a White dude telling me how to do this Black thing. Pass.”
After learning Williams was black, Lemieux defended herself, tweeting: "I forgot that tweeting something about a Conservative is like leaving a cookie out in a house full of roaches and turning off the lights."
RNC head Reince Preibus was outraged, writing Ebony's editor-in-chief, “Attacking someone for his or her race, heritage or political views is the very thing Ebony has worked to discourage, and actions like those of Ms. Lemieux are far below the basic standards of journalism."
