Back in May, MSNBC host Touré got in trouble on Twitter, as follows:
The power of whiteness: RT @hope_and_chains: My family survived a concentration camp, came to the US w/ nothing, LEGALLY, and made it work.
— Touré (@Toure) May 23, 2014
Touré’s sharp comment came amid a Twitter spat in response to the very hotly discussed story by Ta-Nehisi Coates in the Atlantic making the case for reparations. Responding to a backlash, Touré used the same platform to issue an apology:
Late last week, I foolishly got involved in a twitter exchange regarding an article about reparations… (1 of 3).
— Touré (@Toure) May 27, 2014
It was a dumb idea by me to debate serious and nuanced topics in 140 characters or less… (Cont.)
— Touré (@Toure) May 27, 2014
In an attempt to comment on racism in post World War II America, I used a shorthand that was insensitive and wrong. (Cont.)
— Touré (@Toure) May 27, 2014
…I am very sorry and will make sure this doesn’t happen again.
— Touré (@Toure) May 27, 2014
To make sure it didn’t happen again, Touré opted for a very certain remedy: He has stopped tweeting, at least from his official account.
Guys, Touré hasn’t tweeted since May. https://t.co/QJmIOlsIp2
— Dorsey Shaw (@dorseyshaw) July 14, 2014
Touré’s apology followed a string of other MSNBC apologies following stumbles across various platforms, raising a question as to whether the network’s management asked the host to back off of Twitter. No, says spokeswoman Leshelle V. Sargent: “It was Touré’s personal choice to stop tweeting after deciding he has more valuable things to do than be on Twitter. This was not a push or decision made by management.”
