Former CNN Anchor Soledad O’Brien has been met with widespread ridicule after she tried to claim the term “woke” is a “racist slur.”
In a post on Twitter, O’Brien went as far as to raise the alarm to other reporters that “woke” is “a synonym for the N-word.”
In her post, O’Brien shared a screenshot of a tweet from Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) blasting “wokeness.”
While commenting on the Super Bowl pregame show, Greene wrote, “Chris Stapleton just sang the most beautiful national anthem at the Super Bowl.
“But we could have gone without the rest of the wokeness.”
O’Brien tweeted in response, “So reporters.. for many people ‘woke’ means Black people.
“Or more likely–a racist slur.
“So maybe do a better job in interviews when people talk about ‘wokeness’ mmkay?”
So reporters.. for many people "woke" means Black people. Or more likely–a racist slur. So maybe do a better job in interviews when people talk about 'wokeness' mmkay? pic.twitter.com/cA94MQWpdM
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) February 13, 2023
After a backlash to her first tweet, O’Brien responded by doubling down.
“Yeah I’ve discovered that some people use it as a synonym for the n-word,” she said in response to a Twitter user who wrote, “I never understood what woke means.”
Yeah I've discovered that some people use it as a synonym for the n-word.
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) February 13, 2023
Many social media users mocked O’Brien over her assertion.
“I mention ‘woke’ all the time and I’ve never thought about it as a euphemism for black folks. Like, ever,” black police officer Zeek Arkham wrote.
“In fact, I know more white folks who bend over backwards for ‘wokeness’ than anything.
“Speaking of reporters, I remember when you were a respectable one.”
I mention “woke” all the time and I’ve never thought about it as a euphemism for black folks. Like, ever. In fact, I know more white folks who bend over backwards for “wokeness” than anything.
Speaking of reporters, I remember when you were a respectable one.
— Zeek Arkham 🇺🇸 (@ZeekArkham) February 14, 2023
Former “Superman” actor Dean Cain agreed, writing, “I don’t know a single person who uses ‘woke’ in that way.
“Quit reaching,” he added.
I don’t know a single person who uses “woke” in that way. Quit reaching. https://t.co/LhH33U297h
— Dean Cain (@RealDeanCain) February 14, 2023
“That anyone ever took Soledad O’Brien seriously… wow,” radio host Jason Rantz tweeted.
American Spectator publisher Melissa Mackenzie remarked, “Most woke people I know aren’t black, they’re rich and white and leftist.
“For example, ANTIFA is woke.”
“Literally zero of us use wokeness as a fill in for race,” conservative writer Robby Starbuck wrote.
“What an embarrassing thing to say.
“Wokeness is the self righteous virtue signaling cultural revolution that seeks to strip away our shared norms in favor of new norms that conform to an extremely far left view of the world.”
“Only dogs hear dog whistles,” Townhall writer Derek Hunter commented.
Regarding the backlash to her tweet, O’Brien joked, “And here I am… just riding my horse this morning and missing all the drama.”
And here I am… just riding my horse this morning and missing all the drama 🐴🐴 https://t.co/tS9HfntLfG
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) February 14, 2023
However, O’Brien then responded positively to a Twitter user who wrote, “When you look at the responses, these idiots prove her point.”
“Every time,” O’Brien replied with a heart emoji.
Every time ❤️
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) February 14, 2023
Some reporters also supported O’Brien’s claims suggesting that “woke” should be treated like a racial slur.
“Newsrooms, your Black reporters have only been saying this for….two years,” ProPublica reporter Nicole Carr wrote.
BRProud news director John Walton tweeted, “What she said.”
“Friends, some advice,” former WCIA broadcaster Paul Cicchini shared.
“THIS part,” The Virginian-Pilot editor Denise Watson wrote.
https://twitter.com/Denisewrites/status/1625250268097966110
The tweet followed a similar viral situation in December when former Ohio lawmaker Nina Turner challenged Twitter CEO Elon Musk to define the word “woke.”
Found in closet at Twitter HQ fr 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/3xSI3KvvHk
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 23, 2022
Multiple users described the term as pushing “Marxist oppression narratives.”
