Morgan Freeman criticized the terms “Black History Month” and “African American” on Saturday, claiming each terms were “insults”.
85-year-old actor told The Sunday Times the annual celebration – which takes place every February and celebrates black cultural achievements – has negative connotations for him and “regulates” his culture to simply 4 weeks.
“I can say two things in public that I don’t love,” said the “Million Dollar Baby” star. “Black History Month is an insult. Are you going to downgrade my story to a month?
“Also, the term “African American” is an insult. I do not subscribe to that title,” Freeman continued. “Black people had different titles all the way in which all the way down to the n-word and I do not know the way things get that catch, but all of them use the word ‘African American.’ What does it really mean?
Last 12 months, Freeman got punched for it narrating the opening segment of the FIFA World Cuptitled “The Calling” on the Al-Bayt Stadium in Doha, amid ongoing allegations of human rights abuses within the Middle East.
“We gather here as one great tribe, and the Earth is the tent all of us live in,” the Oscar winner told the gathering.
Several online critics criticized Freeman’s involvement.
“For the person who played Nelson Mandela – who knew higher than anyone the impact and importance of isolation on a rustic and his success on the bottom to vary the politics of this country” tweeted one indignant fan. “It is so disappointing that #MorganFreeman is taking money and supporting an oppressive regime.”
“Morgan Freeman is absolutely determined to go all the way down to the deepest level of hell, huh” tweeted other person.
“Qatar is there with Morgan Freeman who spits words like unity/inclusion to advertise tourism and then doesn’t practice it” turned on commentator. “For everybody who ‘their country, their rules’ are there in droves, sure. But then they cannot lie about what it’s really about simply to get money.