During an apparent celebration of Cinco De Mayo, former Republican governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, decided to give his thoughts on Twitter. Within minutes, social media users fired back over his alleged "racist" remarks.
Huckabee backlash
Cinco de Mayo is a yearly celebration in honor of the Mexican army's surprise victory over the French on May 5, 1862 during the Battle of Puebla. For Americans, the day has transformed into a celebration of Mexican-American culture, which usually includes taking part in cultural actives. With the current tension in American politics, most notably involving immigration, the partisan divide has become apparent when it comes to how Democrats and Republicans see the country.
Since the start of the campaign of Donald Trump, and more so since his election, Hispanics in the United States often feel under attack by those on the political right. That tension was reflected after former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee sent out a tweet on May 5 about Cinco de Mayo, which didn't go over well with many Twitter users.
For Cinco de Mayo I will drink an entire jar of hot salsa and watch old Speedy Gonzales cartoons and speak Spanish all day. Happy CdMayo!
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) May 5, 2017
Taking to Twitter on Friday morning, Mike Huckabee made comments that have been labeled as "racist." "For Cinco de Mayo I will drink an entire jar of hot salsa and watch old Speedy Gonzales cartoons and speak Spanish all day," Huckabee tweeted out, before adding, "Happy CdMayo!"
Mike Huckabee's tweets are groundbreaking anti-comedy. He's like a born-again Neil Hamburger. "Drink a bottle of hot salsa?" What the fuck.
— Matt Christman (@cushbomb) May 5, 2017
Twitter reaction
In response to Mike Huckabee's tweet, social media wasn't too kind.
"U gonna tweet on Black History Month that you'll eat watermelon & watch Amos & Andy? Ur casual racism here is astounding," journalist Kurt Eichenwald wrote. "How do you say "racist pig" in Spanish?" Greg Olear tweeted out.
@GovMikeHuckabee Why did you feel like saying something super racist was a thing you ought to do today?
— UbiGabe 🚀 (@UbiGabe) May 5, 2017
@GovMikeHuckabee stick to celebrating your people's culture of wearing khakis from Sears and taking rights away from minorities.
— Dan Ozzi (@danozzi) May 5, 2017
"If that's the only thing you know about my culture, you've lived a very, very sad life," managing editor of CNET Gabriel Sama tweeted out.
"If that's the only thing you know about my culture, you've lived a very, very sad life," writer Courtney Enlow wrote on her Twitter feed. "My dude, just typing "'I am racist' is far faster," another Twitter user wrote. "stick to celebrating your people's culture of wearing khakis from Sears and taking rights away from minorities," author Dan Ozzi went on to write.
@GovMikeHuckabee If that's the only thing you know about my culture, you've lived a very, very sad life.
— Gabriel Sama (@gabosama) May 5, 2017
.@GovMikeHuckabee U gonna tweet on Black History Month that you'll eat watermelon & watch Amos & Andy? Ur casual racism here is astounding.
— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) May 5, 2017
Moving forward
In the hours since the original tweet, hundreds of messages have been left for the former governor, as the rift between the political left and right only continues to widen. As of press time, Mike Huckabee as not yet responded to the backlash over his controversial message.
