MLK daughter responds to Amy Schumer: He would call for bombing to 'cease'

Bernice King, the daughter of late civil rights legend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., corrected comedian Amy Schumer over the use of her father's image in a pro-Israel social media post amid the war between the country and militant group Hamas.

“Amy: Certainly, my father was against antisemitism, as am I. He also believed militarism (along with racism and poverty) to be among the interconnected Triple Evils,” King said in an X, a social media platform formerly known as Twitter, post on Tuesday. 

“I am certain he would call for Israel’s bombing of Palestinians to cease, for hostages to be released…” she continued.

King’s X thread came as a response to Schumer’s post on the platform the day before, in which she shared a video from media outlet the Jewish Journal where King spoke about his support of Israel being its own state and his urging his Catholic followers to a stand against anti-Semitism. 

“(A)nd for us to work for true peace, which includes justice. He said, 'Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.' We have much to correct,” King added in her thread, sharing a video clip of her father discussing the Vietnam War, where he said the U.S. should withdraw troops and have ​​“moral power.”

King, who is also the CEO of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, also encouraged Schumer to read a book written by her father called “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” 

“I mourn with all who are mourning,” the civil rights activist concluded in her thread. “I know that we can’t afford to diminish & dehumanize each other if we are truly committed to ridding humanity of the Triple Evils & to freedom from oppression for all.”

Schumer, who is of Jewish descent, has had a vocal pro-Israel stance since Hamas’ surprise attack against Israel early last month, using her various social media platforms to repost and share information about the conflict and raise awareness on the hostages still held by Hamas, according to the Hollywood Reporter. 

Schumer, who is the second cousin of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), was among the more than 30 Hollywood actors and entertainers to sign their names on a letter that urged social media platform TikTok to address the rampant rise of antisemitism on its site. 

It’s been three weeks since Hamas’ surprise attack against Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people in Israel. About 200 others were taken hostage by the militant group. 

In response, Israel has launched a series of airstrikes in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of more than 8,500 people, including thousands of women and children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.