New Zealand singer Lorde felt the wrath of the internet on Saturday during the height of the Charlottesville riot and subsequent attack when she commented that "all white people" are to blame for the terror that ensued in Virginia.
Lorde on Twitter wrote, "[I] just want to say i'm so, so sorry. all white people are responsible for this system's thrive and fall. we have to do better. i'm sorry."
She followed up the tweet and noted that despite she's not a U.S. citizen, she felt compelled to speak out.
"[B]eing a privileged white non-US citizen, i feel like tweeting to reinforce how horrific POC treatment here is is unnecessary & inappropriate," she added.
i just want to say i'm so, so sorry. all white people are responsible for this system's thrive and fall. we have to do better. i'm sorry
— Lorde (@lorde) August 13, 2017
The singer initially stood by her comments and refused to pull down the offending tweet, but her followers had a field day with her comments.
Later that day, Lorde apologized for the tweet and wrote, "[I] just want to say i'm so, so sorry. all white people are responsible for this system's thrive and fall. we have to do better. i'm sorry."
See some of the responses to Lorde's tweets below.
Generalisation of a race or group of people is racism, so you've kinda got a double edged sword there
— Crème brûlée (@JosephTrevorrow) August 14, 2017
So white people have to take responsibility for Neo-Nazi's but Muslims don't have to take responsibility for Islamic Jihad's?
— Drew Olley™ (@DrewOlley88) August 13, 2017
This is exactly like saying all Muslims are responsible for terrorists. The actions of a few doesn't reflect many and this is generalising
— OddSocksQueen (@CharlieWainw) August 14, 2017
Please Lorde, not you too 😒
— Rachel Tressler (@Rachel_Tressler) August 13, 2017
None of you know what you are talking about. All this perceived privilege begins at home and requires hard work. It's just that simple.
— PRESIDENT Trump (@ForTrump) August 14, 2017
How do I become a privileged white person? Currently just white making less thank 50k a year so I must not be "being white" correctly ...
— Holley L Thacker (@holleylthacker) August 14, 2017
Suggest you stick with music.
— James Blewman (@JBlewman) August 13, 2017
But you're happy to keep all the money you made from your white privilege?
— Gideonomics (@davessidekick) August 14, 2017