Khloe Kardashian made an Instagram post on the same day her sister, Kim, also posted a Photoshopped image of her exposed butt, and while the unclothed Kim Kardsashian photo was supposed to “break the internet,” the Khloe Instagram seems to have broken Khloe’s relationship with her fans who were disturbed and angry that the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star appeared to find humor in comparing her family to the Ku Klux Klan.
The Instagram meme was a presumable reference to the fact that Khloe and her sister Kim Kardashian have dated and married African-American men, and included a picture of Kardashian sisters Kourtney, Khloe, and Kim with the caption, “The only KKK to ever let black men in.”
Kourtney’s boyfriend Scott Disick reposted the meme on his own Instagram , adding the comment, “And a Jew,” a reference to the fact that Disick, himself, is Jewish.
The Ku Klux Klan, of course — in addition to holding a violently anti-Semitic ideology — has been responsible for thousands of murders and lynchings of American black people throughout its history. By one estimate, between 1882 and 1951 , 3,437 blacks and 1,293 whites were lynched in the United States, with the KKK being involved in a large percentage of those brutal killings.
In the 1960s, the KKK made an unwelcome comeback in response to the civil rights movement, and according to the Southern Poverty Law Center , which monitors the activities of hate groups, “the Klan’s bombings, murders and other attacks took a great many lives, including, among others, four young girls killed while preparing for Sunday services at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama.”
The SPLC describes the Klan as “the most infamous — and oldest — of American hate groups.”
Nonetheless, Khloe Kardashian on Tuesday linked the Kardashian-KKK meme with the comment, “true.” But once reaction from fans, even those claiming to “love the Kardashians” poured in, the photo was quickly deleted.
Dear @khloekardashian : Having a few black friends DOES NOT make it okay for YOU to joke about the severity of the KKK. It’s ignorant&racist.
— T. Stokes (@taystokes19) November 12, 2014
The fact that Khloe even celebrating being associated with the KKK given their role in black genocide through the times… — Carmela Corl?eauxn (@SheSeauxSaditty) November 12, 2014
Date the whole NBA, who cares? But show a modicum of respect. The Klan killed and terrorized our people. @khloekardashian
— Jamilah Lemieux (@JamilahLemieux) November 12, 2014
If you’re a white woman (ahem Khloe) who’s dated or married a black man, one would assume you’d get why a KKK joke isn’t even remotely funny — Derrick Clifton (@DerrickClifton) November 12, 2014
Your brother-in-law made a remake of a song about Black men being lynched and you’re out here consigning KKK jokes, @khloekardashian ?
— Right Up Your Ali (@mstharrington) November 12, 2014
Bill Cosby’s social media consultant on his/her knees thanking the man above for Khloe Kardashian — CJ Fogler (@cjzero) November 12, 2014
Disick, however, left the photo up — despite the outpouring of anger.
The Khloe Kardashian Instagram meme had occasional defenders, however.
People offended by the Khloe Kardashian tweet need to lighten up and get a sense of humor. It was a distasteful tweet but not offensive
— CHAD (@adventurewithCJ) November 12, 2014
While she has yet to comment directly on her Instagram post, Khloe Kardashian did post another photo on Instagram that consisted only of a neon sign spelling out the phrase, “We’re all equally f****d up. Some only hide it better.” Khloe Kardashian also posted a pair of tweets that seemed to make reference to her own suffering, following the Instagram controversy.
“I don’t think I could love you so much if you had nothing to complain of and nothing to regret. (Part 1)
— Khloé (@khloekardashian) November 13, 2014
I don’t like people who have never fallen or stumbled. Their virtue is lifeless and of little value. (Part 2)
— Khloé (@khloekardashian) November 13, 2014
