Spike has responded to Donald Trump’s racism accusation, saying " it’s okee-doke, you know. They change the narrative."
When Lee won his first competitive Oscar on Sunday night, he used his speech to rally the crowd ahead of the 2020 elections, saying: “Let’s all be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love versus hate. Let’s do the right thing!” Although Lee didn't mention the president by name, Trump waded in on Twitter saying:
“Be nice if Spike Lee could read his notes, or better yet not have to use notes at all, when doing his racist hit on your President, who has done more for African Americans (Criminal Justice Reform, Lowest Unemployment numbers in History, Tax Cuts,etc.) than almost any other Pres!”
Entertainment Weekly reports that when asked if he had seen the tweet, Lee nodded, then sighed and responded: "Well, it's okee-doke, you know. They change the narrative. They did the same thing with the African American players who were kneeling, trying to make it into an anti-American thing, an anti-patriotic thing, and an anti-military thing. But no one's going for that."
Trump’s attack attracted widespread derision, however some supporters did back him. Comedian Dana Goldberg largely captured much of the prevailing mood:
Spike Lee literally asked the country to make a decision to choose love over hate and YOU got offended. If that doesn't sum up who you are inside...
— Dana Goldberg (@DGComedy) February 25, 2019
For his part, Lee seems to have largely brushed off the President's provocation. Rather than engage Trump in a Twitter spat, Lee has jetted off to Thailand to begin shooting his next movie, the Chadwick Boseman-starring Da 5 Bloods, telling his Instagram followers "BlacKkKlansman, that's over. Like Jay X says, onto the next."
The director shared a transcript of his speech on Instagram, including this moment, which led him on to discuss the 2020 election: "Before the world tonight I give praise to our ancestors who helped build this country and what it is today – along with the genocide of its native people.
"If we all connect with our ancestors for love wisdom and regaining our humanity, it will be a powerful movement."
