During a segment on CNN about the life and death of OJ Simpson, CNN contributor Ashley Allison faced backlash after she commented on his impact on pop culture and the black community.
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On Thursday, Ashley Allison stated that Simpson’s prolific case held significant weight within the black community since it involved the deaths of two white individuals, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. “He wasn’t a social justice leader, but he represented something for the black community in that moment, in that trial, particularly because there were two white people who had been killed. And the history around how black people have been persecuted during slavery,” she explained.
“Until this country is ready to actually have an honest conversation about the racial dynamics from our origin story until today, we will always have moments like O.J. Simpson that manifests and our country will always be divided if we don’t actually deal with the issue of race,” Allison continued.
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According to the New York Post, Allison received backlash for her comments as critics claimed they could’ve been seen as divisive and insensitive. One user wrote, “Imagine if I went on Fox News and said this about black people. I’d be cancelled so fast.” Marc Lamont Hill, a notable media personality and academic, expressed his views on social media platform X, describing Simpson as an “abusive liar” and a “monster.” Despite these strong words, Hill defended Simpson’s acquittal, asserting it was the just outcome of a racially biased legal system.
However, his posts on X(formerly Twitter) met some criticism as well, and he clarified his stance, considering the role racism played in Simpson’s trial.
Hill emphasized the importance of legal fairness, stating, “Regardless of race, the system has to be fair.” He pointed out that the LA prosecutors did not sufficiently meet their burden of proof and that Fuhrman’s documented racism and potential dishonesty were pivotal in the jury’s decision.
CNN and Allison did not release a statement regarding her comments.