A Twitter mob has demanded that Star Wars’ Maul actor Sam Witwer tell his cop friend to quit his job.
As first reported by Disney Star Wars Is Dumb, Sam Witwer, who voices Maul in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels and played Ben Lockwood in Supergirl, recently detailed he has a friend who is police officer.
Witwer replied to a thread that detailed there were a bunch of good police officers and that many officers are decent people. He wrote, “One of my best friends is a cop and we talk about this stuff every day.”
In response to this statement, a Twitter mob quickly formed and demanded Witwer tell his friend to quit his job.
don’t be shy, sam 🤩 tell your friend to quit his job!! https://t.co/EWbTvci7gU
— protector of lesbians ✿ (@thoriism) June 6, 2020
Witwer made it clear that he would not be acquiescing to the demand. He wrote, “Can’t. The man’s an amazing, moral dude who believes in remaining calm and professional.”
Can’t. The man’s an amazing, moral dude who believes in remaining calm and professional.
— Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) June 6, 2020
The mob then attempted to shame Witwer for his relationship.
— protector of lesbians ✿ (@thoriism) June 6, 2020
But is he taking a stand against the bad cops??Does he honor his morals and report the corruption he sees? Because we all KNOW he has seen plenty. Or does he turn a blind eye? Morals mean nothing if you allow immorality to flourish unchecked.
— Kazon (@kazon82) June 6, 2020
You were my role model and for what
— sarraa 🎭 (@SITHNABERRIE) June 6, 2020
WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU
— LEO✿ (@ahsokawife) June 6, 2020
sam pls no pic.twitter.com/NjTYge2qbh
— john boyega’s y-wing squadron (@sultanoftired) June 6, 2020
But he stands in a corrupt system Sam
— amal stole the moon (@sgttbarnes) June 6, 2020
he still supports a corrupt system 😐 pic.twitter.com/04KvghKZGc
— ✧*:･ﾟ| ceo of anidala quotes ✿ (@padmesanckin) June 6, 2020
You can be as professional as you want, as long as you are part of a system that is engrained with brutality and you don’t do anything at the expense of the system and the bad people who run it, you are part of the system.
— Richelleaaa (@richelleaaa) June 6, 2020
Being a decent person does not absolve him of his involvement in oppressive and intolerant systems.
— Bodhi! You know, Your Buddy? (@YourBuddyBodhi) June 6, 2020
goodbye samuel pic.twitter.com/2781UfZ3F1
— ceo of quijango (@lostjedis) June 6, 2020
I trusted you sam
— sarraa 🎭 (@SITHNABERRIE) June 6, 2020
his job contributes to an inherently racist institution. he may have gone into it for the right reasons, but unless he calls out every single bad cop he sees he’s feeding the system of oppression
— miriam ♃ ✿ (@daringdameron) June 6, 2020
Witwer would respond to a number of the people trying to shame him.
To one person he wrote, “That’s exactly my point. He has. He does.”
That’s exactly my point.
He has.
He does.— Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) June 6, 2020
In another instance he wrote, “Are you guys kidding me? I’m railing against corrupt police forces all day. I have a friend who joined the police force because he believes in the concepts we should be teaching all police…”
He added, “And you’re saying toss him? When we need his example most?”
Are you guys kidding me?
I’m railing against corrupt police forces all day. I have a friend who joined the police force because he believes in the concepts we should be teaching all police…
And you’re saying toss him?
When we need his example most?
— Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) June 6, 2020
In another instance he wrote, “You realize there are black cops, right? You realize we need cops, right? Needing *extreme reform* doesn’t mean we get rid of the *concept* of police.”
You realize there are black cops, right? You realize we need cops, right?
Needing *extreme reform* doesn’t mean we get rid of the *concept* of police.— Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) June 6, 2020
The mob’s intensity didn’t wane as they continued trying to shame him for supporting his cop friend.
acab
— 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐞 ✿ (@mcnamassouds) June 6, 2020
ACAB
— 𝐦𝐢𝐚 | 𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐞 (@SKYWALKERTH0T) June 6, 2020
These Stan accounts are brutal lol. But seriously, as long as you work for a corrupt system, you support it. Individuality doesn’t matter when you voluntarily work for a system so corrupt, and unless he’s fighting for change at the expense of the system, it doesn’t matter.
— Richelleaaa (@richelleaaa) June 6, 2020
Oh Sam. Don’t you get it? The institution in and of itself is corrupt. Police depts literally spawned from slave patrols. I’m sure your friend’s a swell dude. But he’s a cog in a broken, unjust system.
There were probably nazis who had virtuous intentions in the beginning too.
— Arielle (@Arielle_san) June 7, 2020
Systemic institutionalized racism.
Please >try< to educate yourself
— Oz Deveraux (@Corps_De_Blah) June 6, 2020
yes toss him💞💞💞
— ✿ meryl ✿ (@S1THSKYWALKER) June 6, 2020
i recommend thoroughly listening to what people have to say and doing your research on the racist history of the police force before getting defensive. good intentions or not, joining a racist institution is ashton joining a racist institution.
— ✿ obi-wan’s boyfriend ✿ (@mandobiwan) June 6, 2020
Yeah.
It’s a racist system, fam. Until the system changes, no one should be sitting comfortable.
Sorry. ACAB.
— rebellions are built on hope (@mistressminako) June 7, 2020
Witwer would eventually cave. One member of the mob convinced him to apologize for not condemning the current police system, and for defending that system by standing behind his friend.
Let me address your point.
Yes.
Not right now. Read the room. I hear ya.— Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) June 6, 2020
It isn’t enough to “hear me”. You need to own up to your mistake. People look up to you and you need to use your platform for good. You can set an example of what to do. Even if your cop friend is a good person, he’s still part of a broken system, and defending that isn’t ok.
— lady ocean ♡ (@oceanmando) June 7, 2020
The problem is that by defending your “good” cop friend, you’re inherently defending the system. You should have never brought them up.
It isn’t enough to acknowledge it either. You need to apologize. You have a very large fan base and people look up to you. Don’t abuse that.
— lady ocean ♡ (@oceanmando) June 7, 2020
And if you want me to give you a visibility boost in you talking about your opinion and your life, I can also do that.
I think listening is very important. I can have opinions and feelings but I am acknowledging that now isn’t a time for me to express the nuances of my opinion
— Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) June 7, 2020
Lady, in examining your points and telling you — yeah, you’re right —
Apology is absolutely the intent.— Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) June 7, 2020
Witwer then apologized, “I’m sorry if I made it sound in *any way* that I defend the system. I categorically do not.”
I’m sorry if I made it sound in *any way* that I defend the system. I categorically do not.
— Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) June 7, 2020
In a poll conducted by Pew Research Center they discovered that “78% of Americans overall – but a far smaller share of black Americans (56%) – said they had at least a fair amount of confidence in police officers to act in the best interests of the public.”
They also found that “large majorities of white (84%) and Hispanic (74%) adults expressed at least a fair amount of confidence. These views – and the wide racial and ethnic gap in opinions – had changed little over the prior few years.”
A Rasmussen Reports survey found that “67% of American Adults rate the performance of the police in the area where they live as good or excellent. Just nine percent (9%) give them poor marks.”
They do add that “Positive ratings for local police are down from a high of 74% a year ago but are consistent with prior surveying for the past several years.”
What do you make of Witwer’s comments and then his apology?