People are saying this Billy Ray Cyrus tweet is the epitome of ‘white privilege’

Tuesday 19 February 2019 09:00 EST
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Picture: (VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images and Twitter)

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Billy Ray Cyrus attracted the ire of people online after he tweeted an image of his wife with bags of what appear to be hemp or marijuana.

Miley Cyrus’ dad posted a photo of his wife, Tish, showing off a huge stash. He tweeted:

Yes! Like I said yesterday @TishCyrus… my how the times they are a changing #CrAzYMaMa.

He was referring to his daughter and Liam Hemsworth’s wedding reception. In one photo, the 'Wrecking Ball' singer jokingly held up a bridal bouquet as though it were a bong.

Hemp - a cannabis plant very similar to marijuana, but without the ability to get you high - is legal across America.

People online were unimpressed by his display.

There is a long and complicated history of marijuana and race in America. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, law enforcement surround marijuana possession laws in the past was carried out with a “staggering racial bias".

According to the ACLU’s original analysis, marijuana arrests now account for over half of all drug arrests in the United States. Of the 8.2 million marijuana arrests between 2001 and 2010, 88 per cent were for simply having marijuana.

Nationwide, the arrest data revealed one consistent trend: significant racial bias. Despite roughly equal usage rates, Blacks are 3.73 times more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana.

This prompted people to point out the racial connotations of the post.


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