Atlantic contributing editor and Columbia professor John McWhorter is getting spanked on Twitter by the site’s liberal readership for suggesting that if the Jussie Smollett attack was indeed a hoax — and how much more proof do you need? — it reflects something he refers to as “victimhood chic,” a particular aspect of 21st-century America.

"Why in the world would [Jussie Smollett] fake something like that attack—if he did indeed fake it?" @JohnHMcWhorter has an explanation: https://t.co/DWZceaM0wt — The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) February 20, 2019

McWhorter doesn’t use the “I” word in his piece — intersectionality — but he might as well have; progressives are literally sorting people by their level of oppression and “marginalization” in society. Smollett is a gay black man, which still puts him slightly above, say, a gay black woman in the oppression sweepstakes, but well below the assumedly straight white men he initially claimed attacked him.

McWhorter writes:

Until this twist, smart people were claiming that the attack on Smollett was the story of Donald Trump’s America writ small — that it revealed the terrible plight of minority groups today. But the Smollett story, if the “trajectory” leads to evidence of fakery, would actually reveal something else modern America is about: victimhood chic. Future historians and anthropologists will find this aspect of early-21st-century America peculiar, intriguing, and sad. Smollett doesn’t need the money he would get from a court settlement, and he isn’t trying to deny someone higher office. So why in the world would he fake something like that attack — if he did indeed fake it? The reason might be that he has come of age in an era when nothing he could have done or said would have made him look more interesting than being attacked on the basis of his color and sexual orientation.

McWhorter goes on to note that Smollett’s mother “associated with the Black Panthers and is friends with the activist Angela Davis,” and Smollett’s Twitter feed reveals him to have “a hankering for preacher status.”

“Future historians and anthropologists will find this aspect of early-21st-century America peculiar, intriguing, and sad” — well said.

Rip your mentions. — Alexa* what time is it? (@2019isstupid) February 20, 2019

We think he can take it.

Too much celebration of victimhood instead of attacking the root cause of it? — Dawa L. (@DawaL51259853) February 20, 2019

Ironically, victimhood culture is only to be found in the world’s healthiest democracies. — Robyn (@rts5000) February 20, 2019

Why? Two words. "Oppression Olympics." It's the value system of the world Jussie Smollett travels in. — Zoe Tanvi Alusa (@ZoeTAlusa) February 20, 2019

It’s a marketing ploy plain and simple. He gets to be a gay hero. His music becomes popular and he becomes the hottest talk show guest. — Patrick (@Patrick66704321) February 20, 2019

He did score a softball interview on “Good Morning America” where he got to show off his acting chops.

Why? To racially slander a political class… obviously — S Hoff (@SHoff83845516) February 20, 2019

Orange man, bad; orange man supporters, worse. ANYTHING for a buck while making a sitting president look bad. — Bryn Reagan? (@BrynReagan) February 20, 2019

I have no idea if this was a faked attack or not. But every false flag operation has the same goal: To make your opponents look worse than they really are in order to put them at a disadvantage in public opinion and prepare the ground for aggressive countermeasures. https://t.co/ddP0Wjt4uC — Yoram Hazony (@yhazony) February 20, 2019

There is so little racist and homophobic violence by Trump supporters that people have to keep lying about it and creating fake attacks. The media always runs with it first without verifying anything. It’s just sick — ŁAURIĖ ?? Red-Pilled Dot Com (@LLH713) February 20, 2019

The Tawana Brawley case that captivated New York in the late eighties is a shocking reminder of the toxic mix racial exploitation and personal ambition can produce. It is happening again — Not a Lemming (@JKA38333391) February 20, 2019

It reveals that some people want to be famous and will do anything to achieve that goal. Becoming a “martyr” for a cause ensures fame. Also, it shows that when demand for racism exceeds supply, certain persons will fake racist incidents – recent history is replete with examples. — T.E. Lawrence?? (@BER414608Z) February 20, 2019

The entire left platform is based on divisive chic victimhood of faux protected groups ….everyone and every thing needs protecting except white Anglo Catholics and babies…dear god it’s illegal to destroy an eagle egg but ok to kill a fully developed human fetus — Soarfeet (@RIred61) February 20, 2019

There are several highly beneficial motives one can note if this hadn’t been revealed as a hoax

1) His celebrity rises further as a victim.

2) He’s an activist. This would be a poster child for the anti trump narrative.

3) This could open doors for more activism and career. — Zor-El (@Adam4004) February 20, 2019

Well, it could have.

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