US Senator John Kennedy under Fire for "Swahili" Reference at Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s Senate Hearing [VIDEO]

By Irungu ThairuPublished Apr 10, 2018, 8:49 PM ET · 4,564 reads

A US senator has come under criticism for his ‘Swahili’ reference at a Tuesday Senate hearing with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, was questioning Zuckerberg on Facebook’s user agreement, which he said is too complicated and meant to legally protect Facebook and not to inform users of their rights.

He asked Zuckerberg to request the company lawyers to write a user agreement that is not in Swahili - that can be understood by everyone.

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“I am going to suggest to you that you go back home and you rewrite it and tell your $1,200-an hour lawyers, no disrespect, they're good, but tell them that you want it written in English and non-Swahili, so the average American can understand it. That would be a start,” Senator Kennedy told Zuckerberg.

Social media users have criticized the senator for the “Swahili” reference, calling it a racial slur.

Here is the video of the senator:

Here are some comments:

I was totally with Senator Kennedy just now until he made a totally racial slur about #Facebook’s privacy policy needing to make sense and “not be in Swahili” 😩 #Zuckerberg @SenJohnKennedy

— Lisa Rose (@ecotist) April 10, 2018

So now Senator Kennedy comes for Swahili as if it's a language no one understands? Millions of Africans speak the language, sir.

— Tamia Booker (@TamiaDBooker) April 10, 2018

Jesus! Did Sen. Kennedy just say, "and not Swahili" ...Casual racism to us East African. Does he know we use that platform too? Are we lesser beings? Anyway..whatever. #Zuckerberg

— Arap Tycn (@kipTycn) April 10, 2018

Non-Swahili? Come on with the casual racism, Sen. Kennedy. Plenty of people speak and understand Swahili. It’s not their fault you don’t.

— Chris Garaffa (@cmg) April 10, 2018

Louisiana senator, John N. Kennedy at Zuckerberg hearing, effectively segregates those who speak Swahili. #zuckerbergtestimony

— WDavidTutt (@WDavidTutt) April 10, 2018

Tired of these racist Republicans - Senator John Kennedy Ppl speak & read Swahili U racist scum @SenJohnKennedy @FaceTheNation

— KissThis (@SkyNebulaWmn) April 9, 2018

Questioned by CNN's Erin Burnett later on whether he should apologize for the reference following the outrage it caused, Sen. Kennedy said “there is nothing to apologize for. I think everyone understood the point I’m trying to make.”

Zuckerberg appeared before the Senate to answer to recent discoveries that Facebook allowed the harvesting of the data of 87 million Facebook users to third parties without the user’s knowledge.

Comments (9)

formerlyguest2Apr 10, 2018
I'm not offended... and IMHO I don't think it is racism but each on it's own.
One day at a tymeApr 10, 2018
Back in the day we used to refer to those like this senator as "clever fools". People who just throw mere words thinking they are impressing others but completely miss the fact that thry are only opening selves to redicule.
MejaApr 10, 2018
Kiswahili kitukuzwe
Dr. Koni HaneneApr 10, 2018
I speak Swahili and Luo and I would have said the same. People try to make mountains out of molehills.
Major TingatingaApr 11, 2018
It is unfortunate for this Senator to talk like that and within his region of senatorial, there are swahili speaking pple, might not be racism but the way of passing it on is unprofessional
JustMeApr 11, 2018
Senator, are you implying that we, East Africans, are exempt when it comes to the bleach? Do you mean to say we should have understood what we were signing up for and hence we were not violated like everyone else.... simply because we understand Swahili?
JustMeApr 12, 2018
...that day the kyuk in me chomokad...didn't mean jik...sorry...meant breach
Karing'aApr 11, 2018
Some of you criticize the senator but are totally anti Gikuyu/Mt.Kenyan people back home.Anza na wewe bwana.Who told you a Gikuyu is not a Kenyan?They go to the extentof killing the Gikuyu after being ordered and paid by their gods.
The abdiJun 30, 2018
sen.Kennedy is better told millions of pple don't understand English like an average African