(Daily Wire) “Anti-racist” activist Ibram X. Kendi on Friday declined Daily Wire host Matt Walsh’s offer to debate the topic of world slavery following a viral exchange the pair had over its history.
Kendi last week accused Walsh of engaging in “White savior” rhetoric after Walsh noted that white people did not invent slavery “but were the first to abolish it.” The racial activist’s vague reasoning for declining the debate offer relied on “many historians” supposedly proving Walsh’s claims wrong, though little other information was given.
“Kendi declines my invitation to debate the history of slavery because, he says, ‘many historians’ have already said that he’s right,” Walsh said on X on Monday, quoting a post from Kendi.
Kendi declines my invitation to debate the history of slavery because, he says, “many historians” have already said that he’s right. https://t.co/AutVKNw8O9
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 12, 2024
The exchange started after Walsh posted a response last Tuesday to a post on X that claimed, “Slavery is white history. How we survived it is black history.”
“Slavery is world history,” Walsh reacted. “White people did not invent it, and were not the first to practice it, but were the first to abolish it. The last place in the world to still have legal slavery was Africa. It wasn’t fully legally abolished on the continent until 1981.”
Slavery is world history. White people did not invent it, and were not the first to practice it, but were the first to abolish it. The last place in the world to still have legal slavery was Africa. It wasn’t fully legally abolished on the continent until 1981. https://t.co/ZfTvdLXydt
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 6, 2024
Kendi was apparently irked by the post — which has been viewed more than 6.8 million times — and replied to Walsh, “The ultimate White savior statement.”
In turn, Walsh offered to debate Kendi on the topic, posting, “Why don’t we have a conversation live on camera about this issue? You can explain to me in person why my statements about slavery are wrong. What do you say [Ibram X. Kendi]?
Why don’t we have a conversation live on camera about this issue? You can explain to me in person why my statements about slavery are wrong. What do you say @ibramxk?
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 8, 2024
