In August 2015 , the meme was referred to in the context of debates about the continued flying of the Confederate flag , following the Charleston church shooting . In May 2016 , it was referenced by prominent members of the Irish republican party Sinn Féin , after their leader Gerry Adams became involved in a controversy over his use of the word " nigger " . '' Irish Times '' columnist Donald Clarke describes the meme as racist , saying " More commonly we see racists using the myth to belittle the suffering visited on black slaves and to siphon some sympathy towards their own clan . " According to '' The New York Times '' , the myth is " often politically motivated " and has been used to create " racist barbs " against African-Americans
Charleston church shooting
Charleston church shooting
Irish slaves myth