Mother of bullied schoolboy Keaton Jones denies being racist
The mother of bullied schoolboy Keaton Jones has insisted her family are not racists after they were pictured on social media with confederate flags.
The nine-year-old, from Knoxville, Tennessee, became an internet celebrity over the weekend after a video of him talking about how he was bullied was posted on Facebook by his mother, Kimberly.
But after an initial wave of support and goodwill online, Ms Jones was accused of racist behaviour by people online.
Pictures from her Facebook page showed her and her family posing with the confederate flag. However, she denied she was a racist.
"I feel like anybody who wants to take the time to ask anybody who I am or even troll through some other pictures, I mean I feel like we’re not racist. I mean, people that know us, know that," she told ABC News’ Good Morning America.
"Yesterday, the world loved us. Today, the world hates us."
In relation to the Facebook photos, Ms Jones said: "It was meant to be ironic and funny and extreme. I am genuinely truly sorry. If I could take it back, I would."
A GoFundMe page started for Keaton has since been put on hold after it raised $57,000.
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"As many of you know I paused the donations as well as the comments," Joseph Lam, who set up the GoFundMe page, wrote.
"As I sit back and read these comments and watched the video again I feel I have to make this update. THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE MOM!!
"However, passing judgment on her before you know her is a form of bullying. Condemnation before evaluation is the ultimate form of ignorance.
"I can't even say for sure that any of what’s being said is true. I don’t know the family personally and never claimed to have known them. This is about a kid who’s been bullied and not just one kid, Keaton, there are many unspoken cases about kids being bullied."
In the video, Keaton sits in a car and describes what it’s like to be bullied, saying he has had milk poured over his head and ham stuffed in his clothes by children at his school.
"They make fun of my nose," he said. "They call me ugly. They say I have no friends.
"Why do they bully? What’s the point of it?
"People are different, it’s not their fault. If you are made fun of, just don’t let it bother you."
The initial online reaction to the video was an outpouring of goodwill, including from celebrities such as singers Justin Bieber and Katy Perry.
Actors Mark Ruffalo and Chris Evans, who play the Hulk and Captain America, both invited Keaton to attend the premiere of next year’s Avengers movie.
Media personality Tariq Nasheed tweeted photos he said were from Ms Jones’ Facebook page, which appeared to show her and her children posing with a confederate flag.
Her Facebook post read: "Dear butt hurt Americans, If you aren’t bleeding, no bones are sticking out & you can breathe, STOP crying! For the love, some folks clearly never picked a switch."
"And before y’all start talking to me about metaphorical, emotional, financial or historical blood & brokenness, Don’t. Join a group."
