In case you missed it, there was an election last week, and a lot of people feel strongly one way or the other about certain candidates. Politics aside, this is a lesson in being careful about how you phrase things.

Back in 2021, actress and singer Bette Midler turned to Twitter to complain about Joe Manchin. That’s fine. She has the right to state her opinion; however, many people were offended by what she said about everyone living in the state of West Virginia.

In Midler’s tweet, she said that America “wants to move forward, not backward like his state.” Did you catch that? Did she just call West Virginia “backward”? Hmmm. It gets worse.

Middler continued, and she completely blasted West Virginia in the process. She wrote, “He wants us all to be just like his state, West Virginia. Poor, illiterate and strung out.” 

If we lived in West Virginia, we’d be offended by being called “poor, illiterate, and strung out,” and many West Virginia residents expressed that sentiment in the comments.

I’m from WV, I’m not poor, illiterate or strung out. What I am is disgusted by this tweet and as a middle school teacher, it takes a lot to disgust me. It’s hard for me to tell my students to be better people when adults do stuff like this.

— Truth Hunter (@wvtruthhunter) December 21, 2021

Bette dropped out of college but thinks she’s better than you. Lol

— Ryan Sullivan (@sullivanryanm) December 20, 2021

Bette, that’s not fair. West Virginia is full of good people who work hard and take care of each other. Dealing in stereotypes doesn’t help

— Jane Donovan (@JaneDon32229154) December 20, 2021

I don’t think this tweet is going to work well for you. Hey @_westvirginians, time to cancel Bette?

— GIST Survivor🏍✝🏳‍🌈 (@lastaudt) December 20, 2021

The tweet did not in fact “work well” for Midler. She later tweeted out an apology writing, “I apologize to the good people of WVA for my last outburst.” Then, she continued, focusing her complaint on Manchin this time and leaving West Virginians out of it.

I apologize to the good people of WVA for my last outburst. I’m just seeing red; #JoeManchin and his whole family are a criminal enterprise. Is he really the best WV has to offer its own citizens? Surely there’s someone there who has the state’s interests at heart, not his own!

— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) December 20, 2021

While some people accepted her apology, other former fans were too hurt to recover.

I’m not going to lie it hurt to read that when I actually loved you and your work. You are who I looked forward to seeing in the new Hocus Pocus. I couldn’t wait to share the love I had experienced as a child with my children. Now, not so much. 😞

— Shaunté (@Mochahontas304) December 20, 2021

You apologize, but you don’t take down words that are hurtful and damaging to people who are good, hardworking, and honest. If you were sorry you’d delete the tweet, and then you’d take a trip to WV to see how amazing the state and it’s people are. I’ll kindly host.

— Randy Tomblin (@tomblinstweets) December 21, 2021

Too late. “When people show you who they are, believe them”.

— judy (@judy060709) December 20, 2021