Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Middle-schooler Keaton Jones is still receiving support from celebrities on social media after photos of his mother holding a Confederate flag surfaced online.
Keaton entered the national spotlight Sunday after his mother, Kimberly Jones, shared a video of her son sobbing as he described how he is bullied at school.
"Why do they bully? What's the point of it?" Keaton says in the clip. "People that are different don't need to be criticized about it. It's not their fault, but if you are made fun of, just don't let it bother you."
A number of celebrities including Millie Bobby Brown, Snoop Dogg, Mark Hamill and many more, messaged the11-year-old offering support, praise and offers to attend upcoming invites including the Los Angeles premiere of Avengers: Infinity War, which was given out by Captain America star Chris Evans.
Kimberly Jones, however, is being criticized after users discovered photos of herself and her family posing with Confederate flags on her Facebook page along with other posts that critics have called racist.
The Facebook page, which also contained the original viral video of Keaton, has been taken down along with a Go Fund Me page that had raised $58,000 for Keaton after Kimberly was criticized for attempting to make money off of the situation, Deadline reported.
"We're not racist," Kimberly said alongside Keaton Tuesday as the pair appeared on Good Morning America. "People who know us know that," she continued and said that the family photo with the Confederate flag is real but that it is not racist in any way.
"I am genuinely and truly sorry. If I could take it back, I would," she said.
Keaton also appeared on Today where he discussed how he hopes his video will help inspire other kids who are bullied.
"To inspire people that are bullied. To give them a voice that they might not have," he said of the idea behind the video.
Celebrities have stuck by Keaton's side on social media, seeing the main issue as the bullying that Keaton experienced and saying that what happened to the son should not be overshadowed by the actions of his mother.
"Learning that Keaton's family are supportive of the confederate flag is disappointing for me as a person of colour but I still feel that this child, yes CHILD, deserves to be treated with respect & should not be bullied. The beliefs/hypocrisy of his parents is another issue," said Game of Thrones star Nathalie Emmanuel on Twitter.
Learning that Keaton’s family are supportive of the confederate flag is disappointing for me as a person of colour but I still feel that this child, yes CHILD, deserves to be treated with respect & should not be bullied. The beliefs/hypocrisy of his parents is another issue. 1/2 https://t.co/eAS6AxqJ8I
— Nathalie Emmanuel (@missnemmanuel) December 11, 2017
"Keaton didn't get to choose the family that raised & shaped him, you smug ghoul. How 'bout showing him that people of all races & creeds can come together? Change things, maybe? Show him a better world?" comedian Patton Oswalt said on Twitter in response to someone asking if he was withdrawing his support for Keaton.
Keaton didn’t get to choose the family that raised & shaped him, you smug ghoul. How ‘bout showing him that people of all races & creeds can come together? Change things, maybe? Show him a better world? https://t.co/BZqBEboabL
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) December 11, 2017Advertisement
"With the revelations about #KeatonJones family surfacing we must remember a few things. We cannot hold kids accountable for the actions of their parents/family. Though disheartening, we were all moved by the effects of bullying and to end it. Let's continue to focus on that," said singer Parson James on Twitter.
With the revelations about #KeatonJones family surfacing we must remember a few things. We cannot hold kids accountable for the actions of their parents/family. Though disheartening, we were all moved by the effects of bullying and to end it. Let’s continue to focus on that.
— Parson James (@ParsonJames) December 11, 2017
