Denzel Washington has received an overwhelmingly negative response for his analysis of America's prison epidemic. While promoting his most recent film, 'Roman J. Israel, Esq.' the actor was asked about his thoughts on the criminal justice system.

"It starts with how you raise your children. If a young man doesn't have a father figure, he'll go find a father figure," Washington said in the interview with SiriusXM in November 2017. "So you know, I can't blame the system. It's unfortunate that we make such easy work for them," he said.

Online commentators and news sources alike questioned if Washington's comments were blind to the systemic racism that has taken place throughout the country's history.

According to a report from NowThis, "His sentiment is emblematic of 'respectability politics,' that some older people of color use to shame and police their own communities. What Denzel fails to say is black families are broken because the system is breaking them."

As an iconic actor and longtime advocate for black rights, the world was shaken by his comments. "He's a national treasure, and holds a position of influence. But that's exactly why his words are so important," NowThis explained.  

As someone who has created a career out of portraying characters and telling the stories of black heroes for decades, many wonder where Washington's view came from.