Actor Jesse Williams' Speaks Out About Michael Brown, Ferguson Chaos
Actor Jesse Williams Was Criticized On Twitter For Wearing A Hoodie On CNN, And One Of His Followers Shut It Down In An Incredible Way!
Jesse Williams is one of few entertainers who is lending their voice to speak about Michael Brown’s shooting by police and the aftermath of the teen’s brutal killing, in Ferguson, Missouri. But the Grey’s Anatomy star has been using his Hollywood platform — and seven year’s experience as a public school educator before ever hitting your TV screen — to school America, as he’s done in the past. But yesterday it was one of the actor’s Twitter followers who helped keep class in session in THE most amazing way!
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Williams appeared on CNN to discuss Michael Brown’s death and talked media coverage and critics of the teen, who was brutally shot six times by Ferguson Police officer Darren Wilson:
“We need journalism to kick in and start reporting the story from the beginning,” he said on the Sunday broadcast. “This is about finding justice for a kid that was shot. An 18-year-old that was shot. Period. And this idea that because he stole a handful of cheap cigars, that were what, five bucks from a convenient store? I lived in the white suburbs of this country for a long time, I know plenty of white kids that steal stuff from the convenient store.
This idea that every time a Black person does something, they automatically become a ‘thug worthy of their own death?’ We don’t own drug crimes. We’re not the only ones that ‘sell and do drugs all the time,’ we’re not the only ones who steal, we’re not the only ones who talk crazy to cops. There’s a complete double standard and a complete different experience that a certain element of this country has the privilege of being treated as human beings. And the rest of us are not being treated like human beings. Period. And that needs to be discussed, that is the story…we’re not making this up.”
Now even though the fine actor had already given America this much-needed “mic-drop” moment on national TV, he continued the discussion on his personal Twitter handle where class was still in session until a Tweeter who goes by the alias “Lost In Paradise,” slid into his mentions without raising his hand:
@iJesseWilliams A hoodie on the news makes it challenging to take you seriously. Like the viewpoint, but not the hoodie #JustSaying — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
Williams didn’t have time for all that and quickly brushed off the comment before returning to the discussion at hand:
.@Aroww333 You’re not even wearing a shirt, which makes this exchange challenging. — jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) August 17, 2014
The Tweet got nearly 400 reTweets and the critics’ Twitter mentions were quickly in shambles as some onlookers labeled him “racist.” The ordeal left the Tweeter stunned:
Hoodie = Thug?! How about hoodie on the national news = unprofessional #NotEveryoneIsARacist #GetOverYourself — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
By this time Jesse Williams had moved on to Tweet about Michael Brown’s killing by an officer, to nearly 700,000 of his actual followers, but one of those followers wasn’t going to let the actor’s hoodie diss go so easily…
Keep clicking to see how the “Greys Anatomy” star’s follower handled his critic in the most epic way — and wait to be blown!
Hoodie = Thug?! How about hoodie on the national news = unprofessional #NotEveryoneIsARacist#GetOverYourself
— Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 what you don’t understand is that it represented the allusion to something specific. In every other arena Jessie is professional. — Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@unSENSEcered I did totally miss that. Kinda surprised that this all devolved into attacks about race though. #SoManyAngryPeopleOutThere — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
People are so angry. And so quick to take observations out on context. Worries me about the ability for many of us to talk about big issues
— Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 people of color are upset right now, and so they are attacking anybody who doesn’t understand our struggle. It’s misplaced anger. — Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 the same can be said about White people that can’t relate to the Black Experience, so they label it as nonsense. You have to see…
— Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 that we are so used to being attacked for just existing, that now we automatically attack back. It’s sad, but it’s not surprising.
— Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@unSENSEcered It’s kinda sad because it closes down so many opportunities for conversation — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 the said reality is that when we talk, the results are minimal. What u see is the manifestation of cries gone unanswered too long. — Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@unSENSEcered These are issues that really need to be solved. And I guess my experiences have left me without any ideas for solutions/action — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 false. Ur experiences are an advantage because the juxtaposition of them against ours could be ur platform. If you had delivered.. — Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 the same message that Jessie did IN a hoodie, that is a powerful statement. We don’t need you to relate to us or understand us.
— Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@unSENSEcered wow, that’s very profound!! #Kudos — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 this problem doesn’t have a clear cut solution. But there’s power in knowledge, & u can reach ppl with ur platform that I cannot.
— Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@unSENSEcered that’s very interesting and empowering! I’ve never really thought about it that way — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 this problem doesn’t have a clear cut solution. But there’s power in knowledge, & u can reach ppl with ur platform that I cannot. — Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@unSENSEcered that’s very interesting and empowering! I’ve never really thought about it that way — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 that’s rather common. A lot of ppl haven’t had the opportunity to think like that because conversations like this are rare. — Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@unSENSEcered they should somehow become more common. Or more people should see/hear them. I like to hope that many ppl are more open+ — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
@unSENSEcered than they’re given credit. It’s all about opportunity. Heck, I’m still being called a racist every other minute and its like+ — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
@unSENSEcered a gay guy makes a comment about fashion and somehow he’s a racist?! 😂😂 — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 ignore the anger. If I came into an emergency room with a gunshot, what would you pay attention to? Me yelling not to touch me… — Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 or my life threatening injuries? If your genuinely trying to help, ignore all the noise and treat the injuries. Hurt ppl hurt ppl. — Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@unSENSEcered We’re all human beings, and we all have a steak in this society. We all have a chance to make it better or worse. — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 and an important thing to understand is that ppl will find reasons to attack you regardless. As a gay Man I know u understand how… — Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 if anyone can relate to the black struggle it’s someone who is gay. They hate u just because, not because of anything you’ve done. — Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014 @unSENSEcered This has been one of the most profound conversations I think I’ve ever had 😉 I appreciate it! #EyeOpening — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
@Aroww333 lol. Ur welcome my friend. If there’s anything I want u to take away it’s that there’s strength in communication and differences. — Raisá Cachét™© (@unSENSEcered) August 17, 2014
@unSENSEcered ABSOLUTELY!!! — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
@unSENSEcered After my tweet this morning I thought: I wish I could take that back. This conversation is enough to be grateful that I can’t! — Lost in Paradise (@Aroww333) August 17, 2014
When I saw the exchange, I knew I had to share! In the words of the popular African Proverb: “each one teach one.” Pass it on…
School was in session in other areas on Twitter this weekend as social media discussions continued about the events in Ferguson, Missouri. MSNBC host and Editor at Large at The Nation, Chris Hayes, was also updating his Twitter page with the most recent reports on Sunday when he got nearly 3,000 retweets for this Tweet that included a hashtag with a nod to Erykah Badu’s song “Master Teacher:”
Police now saying earlier reports of shots fired turn out to be fireworks. #staywoke — Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) August 18, 2014
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Actor Jesse Williams Was Criticized On Twitter For Wearing A Hoodie On CNN, And One Of His Followers Shut It Down In An Incredible Way! was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
