No Love: University Removes Common as Graduation Speaker After Police Complaints...
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mediaite.com/online/university-removes-common-as-graduation-speaker-after-police-complaints/
I guess showing Mighty Whitey more love isn't working for Common everywhere...
University Removes Common as Graduation Speaker After Police Complaints
Is it “banning commencement speakers” season already?
Common recently won an Oscar for the song “Glory,” from Selma, but some lyrics of his just cost him a commencement speaking gig at New Jersey’s Kean University.
“The students expressed interest in Common because he composed the Oscar-winning song Glory with our prior commencement speaker John Legend,” a Kean spokesperson said, per The Record. “While we respect his talent, Kean is pursuing other speaker options.”
State police had complained about “A Song for Assata,” a 2000 song in which Common defended a woman convicted of killing Trooper Werner Foerster. The song includes lyrics critical of the police’s treatment of Joanne Chesimard, who eventually escaped prison for Cuba:
Scandalous the police were as they kicked and beat her
Comprehension she was beyond, tryna hold on
To life. She thought she’d live with no arm
That’s what it felt like, got to the hospital, eyes held tight
They moved her room to room-she could tell by the light
Handcuffed tight to the bed, through her skin it bit
Put guns to her head, every word she got hit
“Who shot the trooper?” they asked her
Put mace in her eyes, threatened to blast her
The trooper’s organization called it a “slap in the face.”
“A state university that is subsidized with state taxpayer funds is once again being questioned on their decision-making at the highest levels,” said the head of State Troopers Fraternal Association of New Jersey. The fraternal organization also protested Common’s 2011 invitation to the White House.
The school deleted its tweeted announcement, and tweeted that the selection was not official yet. Responses indicated that Common had already been announced as the speaker:
I guess showing Mighty Whitey more love isn't working for Common everywhere...
Comments
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stringer bell wrote: »
I guess showing Mighty Whitey more love isn't working for Common everywhere...
braaa he never said showing white people love would end/cure/help racism -
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/18/common-white-people-cure-to-racism_n_6895864.htmlCommon Says Black People Showing Love To White People Is The Cure To Racism (VIDEO)
The Huffington Post | By Brennan Williams
As America continues to question and wrestle with the myth of a “post-racial” society, it appears Common may have found a possible solution to combat racism ... or maybe not.
During an appearance on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” last week, the Oscar and Golden Globe winner explained why black people should extend a hand to white people and “forget about the past” as it pertains to race relations.
"If we've been bullied, we've been beat down and we don't want it anymore. We are not extending a fist and we are not saying, 'You did us wrong.' It's more like, 'Hey, I'm extending my hand in love,'” he said to host Jon Stewart. “Let’s forget about the past as much as we can and let’s move from where we are now. How can we help each other? Can you try to help us because we are going to try to help ourselves, too."
To underscore his resolution, the Chicago native went on to state how focusing on racism from the past is similar to reiterating negative issues within relationships.
“Me as a black man, I’m not sitting there like, ‘Hey, white people, y’all did us wrong.’ We know that existed,” Common said. “I don’t even have to keep bringing that up. It's like being in a relationship and continuing to bring up the person's issues. Now I'm saying, 'Hey, I love you. Let's move past this. Come on, baby, let’s get past this.'”
The rapper's comments have since drawn a few opposing reactions. Most notably, New York Times columnist and author Charles Blow took to his personal Twitter account on Tuesday night to offer his two cents: -
Damn reaching a hand didn't work
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powerman 5000 wrote: »http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/18/common-white-people-cure-to-racism_n_6895864.html
Common Says Black People Showing Love To White People Is The Cure To Racism (VIDEO)
The Huffington Post | By Brennan Williams
As America continues to question and wrestle with the myth of a “post-racial” society, it appears Common may have found a possible solution to combat racism ... or maybe not.
During an appearance on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” last week, the Oscar and Golden Globe winner explained why black people should extend a hand to white people and “forget about the past” as it pertains to race relations.
"If we've been bullied, we've been beat down and we don't want it anymore. We are not extending a fist and we are not saying, 'You did us wrong.' It's more like, 'Hey, I'm extending my hand in love,'” he said to host Jon Stewart. “Let’s forget about the past as much as we can and let’s move from where we are now. How can we help each other? Can you try to help us because we are going to try to help ourselves, too."
To underscore his resolution, the Chicago native went on to state how focusing on racism from the past is similar to reiterating negative issues within relationships.
“Me as a black man, I’m not sitting there like, ‘Hey, white people, y’all did us wrong.’ We know that existed,” Common said. “I don’t even have to keep bringing that up. It's like being in a relationship and continuing to bring up the person's issues. Now I'm saying, 'Hey, I love you. Let's move past this. Come on, baby, let’s get past this.'”
The rapper's comments have since drawn a few opposing reactions. Most notably, New York Times columnist and author Charles Blow took to his personal Twitter account on Tuesday night to offer his two cents:
I may not be the best reader in the world...? the title...where did he say that "showing love to white people is the cure to racism" or anything close to that
He said we should show love..but he didn't say anything about it ending racism -
he needs to extend a hand to get past this
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Preciate you not typing "Coonin Common" in thread title
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powerman 5000 wrote: »http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/18/common-white-people-cure-to-racism_n_6895864.htmlCommon Says Black People Showing Love To White People Is The Cure To Racism (VIDEO)
The Huffington Post | By Brennan Williams
As America continues to question and wrestle with the myth of a “post-racial” society, it appears Common may have found a possible solution to combat racism ... or maybe not.
During an appearance on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” last week, the Oscar and Golden Globe winner explained why black people should extend a hand to white people and “forget about the past” as it pertains to race relations.
"If we've been bullied, we've been beat down and we don't want it anymore. We are not extending a fist and we are not saying, 'You did us wrong.' It's more like, 'Hey, I'm extending my hand in love,'” he said to host Jon Stewart. “Let’s forget about the past as much as we can and let’s move from where we are now. How can we help each other? Can you try to help us because we are going to try to help ourselves, too."
To underscore his resolution, the Chicago native went on to state how focusing on racism from the past is similar to reiterating negative issues within relationships.
“Me as a black man, I’m not sitting there like, ‘Hey, white people, y’all did us wrong.’ We know that existed,” Common said. “I don’t even have to keep bringing that up. It's like being in a relationship and continuing to bring up the person's issues. Now I'm saying, 'Hey, I love you. Let's move past this. Come on, baby, let’s get past this.'”
The rapper's comments have since drawn a few opposing reactions. Most notably, New York Times columnist and author Charles Blow took to his personal Twitter account on Tuesday night to offer his two cents:
And another thing...it's interesting that the Huffington Post ran with that title...lol the ONLY cure for racism is for White people to stop being racist...period. There's NOTHING Black people can do to stop racism. White people always want to put that onus on us in some kind of way. -
They should have extend their hand
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? 'em on to the next venture for Common
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stringer bell wrote: »
I guess showing Mighty Whitey more love isn't working for Common everywhere...
braaa he never said showing white people love would end/cure/help racism
2 weeks later he gets his Wake Up Call -
stringer bell wrote: »
I guess showing Mighty Whitey more love isn't working for Common everywhere...
braaa he never said showing white people love would end/cure/help racism
2 weeks later he gets his Wake Up Call
He ain't say ? different from what MLK used to say.
Any thing you say can be misinterpreted if people are going to put words in your mouth as the headline and then people don't even bother to read the entire article or watch the video to see what you ACTUALLY said.
If Common is a ? ..then so was MLK. But that's not saying much tho because I know there are plenty of people on here who call MLK a ? too so oh well. -
stringer bell wrote: »
I guess showing Mighty Whitey more love isn't working for Common everywhere...
braaa he never said showing white people love would end/cure/help racism
2 weeks later he gets his Wake Up Call
He ain't say ? different from what MLK used to say.
Any thing you say can be misinterpreted if people are going to put words in your mouth as the headline and then people don't even bother to read the entire article or watch the video to see what you ACTUALLY said.
If Common is a ? ..then so was MLK. But that's not saying much tho because I know there are plenty of people on here who call MLK a ? too so oh well.
MLK did that so Common dont have to go through that -
stringer bell wrote: »
I guess showing Mighty Whitey more love isn't working for Common everywhere...
braaa he never said showing white people love would end/cure/help racism
2 weeks later he gets his Wake Up Call
He ain't say ? different from what MLK used to say.
Any thing you say can be misinterpreted if people are going to put words in your mouth as the headline and then people don't even bother to read the entire article or watch the video to see what you ACTUALLY said.
If Common is a ? ..then so was MLK. But that's not saying much tho because I know there are plenty of people on here who call MLK a ? too so oh well.
MLK did that so Common dont have to go through that
lmao to be clear I don't agree with what he said...but I'm just saying I don't think he deserves to be called a ? for it..he was just talking that turn the other cheek ? ...I mean he did just get through doing the movie Selma.
It coulda been like how they said after Pac did Juice and he BECAME Bishop..maybe same thing happened to Common -
It isn't so simple as extending your hand now is it Common?
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So police dictate to colleges what to do?
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Good thing too... those lyrics are mad gangsta.
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Peace and love.
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Welp*
I guess his arms ain't long enough -
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Meta_Conscious wrote: »
What should be the real story won't be. -
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*other words* extend hand
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lol
They turned on him quick.
Might not be long before Oprah and Lee Daniels turn on him.
They've probably already started to distance themselves from him. -
There have been 295 people killed by police in 2015, we need more musicians talking about the police.