“A system built to divide, and impoverish, and destroy us cannot stand if we do.”
Jesse Williams of the hit TV show "Grey's Anatomy" delivered an otherworldly speech to the people in the audience of the BET Awards last week. Winning the humanitarian award BET gives out every year, Williams dedicated his win to activists fighting for equal treatment in society. He fired up the crowd by giving inspirational rhetoric that allowed listeners to know that their pain is not going unheard. He mentioned police brutality and the unfair treatment of people of color in America. He had the audience reflect on the deaths of Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland and Eric Garner. At the height of his speech, he said, “I don’t want to hear how far we’ve come.” Williams wanted listeners to know that there is still discrimination in America, and it is still in its structure.
Jesse Williams left many in tears, but he also left many opposing his comments. Fox News correspondent Stacey Dash called Williams a “plantation slave.” Political commentator Tomi Lahren was angered by Williams speech, feeling African Americans are crying victim in situations where they shouldn’t be. Go on any social media outlet, and one would see comments attacking Williams and his claims of institutional racism. As someone who lives in America, I have seen this before. It’s as if celebrities are never allowed to express their opinions because there will be so much controversy and hate toward them. Leonardo DiCaprio preaching to the Academy to preserve the Earth is the first that comes to my mind, but that was different.
Racism does not affect every person in this country, which is why it is necessary to hear what Williams had to say. I do not know what it is like to be afraid of police, to be treated differently, to be told to stop acting “white.” I am open to hearing what Jesse had to say because I need to know what it is like for someone who does experience racism. I advise those who are in the same boat as me to do the same in order to further our knowledge and go forward to devise a way to provide equal treatment. To those who fired words on the internet at Williams, take a moment to understand what you are doing. You are not disproving anything he is saying; you are simply trying to destroy his voice. He has not said anything attacking towards anyone. There were no words of violence or hatred towards any person, yet that is how it is taken. We as people need to understand that what he says is happening, and we should not attack him because we feel threatened.
No one wants to be racist, but the first time someone is called out as being racist there is strong opposition to those claims instead of actually listening and learning why one might have been racist. It is the same with America. No one wants to hear that a police officer treats people of color unfairly because the police are meant to protect everyone. But, instead of attacking those who try to educate you from a different viewpoint, listen and learn to what they have to say because it may wake you up to a matter that needs to be dealt with. I applaud Williams on his speech because he was able to bring these matters to a big stage, and with controversy comes the spread of ideas.
