‘Black Lives Matter’ supporters need to listen up.
Stevie Wonder recently spoke out at a Minneapolis Conference on Peace in the wake of Philando Castile’s death.
And the legendary musician had some soul crushing words for the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement.
Breitbart reports:
“While addressing “gun violence” at a North Minneapolis Conference on Peace, musician Stevie Wonder said it is contradictory to say, “Black Lives Matter” while black-on-black crime rages out of control.
According to Billboard magazine, Wonder said, ‘It is in your hands to do it. It is in your hands to stop all the killing and all the shooting wherever you might be.
Because you cannot say, ‘Black lives matter,’ and then kill yourselves.’
He continued:
Because you know we’ve mattered long before it was said, but the way we show that we matter, the way that we show all the various people of color matter is by loving each other and doing something about it.
Not just talking about it, not just waiting to see the media and press come when there’s a horrible thing.
He added, ‘The first thing you must do is stop believing the fallacy of you not being important.
Because it is completely unacceptable for one to hate themselves so much that anyone that looks like you, you want to kill.’
Wonder’s Minneapolis speech represents a subtle but clear shift in his approach to ‘gun violence.’
For example, on August 15, 2015, Breitbart News reported that Wonder was holding gun control concerts where he presented a top-down argument, i.e., he pushed people to support more government involvement via gun regulations.
Now, he is pushing a bottom-up approach, asking people in the community to police their own passions, their own behavior, and eliminate the plague of black-on-black crime in America’s inner cities.”
You might think his comments were met with uproarious boos, but a few members in the audience avidly clapped in agreement.
You can watch the video here.
“You cannot say black lives matter and then kill yourselves.” – Stevie Wonder pic.twitter.com/a7XuZA4vjf
— Kevin W. (@kwilli1046) June 23, 2017
But many people criticized Wonder on Twitter as being naïve and forgave him that he didn’t understand.
I’ll forgive Stevie Wonder for this comment. He obviously can’t see the error in his logic. https://t.co/7TitqqVa8W
— Shyne Coldchain Jr. (@Smooth_Orator) June 20, 2017
But users like Peggy A. Hubbard, a black woman, agreed with Wonder’s comments.
Black Lives Matters is mad @ Stevie Wonder? Why? Because even a BLIND MAN realizes that BLM IS FULL OF S**T! You been called out by Stevie!
— Peggy A Hubbard (@pahubb43) June 23, 2017
While one tweeter called Wonder a racist slur for his opinion, Curtis Scoon – a black man – clapped back at Stevie for calling out the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement for what they really represent.
I retweeted something from someone calling Stevie Wonder a “coon” for identifying the hypocrisy of Black Lives Matter. BLM is like a cult.
— Curtis Scoon (@CurtisScoon) June 21, 2017
Stevie Wonder has been a civil rights activist for decades, so it’s surprising to see others offended by his comments.
But they’re only offended because he’s speaking the truth.