After Black conservative Candace Owens was thrust into the headlines when Kanye West tweeted her praises over the weekend, several Black celebs want to have a chit-chat about her rhetoric. Journalist Roland Martin, actor Don Cheadle and activist Tamika D. Mallory have all been entered into a debate with Owens — or possibly will be.
Rapper T.I. backed Mallory’s Instagram invite to Owens Sunday, April 22 calling it a “challenge!!!”
@tamikadmallory I’ll pay for travel if need be,” he wrote in the caption. “@realcandaceowens Whattup wit ya schedule or whatever?”
Mallory, who supports gun control and Black Lives Matter, has a political affiliation that stands in stark contrast to Owens, who backs Donald Trump and the NRA. The frequent Fox News guest also recently said BLM supporters have a “victim mentality.”
“Would love to sit down with #candanceowens,” Mallory wrote on IG Sunday. “The nonsense she is selling to these primarily white audiences needs to be challenged. I’m here for it! #runtellthat #letmehollaatyourightquick.”
While Owens has yet to respond to Mallory’s invite, she has invited Cheadle to debate her after he questioned her for saying some Black Americans have “more emotion” about enslavement and Jim Crow than their ancestors did as they lived it.
“‘You’re showing more emotion than they ever did …’ wow,” the star tweeted Thursday, April 20. “That incredibly presumptuous statement says so much. Much more about you however than it does about the people you attempted to wield it against. Do you ever think to yourself ‘Ok, I’d like to have that one back…?'”
Huge fan of your work, @DonCheadle. Rather than critique me over twitter, why don’t you debate me and my stance on BLM publicly? I will raise 50k for the debate, all proceeds to charity. What do you say?
(Followers: please RETWEET) https://t.co/xo3fP9Dg8l— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) April 21, 2018
“My critique of your post was about your behavior,” Cheadle responded. [You] pointing out the ‘good ones’ vs the ‘bad ones.’ It’s about your dismissive, berating tone, being flip about the ’emotions’ of our parent’s parent’s generation. It’s a pain contest? Start there.”
“You respond, but not to my offer?” Owens replies. “A simple yes or no will suffice. Many of us are under the impression that you Hollywood stars are nothing but hot air when it comes to your political stances. Prove me wrong. 50k, charity of your choice. (Followers, please RT once more).”
While Cheadle didn’t seem to be in the mood to have a sit down with Owens, Martin has been waiting practically all month to get his shot at a discussion.
“Still waiting for @RealCandaceO Owens, @TPUSA’s director of urban engagement, to engage Black media folks,” he tweeted Monday, April 2. “Candace, when do you want to set up an interview? I know you do media. You seem to do @FoxNews a lot. My @tjmshow audience is bigger. And it’s an urban morning radio show!”
Still waiting for @RealCandaceO Owens, @TPUSA's director of urban engagement, to engage Black media folks. Candace, when do you want to set up an interview? I know you do media. You seem to do @FoxNews a lot. My @tjmshow audience is bigger. And it's an urban morning radio show!
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) April 2, 2018
