(Photo by John Lamparski/WireImage)
John Legend angered critics when he took to Twitter to comment on the unfair treatment of ‘Black people’.
“Please stop calling the police on black people who are just trying to live,” Legend tweeted Monday, April 23. “Please. Stop. Police shoot us for no f—ing reason at all. Please. Stop.”
Please stop calling the police on black people who are just trying to live. Please. Stop. Police shoot us for no fucking reason at all. Please. Stop. https://t.co/HOqZ6t76ca
— John Legend (@johnlegend) April 23, 2018
The singer tweeted in response to a report that a Pennsylvania golf club called police on a group of Black women for simply playing “too slowly.” Naysayers blasted the singer for being critical of the police.
“Says the celebrity who has armed guards protecting his family,” the Twitter user wrote. “H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E. I know u know what this says.. you’ve been on Sesame Street. My 19-month-old started crying when u started singing. Go ahead, u know I’m right.”
“This makes no sense? How dare he use his money to protect his family?” someone tweeted in response. “Anyone would do the same.”‘
“His point is police are shooting Black people for no apparent reason!” another responded. Murdering Black people!”
While a debate ensued over second amendment rights, more people began backing up Legend.
“And, on top of what @johnlegend said: stop being racist,” someone tweeted. “White supremacy must end. White people who call the police on Black people for no reason —purely because those callers are racist — must ‘police’ their own minds, look in the mirror and ask, ‘what the hell is wrong with me?’”
“John is absolutely right,” said another. “Quit calling the police because you think you can’t imagine anyone different being more beautiful than you are, quit being afraid of sisters, brothers, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, kids just going about their day.”
“I agree! The police should issue fines in cases like these to the abusers of 911,” another suggested. “Calling the police on POC for silliness is a form of terror tactics and the abusers of the system are using it to enforce discriminatory practices.”
That Legend would speak out on police conflicts with Black Americans is not new. He’s tweeted about Donald Trump Jr. and socialism and slammed rapper Kanye West’s meeting with Donald Trump as a “publicity stunt.” The “Jesus Christ Superstar” performer recently spoke about why he’s unafraid to use his platform to speak out against racism.
“What I end up doing is just saying what I believe,” he told the Atlantic earlier this month. “It’s much easier as an artist to be truthful about how I feel than it is to try to sugarcoat and make everyone feel so comfortable.”
