Nick Cannon Talks About Racism In America
Mariah Carey’s husband Nick Cannon yesterday described the current state of racial tension gripping his country as “growing pains”, but said he was hopeful that, just like the civil rights movement of the 1960s, good will come out of the experience .
Cannon, who is on a four-day visit to Jamaica, shared his views on a range of subjects, including the political and social climate America, with reporters and editors in the island.
“I’m feeling hopeful,” he told the Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange. “These are growing pains. The hard times we are now experiencing are just like the civil rights movement. It was so painful, but if that had not happened we would not be where we are today.”
The actor, rapper and music and film producer was responding after being asked how he felt about the protests in the US against the police killing of black males, and whether he saw any hope for an improvement in race relations in that country.
“I don’t believe that every white police officer is racist, so the problem is with this system, and by taking this out in the open we are getting a healthy conversation going,” he stated.
Cannon noted that he has been very outspoken on the recent incidents, including the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August of this year which sparked global debates on race relations in the United States.
“I have been careful not to be a media chaser over the years, so I went to Ferguson in September to catch a vibe and visited schools and communitycentres to see what was happening on the ground,” told the Monday Exchange. “I found very positive young men in this area who highlighted the positive aspects in a time of difficulty. It has also been great to see all these cultures coming together to support a particular cause.”
Cannon applauded other American celebrities, including professional athletes, who have used their status and reach to shed light on the issues.
“It’s about taking a stance,” he said. “This is a great way of using your reach… to make a social statement. This makes people pay attention . Taking a stance was what the civil rights movement was built on, and personalities such as Harry Belafonte and Muhammed Ali always represented for their people and their culture.”
Cannon said he wanted to be in Ferguson, or at least in the United States, when the grand jury verdict which freed officer Darren Wilson was being read on November 25, but unfortunately he was away in the United Kingdom onbusiness .
Leave a Reply