Elon Musk Mocks "Stay Woke" Initiative Sparked By Ferguson Protests

BY Erika Marie 1.8K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" - Arrivals
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 02: Elon Musk attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
In 2014, 18-year-old Michael Brown was killed by Ferguson police. Musk laughed off the "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" movement as "fiction."

Twitter's future may be unclear to many of its users, but Elon Musk is pushing forward. The Tesla boss acquired the microblogging platform for a cool $44 billion, and people have expressed concern. Musk's attitude, political affiliations, and alleged egomaniacal decision-making have resulted in a sweep of firings.

There has been one antic after another in recent months, and this week, Musk is once again under fire. He shared a video of a closet at Twitter Headquarters filled with shirts that read, "Stay Woke."

Ferguson, Missouri Marks One-Year Anniversary Of The Death Of Michael Brown
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Read More: New Footage From Night Before Michael Brown’s Death Reignites Ferguson Protests

The merchandise was first introduced in 2016 courtesy of the "Twitter Blackbirds." The Daily Beast reported that the platform created the initiative to "support diversity at Twitter," but these days, Musk is laughing at their efforts.

Subsequently, Musk explained that the "#StayWoke" Twitter movement was in response to the Ferguson protests that emerged following the death of Michael Brown. In 2014, the 18-year-old was shot and killed by Ferguson, Missouri police. It was widely reported that his hands were up at the time, resulting in the popularized phrase, "Hands Up, Don't Shoot."

However, Musk seemingly laughed about the protests, adding that Brown allegedly didn't have his hands in the air at the time. “Obama’s own DOJ proved this [and] exonerated the cop," said Musk. "‘Hands up don’t shoot’ was made up. The whole thing was a fiction."

Read More: J. Cole Talks About His Visit To Ferguson & Shares His Thoughts On Michael Brown

Musk quickly earned backlash as people countered his point with reports from the Department of Justice that stated the opposite. Musk and his now-deleted posts have sparked a debate on Twitter as far-right conservatives defend him against activists calling for Brown's family to be given peace.

[via]

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

Comments 0
Page was generated in 1.6916859149933