CNN anchor Don Lemon called out America’s Black, wealthy elite for “sitting in their mansions doing nothing” while cities burned across America.
Widespread rioting, arson and looting spread across the United States in response to the killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died in Minneapolis police custody last month.
The CNN Tonight host called out a slew of famous Black millionaires and one billionaire — Oprah — for doing nothing while rioters destroyed parts of the Black community.
Celebrities such as Michael Jordan, Eminem, T.I. Harris, and more have spoken out about what they called the “systemic racism” in America that led to Floyd’s death.
But Lemon said those prominent voices are doing nothing to reach the disaffected and alienated youth.
“What about Hollywood? Strangely quiet,” Don said during a conversation with Rev. William Barber. “I’ve seen them on Twitter, I see them, ‘Oh, I’m loving what Don Lemon’s doing’… But they gotta do more than that.”
Lemon called out wealthy celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Sean Combs, Drake, and more, acknowledging that while they do donate “millions,” their “visibility in helping speak out for these young kids” is what’s needed right now.
He added:
“Why aren’t they helping these young people? These young people are out there standing on a platform at the edge of an abyss by themselves. Yes, I’m calling you out, and you can be mad at me all you want. And what they’re doing, you’re sitting there and watching TV and you’re b*tching abut it.”
Lemon has been very vocal about President Trump’s lack of leadership during the civil unrest.
