Courtesy of Business Insider:
"I decided today that until the Stand Your Ground law is abolished in Florida, I will never perform there again," Wonder said on Sunday during a concert in Quebec City, Canada. "As a matter of fact, wherever I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part of the world."
"The truth is that — for those of you who've lost in the battle for justice, wherever that fits in any part of the world — we can't bring them back. What we can do is we can let our voices be heard. And we can vote in our various countries throughout the world for change and equality for everybody. That's what I know we can do."
Wonders joins a growing list of celebrities speaking out against the verdict, including Rihanna, Solange Knowles, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Kim Kardashian, and Beyonce.
You know discussing the problems with this law logically has not worked, trying to outmaneuver it politically has not worked, and even demonstrating its deadly effects in a court of law has not worked.
So maybe if EVERY intelligent, caring musical performer out there refused to put on a concert in states that have this arcane and hateful law on the books, maybe THAT would be enough to put pressure on lawmakers to finally do away with it? What do you think?
Oh they may hold off for awhile, but when they are down to Ted Nugent and a drunken off key singing Meatloaf, they might just have to rethink their position.
We can start urging our favorite artists to join with Stevie right here #standwithstevie
Dear George Zimmerman,
ReplyDeleteFor the rest of your life you are now going to feel what its like to be a black man in America.
You will feel people stare at you. Judging you for what you think are unfair reasons. You will lose out on getting jobs for something you feel is outside of your control. You will believe yourself to be an upstanding citizen and wonder why people choose to not see that.
People will cross the street when they see you coming. They will call you hurtful names. It will drive you so insane some days that you'll want to scream at the top of your lungs. But you will have to wake up the next day, put on firm look and push through life.
I bet you never thought that by shooting a black male you'd end up inheriting all of his struggles.
Enjoy your "freedom."
Sincerely,
A black male who could've been Trayvon Martin
https://www.facebook.com/alexandercfraser/posts/10100600518857296
Excellent and so true. Karma is a bitch and it has come back to bite Zimmerman in the ass.
DeleteAMEN...it's also been revealed little Georgie had a Myspace page in the past where he disparaged Mexicans as people who "pulled knives on him" and bragged about getting his domestic violence charges and battery of a police officer charges reduced. So hopefully, no one sees that and decides George is a thug who deserves to be hurt or killed... because in Florida you can apparently do that now...just saying, Georgie, just sayin'...
DeleteMy mother used to say "money talks and bullshit walks". What is we also stop vacationing in states that have the stand your ground laws. Wouldn't Disney World start to lose money as well and probably "covertly" lobby to eliminate the law in FL?
ReplyDeleteThis crossed my mind, too, since I used to spend a month each winter in Florida. This coming winter I plan to skip going there.
DeleteWe have Disneyland in California, no stand your ground, and we grow oranges too.
Deletehttp://www.dangelber.com/blog/view_blog.php?ID=268
ReplyDeleteHow the Stand your Ground law enabled Zimmerman to get away with murder.
Many will argue the SYG had nothing to do with Zimmerman, but he would have been convicted of Manslaughter in 2005.
Juror B37 said that SYG is the reason the jurors made their decision. It most definitely was a factor in this case.
Deletesadly now all people have to do to get away with murder is say they were afraid, if they're white that is.
DeleteIf they're black, they are thugs. That's the way it's been for 237 years.
Glad to see that Stevie is doing this and I hope others follow.
ReplyDeleteI believe it is just the beginning.
Deleteas if stevie wonder would actually know where he is playing?
ReplyDeleteseriously though. even if their intentions are good, we prop up celebrities opinions way too much. is their opinion any more important than mine or yours? besides most are pretty much idiots when it comes to reality. Miley Cyrus...Kim Kardashian... do we really give a flying shit about their opinions? this country is turning into 'idiocracy'.
they have the ability to get people to spend money, how much influence do you have?
DeleteWhat does that first question mean? It comes off as a turn off.
DeleteTrue that we prop up celebrities opinions way too much. Some are crap and some are great. Thankfully, we still have our own minds and opinions. People with name recognition will continue to use their names to get messages out. Who wouldn't do the same if they had a strong opinion?
What is happening now is more than opinion. It is like a tsunami. It is going to cover a lot of territory. The few names standing up are just a beginning. I am not a Palin or Kardashian fan, but they have a right to speak up and have opinions. Other leaders will be more of a force.
Celebrities' opinions get media exposure- that's why they are important. Perhaps influence a voter or two hundred.
DeleteThat joke was humorless and not at all necessary.
DeleteThis isn't about "propping up celebrities' opinions" but rather about the economic impact their actions will have. Are you too young to remember the power of celebrity against Apartheid in the 80s? I believe it was quite successful and Stevie Wonder was in the forefront of that fight too. It's a shame, though, that it'll mean no more performances in our shared homestate of Michigan. Good on ya, anyway, Stevie!
thank you all for proving my point. like i said - idiocracy -. how about we each have our own well thought out ideas and opinions based on individual contemplation rather than some dipshit celebrity telling you and the rest of the well herded reality tv watching masses whats up. honestly im starting to wonder about the crowd around here. btw 7:49... its a joke obviously.
Delete@6.12. Asshole.
DeleteAnon at 9:30 pm. The implication about Stevie Wonder "not knowing" where he is playing was a rude slap about his blindness. I suspect he is far cleverer than many sighted people can ever hope to be.
DeleteHis statement does not influence me because I decided long ago that I would never waste my money or time in Florida (or a host of other, mostly warm weather, states either) but such a statement by a major performer may influence other performers. And let's hope so. What happened in that Florida courtroom was a travesty of justice and it shames all of America.
Beaglemom
Nobody here is propping up a celeb. we will all do what we can to not promote states that have the SYG law. It's great that Wonder is doing what HE can to help the cause.
DeleteTry some critical thinking 9:30, also, it was a stupid and unnecessary joke considering the topic here.
FL used to be the state people went to for retirement. It has since been replaced by No. Carolina. Better weather I guess.....
ReplyDeletePeople are leaving the state in droves. Can't blame them.
I hope it continues. We had a neighbor who retired to Florida and is seriously considering moving someplace else after Casey Anthony and the Zimmerman verdict.
DeleteSeniors, everyone really, need to do their homework BEFORE moving.
Anon @ 4:44 - My sentiments exactly. Tourism is HUGE in Florida. When it dwindles, Floridians might start to ask "Why?"
ReplyDeleteMoveOn.org has a petition going to boycott Florida tourism.
DeleteLet the cries of "racism!" from the assholes on the right begin! Good on you, Stevie!
ReplyDeletecrusty drawers Nugert will pick up the slack.
ReplyDeleteOn tonight's NBC game show Hollywood Game Night, during the final speed round, Allyson Hannigan gave this clue to the contestant: "She wanted to be Vice President. She's really dumb." The contestant didn't get it. The crowning moment of irrelevancy.
ReplyDeleteI love it.
DeleteBeaglemom
Just mailed my Florida in-laws I won't be going there to visit them as long as stand your ground is the law.
ReplyDeleteActually, didn't want to see them anyhow.
Those Teabaggers are tone deaf anyway, so they could not care any less. As long as their groups come and perform for them... NO PLROBLEMO, my dear!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad he spoke up, and hope it starts a trend.
ReplyDeleteI was going to plan a family trip to Disney Resort $$,$$$...will stick with California.
ReplyDeleteGood for Stevie Wonder! I've long had a list of states I will not set foot in and Florida has been on the list. Now it's top of the list. Besides I do not like hot weather.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
It's called shunning and it works for the Amish.
ReplyDeleteLet everyone boycott these states. Not just the singers. Musicians, artists, those producing movies. What would happen if producers, directors and actors said they would not work in any stand your ground state?
If you could add athletes that would be huge.
What if you could get Nascar drivers and their sponsors on board? That would shut down some of your big races, now wouldn't it. Hmm. Seems to me there's a big one in Florida that raises a lot of revenue.
There are all sorts of professionals in all sorts of disciplines that could simply say, sorry, but I will not work/perform in a stand your ground state.
Do you want to know why companies are advertizing that they're now making their products with sugar and not high fructose corn syrup? It's because people started boycotting their products because of the HFCS.
Money talks. The trick is to get enough people involved to show a significant enough loss of money to make decision makers notice and then act.
I'm all for shutting Florida out. Go to Disneyland in California. We grow oranges too.
Texas.
ReplyDeleteFlorida.
Alaska looks good but corrupt. No thanks.
Alaska just passed a Stand Your Ground gun law too.
DeleteStand your ground and support the 2nd Amendment
ReplyDeleteGreat verdict in FLA for gun ownwers