It had to be targeted, I highly doubt some random MAGA deplorables would recognize Smollett as an actor on Empire...

Probably as a call out specifically for Westboro Baptist Church since they used to (still do?) picket soldier’s funerals with their bullshit.

Pretty much this. People don’t have to contribute to her financially, nor do they have to justify why they won’t. She pissed off what is very likely her core audience (black folks) so she needs to accept the fact that the same audience is telling her to kick rocks.

I mean, I don’t financially support Whoopi Goldberg, R. Kelly, or Chris Brown. I haven’t bought anything associated with Kanye West since like 2010. I have no idea who Travis Greene is.

Have you seen his art? It’s pretty amazing!

DL is a misogynist and has a history of saying fucked up things. So it’s not surprising he doesn’t understand how a man can be assaulted. 

Bringing up two boys, who would naturally want to look up to some big tough guy on TV or the movies, it was so great to have Terry Crews to point to. Even before coming out with his story of assault, Crews espoused points of view that were exciting to highlight to the boys. Crews recognized that it wasn’t enough just…

I agree.

This is awful and only contributes to the shame around sexual assault for men. Also, Crews has also said that he felt his size and blackness complicated his ability to respond more forcefully to the assault. 

He was recently on an NPR show “Ask Me Another”. He is an amazing guy in so many ways. He got into college on an art scholarship. Then he got on the football team as a walk on and got a free ride. He is a flautist. He made extra money in school doing portraits of his teammates. The played a game of “what cant Terry do”…

He also addressed it in his initial statement when he mentioned that, during the incident, he was aware and wary of how it would look, being a large black man, if he were to get violent in that situation.

I have a lot of respect for Terry Crews. It’s incredibly demeaning, and infuriating, when someone suggests that you didn’t try hard enough to not be sexually harassed or assaulted. He helped encourage me to report my own sexual harassment.

Ugh. Michael B. Jordan, time for a new agent.

Terry Crews is a national treasure. 

Even if Terry beat the tar out of the guy, it wouldn’t erase the fact that he was sexually assaulted. Bye, D.L.

I appreciate the reticence to have heroes, when so many heroes turn out to secretly be shit heels. Still, I think as a species humans need role-models. It’s good to point out the best people out there and elevate them as good examples to follow, and just be honest if/when they disappoint us.

As much as I love Terry Crews right now, I refuse to put all my eggs in one basket, it’s proven to be waaaay too dangerous. But you’re right that regardless of my (unsubstantiated) fears, he’s a good example right now.

People will inevitably ask “what’s ‘non-toxic’ masculinity?”

May I add: When confronted about said beating of Rih on GMA, he went into a mild meth-like rage and threw a freakin’ chair at the dressing room window causing shards of glass to fall upon the street endangering the health of anyone walking mindin’ their damn business.