Go Holly!
Like Holly, we are struggling too. Our
son struggles daily, and the cuter half and I are so far in the struggle pit we
don't know how to get out. It is times and things like this that we hear about and all we can do is shrug our shoulders, shake our heads, and then not know what to do or say next.
This time Holly did it for us, and good for her.
I saw a little bit of what Holly said
on some entertainment show.....we were sort of watching it and OMG - she said
exactly what I have been thinking lately....She has the money power and brains
to back up what she said and I appreciated her thoughts on this SO, SO MUCH.
You yourself might not like it, and
that is OK, your choice.
Holly, - Love you babe, and good job
calling this out.
Holly Robinson Peete's Moving
Explanation Of Why J. Cole's 'Jodeci Freestyle' Lyrics Are Offensive- by Parents Section of the Huffington Post
Mom, actress and autism activist Holly
Robinson Peete first came across the lyrics to Drake's song, "Jodeci
Freestyle," when her 15-year-old son, R.J., showed them to her. R.J. has
autism and asked his mother to explain a specific, highly offensive line
performed by rapper J. Cole, she said in a Friday interview on Access
Hollywood Live.
The line that has Peete and many, many others up in
arms, is: "I'm artistic, you n****s is autistic, retarded." Peete,
who appeared on Access Hollywood with blogger Segun Oduolowu, said her son is a
fan of both Drake and J. Cole -- and she "had to read [the line] like five
times" because she was so devastated that she hoped there would be an
explanation apart from the obvious.
Echoing words she wrote in a letter to 50 Cent last year,
after he used the the terms
"autistic" and "special ed" as insults in tweets,
Peete said (coming close to tears):
I just don't know that these artists
understand ... the power that they have. Because my son is struggling to fit
in. And I mean struggling. So when I see an artist with this kind of following,
who is writing not just 'autistic,' but trying to make it the new R-word, it's
not going to happen on our watch. Because we struggle every day. And I couldn't
even write about it or talk about it for a long time... Does he know that one
in 50 school-aged children are suffering with autism? This is not something
that is some random little niche issue. This is a big issue.
"What 50 Cent did, to me, is like
a Martin Luther King quote compared to this," she said.
Peete called on J. Cole to apologize
and remove the lyric from his song. On Sunday, the rapper did issue a long apology on his blog, explaining that while
he didn't always think rappers should apologize for lyrics others found
offensive, this was a special case ("a tweeted apology wouldn't do,"
he added on Twitter).
"This letter is sincere. This apology IS necessary," he wrote, going
on:
In a recent verse on the song
"Jodeci Freestyle," I said something highly offensive to people with
Autism. Last week, when I first saw a comment from someone outraged about the
lyric, I realized right away that what I said was wrong. I was instantly
embarrassed that I would be ignorant enough say something so hurtful. What
makes the crime worse is that I should have known better.
To the entire Autism community who
expressed outrage, I’m moved and inspired by your passion, and I’m amazed at
how strong you are as a unit. I have now read stories online from parents about
their struggles and triumphs with raising an Autistic child and I admire how
incredibly strong you have to be to do so. It’s touching. It also makes what I
said even more embarrassing for me. I feel real shame. You have every right to
be angry.
Read the full apology here.
Cole did not mention in his post whether he intends to remove the lyrics in question from the song.
Cole did not mention in his post whether he intends to remove the lyrics in question from the song.
Blogger Lisa Quinones-Fontanez, whose
7-year-old son has autism, wrote on Babble of the
lyrics:
When anyone uses autism or the r-word as an
insult it perpetuates the stereotype that individuals with disabilities are
worthless and stupid. You discredit every single thing that so many parents
have fought for, shut every door that has been opened. You squash a dream.
Break a heart.
Pointing out the extent of Drake's social media influence,
she added that the problem was particularly urgent in minority communities:
"There is still so much stigma within our community about autism and
intellectual disabilities. ... Drake and J. Cole’s lyrics do nothing to
strengthen our community or our children, they only weaken it. They have
disrespected many families and their loved ones."
In a HuffPost blog earlier this year,
Peete discussed raising a son with autism, from the day in 2000 when R.J. was
diagnosed through the learning experience of puberty. "[T]he main issue
for me, the one that keeps me up at night," she wrote, "is will my
sweet 6-feet-tall, lanky, milk chocolate 15-year-old be able to self-advocate
in life. Who will protect his heart when I am not around? How will his survival
skills work for him in real world situations...?"
Clearly, she is devoted to stamping out the
prejudices that stand in his way.
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