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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Petition Wants Jesse Williams Fired for His Speech at BET Awards. But He’s Not Worried. | Petition Wants Jesse Williams Fired for His Speech at BET Awards. But He’s Not Worried. |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Change.org petition calling for the actor Jesse Williams to be fired from “Grey’s Anatomy” after his fiery speech at the BET Awards last week denouncing racism stands zero chance at succeeding. | A Change.org petition calling for the actor Jesse Williams to be fired from “Grey’s Anatomy” after his fiery speech at the BET Awards last week denouncing racism stands zero chance at succeeding. |
| But that hasn’t stopped it from creating a social media storm. | But that hasn’t stopped it from creating a social media storm. |
| The petition, which was started on July 1 and had garnered more than 11,600 signatures by Tuesday afternoon, accuses him of making “a racist, hate speech against law enforcement and white people,” and calls for Shonda Rhimes, the show’s creator, to cut him loose. But it raises some questions. | |
| Here’s a breakdown. | Here’s a breakdown. |
| That would be the creator of the ABC show on which Mr. Williams stars as Dr. Jackson Avery. Her production company is known to create network series that showcase powerful, flawed women, like “Scandal.” And “Grey’s.” And “Private Practice.” And “How to Get Away With Murder.” | That would be the creator of the ABC show on which Mr. Williams stars as Dr. Jackson Avery. Her production company is known to create network series that showcase powerful, flawed women, like “Scandal.” And “Grey’s.” And “Private Practice.” And “How to Get Away With Murder.” |
| Those shows have been praised for their commitment to diversity and deft handling of complex social issues. They have also been a wellspring of critical and commercial success for ABC, which has built much of its schedule around them. | Those shows have been praised for their commitment to diversity and deft handling of complex social issues. They have also been a wellspring of critical and commercial success for ABC, which has built much of its schedule around them. |
| Ms. Rhimes also isn’t afraid to dump a problematic actor. She dismissed the actor Isaiah Washington from “Grey’s Anatomy” in 2007 for his repeated use of a homophobic slur. | Ms. Rhimes also isn’t afraid to dump a problematic actor. She dismissed the actor Isaiah Washington from “Grey’s Anatomy” in 2007 for his repeated use of a homophobic slur. |
| But Ms. Rhimes’s Twitter post Monday night on the petition to fire Mr. Williams said it all. | But Ms. Rhimes’s Twitter post Monday night on the petition to fire Mr. Williams said it all. |
| The originator identified herself as Erin Smith but declined to give her racial background or political leanings. “Who said I was white? Who said I’m a Trump supporter?” she wrote. | The originator identified herself as Erin Smith but declined to give her racial background or political leanings. “Who said I was white? Who said I’m a Trump supporter?” she wrote. |
| She accused Mr. Williams, who is half white and half black, of antipathy toward white people and the police. | She accused Mr. Williams, who is half white and half black, of antipathy toward white people and the police. |
| “Jesse Williams spewed a racist, hate speech against law enforcement and white people at the BET awards,” Ms. Smith wrote in the petition. “If this was a white person making the same speech about an African-American, they would have been fired and globally chastised, as they should be, but there has been no consequences to Williams’ actions.” | “Jesse Williams spewed a racist, hate speech against law enforcement and white people at the BET awards,” Ms. Smith wrote in the petition. “If this was a white person making the same speech about an African-American, they would have been fired and globally chastised, as they should be, but there has been no consequences to Williams’ actions.” |
| The petition also pointed to Ms. Rhimes’s dismissal of Mr. Washington: “Why the one-way street? “Why the support for a hater? Why the hypocrisy? #AllLivesMatter” | The petition also pointed to Ms. Rhimes’s dismissal of Mr. Washington: “Why the one-way street? “Why the support for a hater? Why the hypocrisy? #AllLivesMatter” |
| Hardly. | Hardly. |
| In response to the call for his firing, Mr. Williams posted a message to Twitter criticizing the online “tantrums” of “empty people,” and on Monday retweeted a GIF making fun of the petition. | In response to the call for his firing, Mr. Williams posted a message to Twitter criticizing the online “tantrums” of “empty people,” and on Monday retweeted a GIF making fun of the petition. |
| In his speech at the BET Awards, Mr. Williams, who called for an end to racial inequality and the police killings of black people, may have foreseen the tenor of the complaints made in the petition about what it called his “irrational behavior.” | In his speech at the BET Awards, Mr. Williams, who called for an end to racial inequality and the police killings of black people, may have foreseen the tenor of the complaints made in the petition about what it called his “irrational behavior.” |
| “Just a little side note,” he said. “The burden of the brutalized is not to comfort the bystander. That’s not our job, all right, stop with all that.” | “Just a little side note,” he said. “The burden of the brutalized is not to comfort the bystander. That’s not our job, all right, stop with all that.” |
| In addition to playing the “Grey’s Anatomy” role since 2009, he is known for his deep involvement in civil rights activism and received a humanitarian award at the BET ceremony. His speech was widely praised on social media. | In addition to playing the “Grey’s Anatomy” role since 2009, he is known for his deep involvement in civil rights activism and received a humanitarian award at the BET ceremony. His speech was widely praised on social media. |
| Mr. Williams starred in and produced a documentary on the Black Lives Matter movement that had its premiere last month on BET, and he also produces Question Bridge, an art project about the experience of black men in America. | Mr. Williams starred in and produced a documentary on the Black Lives Matter movement that had its premiere last month on BET, and he also produces Question Bridge, an art project about the experience of black men in America. |
| He also works with Sankofa, an organization dedicated to ending racial injustice, and serves on the board of the Advancement Project, a national civil rights organization. | He also works with Sankofa, an organization dedicated to ending racial injustice, and serves on the board of the Advancement Project, a national civil rights organization. |
| Here’s the full speech: | Here’s the full speech: |