Why Would Will Smith Say this?? Do other Black Americans Feel the Same??

Question

I must admit that I was shocked to see the following words attributed to actor-rapper Will Smith, responding to a question of whether 9-11 had changed anything for him:

No. Absolutely not. When you grow up black in America you have a completely different view of the world than white Americans. We blacks live with a constant feeling of unease. And whether you are wounded in an attack by a racist cop or in a terrorist attack, I'm sorry, it makes no difference.

You cannot get much more hypocritical than that. Smith's evident contempt for America is baffling. He is apparently thankless for the opportunities America has given him to be free, work hard and succeed. Rather than feel for his country when it is viciously attacked, he seems unaffected and indifferent to the pain so many felt.

REGION 50- he was talking about himself. .. and what does a few racists cops have to do with the question, dont bother asking, I'll tell you:
"NOTHING"

So far SIMON TEMPLAR has hit it on the head. He's sharp enough to realize the dumbing down enabled by liberal america. My only disagreement Templar, is that you dont single out some of the black leadership like jesse jackson, sharpton, & nagin that are enabling the same mentality.

Answer 1

Will Smith has made millions off the white americans who go to his movies and I doubt he is afraid of being targeted by racist cops. The black community has had a hand in the polarization of the race issue. It is brought up at every point when they do not succeed at something. If they fail it is because of whitey keeping them down. Not all white people grow up rich most of us are just everyday people struggling to make ends meet much like most black people. Slavery was terrible but no one living in the US now was a slave. Get over it. I think racism is terrible but blacks have been racists for years. Racism is not a majority problem. If you speak ill of a race regardless of your color you are a racist. I don't beleive anyone should be targeted because of their color by police but I also don't believe anyone should feel sorry for someone who is breaking the law regardless of their color.

Answer 2

what country are you from? do you not realize that racism still prevalent in the US? why is there more cops patrolling black neighborhoods? my fiance, who is half white half black, went jogging in his neighborhood one night, a cop car pulled up next to him; patted him down and asked him why he was running. did the cops have any reason to stop him like that? did he match any suspect in the area? NO. the cops were racial profiling. they saw a young african american "running" and they immediately thought he committed a crime. that's not racism?? if you see white people jogging at night, how come cops don't pull them over?? and don't say that i only know one side, i know both sides. i've been in white neighborhoods and black neighborhoods. you may not realize this in your little world, but what has America done for the black people? why do black people still live in poverty? don't tell me they're lazy, because they're not. they don't want to be poor. why do the rich neighborhood have better schools than black schools? what were will smith's opportunity? do you know? was he given a scholarship to a prestigious school? f**ck no! he became popular because he's a rapper. so before you go on a tirade about how hypocritical will smith is, why don't you do your own social research and find out exactly how blacks are being treated in america.
by the way, i'm asian. so i have nothing to gain from this answer except to straighten your skewed view of the world.

Answer 3

Mr Smith may not always say the right things and as an actor that's his birthright. However, in this case, his answers are more pragmatic than unpatriotic. Speaking as a resident of an area where segregation is still very much a way of life and knowing that blacks that do finance a house pay an average of 4% more interest than whites, I see the validity to his remarks. I don't think he is indifferent, he just feels a bigger pain.

Answer 4

Yes that is quite an arrogant thing to say but the fact that it came from Will Smith doesn't shock me at all. Sure he's a smart guy but look at his situation. He's as white as any black person can get, he's trying to reestablish himself as a black mans black man.
As for his statements themselves, how would anyone else who wasn't living in New York at the time or who didn't have family or friends who died in the attacks answer that question? Probably by saying that lines in the airport are now much worse and thats about it. It doesnt mean they don't feel bad for the people affected, it just means they weren't changed. Terrorists have been around for ever and trying to get at americans for a long long time.

Answer 5

Rather than emphasizing keys to success, men like these give black youth a ready excuse for failure – racism – even as this racism seems not to affect their own success.

At the heart of their seemingly inexplicable comments, I believe there are two motives. First, these men understand the power of playing the race card. Smith and others know that many whites are afraid of being accused of racism, and will offer great concessions to avoid that suspicion. Simply put, charges of white racism create fear that keep money, jobs, and power rolling in to these black stars.

Second, being a victim, even to those who are successful, is a difficult temptation to pass up. Being a victim is not only an ego-boosting badge of honor, it also supplies a ready excuse whenever one fails. So these hypocrites hold on to victim status and pass it along to others, because if you can be a victim and cash in because of it, then, hey, why not?

Answer 6

I must say when i seen this question i really wanted to avoid it but some people s reactions have forced me to respond As for Will SMith if he was really really from the ghetto I just don t see it and racisim is racism be it a black white hispanic chinese cop targets are targets

Answer 7

I think he is saying because he is black every day is a trauma, because of what people do to black people. You could be driving along and because you are black you are not allowed in certain neighborhoods, and take the chance of being arrested, assaulted, or killed for driving there.

The controversy of profiling and the harm it causes. That when the 9/11 happened there was no difference in how he was treated nor how he reacted to it because of the color of his skin could be mistaken for a muslim. His life was still at risk in the same way.

Answer 8

Well I kinda agree with him and since you aren't black I wouldn't expect you to understand. But I do question the legitimacy of this article. Even if Will Smith actually feels this way I wouldn't expect him to express that to millions of people. I don't see how his statement is hypocrtical though. There is some truth to it and if you still don't understand, study African-American history.

Answer 9

I don't like WIll Smith much, but he can say whatever he wants. He has a point there with what he said, the only thing I saw wrong with it was the passive racism implied with the seperation of people into blacks and whites, but to each his own. Overall, I don't really care. Better that than stupid patriots who are blinded by irrational fear and hatred and think themselves superior to everybody else because of their nationality, regardless of their double-standards and hypocrisy, or that all muslims are to blame and ignorant crap like that.

Answer 10

You have to understand something -- that's not will Smith talking. That 40+ years of the destruction of the black race by white liberals. Thanks to white liberals, the entire societal structure of black America is in tatters.

I think it is very telling that the man liberals consider to be the "first black president".... is a white man.