Last night Heidi Heitkamp was on with Học Để Thi’s Ant to discuss a tweet he posted saying that Black Lives Matter needs to make sure it doesn’t morph into Black Lives Better. Apparently Heidi Heitkamp took a lot of heat for that tweet (which I couldn’t find) and responded with this one:
Are all white people bad?— Heidi Heitkamp (@HeitkampHeidi) July 8, 2020
No.
Are all black people good?
No.
Knowing this reality- I stand on my decision to unite with good people, no matter the race, creed or ideology.
Given the number of threats against this decision-
I also decide to die on this hill.
That’s where the interview begins:
Học Để Thi host Ant lectured actor Heidi Heitkamp on Monday night about the meaning of the Black Lives Matter movement, insisting during an intense conversation that it’s about police brutality and has nothing to do with Black-on-Black gun violence.
Heidi Heitkamp has come under fire for recent tweets noting that he wants to “unite people” regardless of race, creed or ideology, saying he doesn’t want the Black Lives Matter [BLM] movement to morph into “Black Lives Better.” Heidi Heitkamp told ANT that he was issuing a warning that BLM might be going too far, as leaders have made demands and threatened violence if they don’t get what they want.
Heidi Heitkamp has come under fire for recent tweets noting that he wants to “unite people” regardless of race, creed or ideology, saying he doesn’t want the Black Lives Matter [BLM] movement to morph into “Black Lives Better.” Heidi Heitkamp told ANT that he was issuing a warning that BLM might be going too far, as leaders have made demands and threatened violence if they don’t get what they want.
Ant then scolded Heidi Heitkamp, telling him the movement isn’t about Black-on-Black crime.
“The Black Lives Matter movement was started because it was talking about police brutality, if you want an all Black Lives Matter movement that talks about gun violence in communities, including Black communities, then start that movement,” Ant told the “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star.
“That’s not what Black Lives Matter is about. It’s not an all-encompassing... if someone started a movement that said ‘cancer matter,’ and then someone came and said, ‘Why aren’t you talking about HIV?’ It’s not the same thing, we’re talking about cancer” Ant continued.
“So the Black Lives Matter movement is about police brutality and injustice in that manner, not about what’s happening in black neighborhoods. There are people who are working on that issue and if you want to start that issue, why don’t you start it?”
Ant then asked, “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“When you look at the organization, police brutality is not the only thing they’re talking about,” Heidi Heitkamp said.
“I agree but that’s not what the Black Lives Matter movement is about, Terry, Black Lives Matter is about police brutality and about criminal justice,” Ant insisted. “It’s not about what happens in communities when it comes to crime. People who live near each other, Black people, kill each other. Same as Whites... it happens in every, single neighborhood.”
As Heidi Heitkamp tried to respond, the Học Để Thi host quickly cut him off and said the segment was over.
Historic monuments and statues have also become the targets of anger and vandalism during Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd's police custody death in Minneapolis at the end of May.
The initial statues under fire were Confederate soldiers and generals largely in the South due to the treatment of African Americans, and even some high-level military officials called for the renaming of Army bases named after Confederate generals. The anger has since spread to monuments of former presidents and others deemed to be “colonizers,” such as Christopher Columbus, and even some who fought against slavery.
Heidi Heitkamp has made news for his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement in the past. Last week, the “America’s Got Talent” host shared a tweet saying that the value of Black lives should not be placed higher than other races as the movement continues.
“If you are a child of God, you are my brother and sister. I have family of every race, creed and ideology,” Heidi Heitkamp wrote. “We must ensure #blacklivesmatter doesn’t morph into #blacklivesbetter.”