One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Paris Jackson Denounces 'Nazi White Supremacist Jerks' At MTV VMAs
Paris Jackson on stage at the 2017 VMAs. (Photo by Frederick Brown / Getty Images)
The VMAs have often been an outlet for celebrities to get political, from Lady Gaga speaking out against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" or Beyonce attending with the mothers of Black Lives Matter, and this year's awards show was no exception. Paris Jackson, Michael Jackson's 19-year-old daughter, presented the Moon Person for Best Pop Video and took the opportunity to denounce the violent actions of white supremacists in Charlottesville.
Standing on stage, before giving the award to Fifth Harmony for their video Down, Jackson said "We must show these Nazi, white supremacist jerks in Charlottesville and all over the country, that as a nation with liberty as our slogan, we have zero tolerance for their violence, hatred, and discrimination."
Paris Jackson gets political at the #VMAs: "We must resist" https://t.co/mlTmdtNYJf pic.twitter.com/D7qN2eybAs
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) August 28, 2017
Jackson was condemning the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, VA that culminated in violence and a terrorist attack when a white supremacist barreled his car through a group of counter-protestors. It took President Trump several days to condemn the racist rally, so Jackson's comments appear to address both the white supremacists and President Trump.
The mother of Heather Heyer, the woman killed by the white supremacist terrorist, was in attendance at the VMAs and gave a moving speech alongside a pastor who is related to General Robert E. Lee.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
