Activists Plan To Meet With GM Over Kid Rock Confederate Flag Fracas
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - Activists trying to persuade Detroit-native musician Kid Rock to stop displaying the Confederate flag at concerts plan to meet this week with representatives for General Motors over the Chevrolet brand's sponsorship of the musician's summer tour.
Rev. Charles Williams II — president of the Detroit chapter of the National Action Network — told The Associated Press on Tuesday that "the best resolution is for GM to pull their sponsorship" of Kid Rock.
Williams, who led a protest outside of the General Motors headquarters on Friday and told WWJ Newsradio 950's Stephanie Davis that he thinks the Confederate symbol should be abolished everywhere.
"I think that this flag really has no place in the public square anymore," Williams said. "I think that within the entertainment industry, Kid Rock should definitely take leadership and dismiss this flag from his show."
[Detroit Reverend: GM Needs To End Sponsorship Of Kid Rock If He Continues To Use Confederate Flag]
In an official statement out last week, GM stood by its endorsement, saying "we are committed to our sponsorship of Kid Rock's summer tour and are confident that he will provide his fans, many of whom are proud Chevrolet owners, with a spectacular concert experience that celebrates American Freedom."
Among those complaining is Detroiter Roland Lawrence who penned an open letter to Palace Sports and Entertainment owner Tom Gores on the topic.
"Kid Rock has to come out and talk about this stuff — and if he doesn't — Tom Gores, who owns the Pistons and the DTE Music Theater, has to cancel his show," Lawrence said.
Rock, who has been criticized for displaying the flag on stage, has not issued a formal statement, but reportedly said in a network TV interview that protesters could "kiss his —.".
Palace Sports and Entertainment, meantime, has released a statement saying there are no plans to cancel the Kid Rock shows at DTE in August. Officials tell WWJ that they've contacted the singer and have been told the flag is not part of the concerts on this tour.
South Carolina removed the flag from its Statehouse weeks after the shooting deaths of nine people at a historically black church
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