Photo: Roland Martin, June 19, 2021, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Veteran journalist Roland Martin is abuzz on Twitter lately. And it’s not for delivering hard-hitting journalism but for issuing petty attacks against his critics, such as YouTube political commentator Viki Dillard of the popular YouTube channel Vicki Dillard TV, Black thought commentator Jason Black of the #TheBlackChannel on YouTube, and American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS) co-founder Yvette Carnell. Some thought Martin should be above the fray as a professional journalist instead of digging down in the mud with immature attacks on critics.
Martin is a former commentator for TV One and a CNN contributor. He now hosts the daily digital show “#RolandMartinUnfiltered.” He’s authored the books “Speak, Brother! A Black Man’s View of America,” “Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith” and “The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House as Originally Reported by Roland S. Martin.”
Many on Twitter called Martin out for pandering to the Democrats and his verbal attacks on other Black pundits.
His attack on Dillard came during an episode of “#RolandMartinUnfiltered.” During a panel discussion about a push to get more Black voters registered in Louisiana, Martin did a roll call of his critics, including Carnell, Black, and Dillard. But when he called out Dillard, he called her “Ms. bad lace front.”
“Roland Martin’s journalistic integrity is in the gutter. He has dedicated himself to be a proxy for the left’s neglect of Black Americans. We need good Black journalism, not his,” tweeted Robert F. Trilliams (@FTrilliams).
Martin tweeted, “Black America, please STOP listening to people who excel at TALKING about what we need as a people and FOLLOW those who are actually DOING it. We are enamored with folks who speak in rhetorical flourishes, but are only building their social numbers. That’s no institution building.”
Carnell hit back by tweeting, “We created a *MOVEMENT* around reparations and a SPECIFIC Black Agenda. All Roland does is TALK about how we gotta get more Dems elected, then once they’re elected, he TALKS about how we gotta hold them accountable. Democrats ignore us. Roland heads back on the campaign trail.”
Carnell continued with a challenge to Martin’s dedication to the Democrats. She tweeted, “Roland doesn’t understand that the Black vote is a captured vote, and as such, just getting more Democrats elected isn’t a fix. Change comes through movement building, not yelling about how Democrats didn’t come thru for us for the 100th time. It’s ridiculous.”
A back-and-forth continued on Twitter with Martin defending his journalism skills.
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Carnell wasn’t the only one to comment on Martin’s close relationship with the Democrats.
“Whoa say that again . See Roland is getting a bag from the DNC to try and keep Black folks voting and especially voting democratic . Because he a Democratic shill. #D1 NOT #B1 But thank God some black folks are waking up to the game. And mostly young folks,” tweeted Tim (@Tim02115414).
Jason Black joined in the chorus, tweeting via Black Authority (@TheBlackChannel), “You can name drop me all you want Roland. I’m not in Louisiana right now but I WILL be in Louisiana but NOT to register voters for the Democratic party. You and Gary Chambers are Democrat shills and shameless attention hogs. But if you want MY attention…now you’ve GOT it.”
Dillard responded to Martin’s insult of calling her “Ms. bad lace front” and wondered why some Black women have not come to her defense. She tweeted, “Amanda Seales, Jemele Hill, Tamika Mallory & feminist types love to call out Black Men on supposedly disrespecting Black Women. They stay silent on Roland Martin’s REPEATED attacks on me, tho. Interesting.”
Photo: Roland Martin attends the premiere of Dave Chappelle’s untitled documentary during the closing night celebration for the 20th Tribeca Festival, at Radio City Music Hall, on June 19, 2021, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
