A somber, 15-second PSA addressing the protests in Ferguson is set to air during the commercials of tonight’s VMAs. The spot features a simple black-and-white shot of the Ferguson sign accompanied by chants of “Hands up! Don’t shoot!†and the James Baldwin quote, “Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced†over it. MTV President Stephen Friedman told the Washington Post, “Young people are using social media not just to spread news but to create powerful memes like ‘Hands Up Don’t Shoot,’ which are becoming the activist rallying points that echo around the country.†After accusations of racial appropriation dogged the Miley Cyrus circus last year, this seems like a solid step in the right direction.
