The 13-year-old Internet star who gained national attention after slamming President Barack Obama and becoming part of Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) presidential campaign is done being a mouthpiece for conservatism, according to CNN.
CJ Pearson said he has concerns about the Republican Party’s views on racial and gender disparity and youth issues.
{mosads}“I was tired of being a champion of a party that turned a blind eye to racial discrimination. Tired of being a champion of any cause that denies equal rights to every American. Tired of being a champion of a party that doesn’t care about that issues important to young people,” Pearson told CNN.
The black YouTube star said the video of Laquan McDonald being shot 16 times by a police officer in Chicago helped him realize the systemic problems of racial discrimination in America.
“Over the past few days, I thought about essentially how I don’t want people to follow me because I’m that anti-Obama kid, or who called out Hillary Clinton or who took Bernie Sanders to task,” Pearson said. “I don’t want to be the conservative wonder kid that people follow because I make them feel good and like young people are part of their movement. I want to be followed because I’m the voice of a generation that doesn’t have a voice at the table.
“My generation is one of the most politically diverse ever, and I’ll continue to be a voice but one that looks at issues objectively,” Pearson added. “My views on the issues aren’t going to be dictated by one political platform or another.”
Pearson was the chairman of Teens for Ted and part of the Texas senator’s presidential campaign. Pearson left the campaign at the beginning of the month, saying Cruz wasn’t doing enough for issues that affect young people, CNN reported.
Pearson’s YouTube channel has been viewed by more than 5 million people and his Facebook feed has more than 100,000 followers, according to CNN.