The mother of country music star Morgan Wallen, Lesli Wallen, praised the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) for bucking “cancel culture” and playing her son’s music.
In early February, Wallen’s music was deplatformed from Cumulus Media, iHeartRadio, Entercom, cable network CMT, satellite service SiriusXM, streaming service Pandora, and other mediums after video was leaked to TMZ of a tipsy Wallen saying the N-word to a white friend after a night out in Nashville.
Lesli Wallen also linked to BLEXIT Foundation, an organization founded by conservative author Candace Owens.
“CPAC is playing Morgan Wallen, they don’t hold to Cancel Culture,” Lesli posted to her Instagram story on Saturday. “I stand with Morgan Wallen, who made a mistake and is paying dearly for it.”
“Country Music Associations, businesses, radio stations, and agencies, stop using him as a pawn,” she charged. “Forgiveness and love is needed on all sides, not hate. Hate produces more hate. This isn’t solving problems. Your round table discussions are not solving problems.”
“Get out in neighborhoods and help your children and youth of all colors that are suffering,” Lesli urged. “Educate, mentor, love. Blexitfoundation.org.”
BLEXIT, according to its website, is “dedicated to the advancement of urban and minority communities by encouraging youth to seek and take advantage of opportunities in 21st Century America. The organization promotes educational initiatives, pursues criminal justice reform, educates minority communities regarding America’s founding principles, and highlights the importance of free markets and entrepreneurship as the antidote to poverty.”
Owens, who is set to host an anticipated show with The Daily Wire, said in 2019 that one of her goals with BLEXIT is to “challenge the narrative.”
“I wanted to challenge black Americans to consider what [President Donald] Trump actually asked us, which is, ‘Black America, what do you have to lose? In my opinion, the answer was, ‘absolutely nothing,'” she said.
Wallen’s mother is not the only family member vouching for the singer. Last month, sister Ashlyne Wallen ripped the phenomenon of cancel culture for leaving “no room for forgiveness and growth.”
“There are only 3 things you should ever do about a mistake: admit it, learn from it, and don’t repeat it,’” Ashlyne’s post said. “Cancel culture is the worst thing that has come out of our digital world. It leaves no room for forgiveness and growth, in turn, leaving no opportunity for individuals who have made mistakes to learn from them. If you make a mistake or do something stupid then apologize, correct your mistake, and learn through personal growth.”
“The world we live in thrives off drama and bringing others down. I refuse to be part of that,” she added. “If my family or my friends make a mistake and apologize, I’m going to listen, accept it, and expect them to learn from their mistake. Someone who is truly sorry should be forgiven — not continuously bashed. Your past mistakes do not define you; it is how you choose to move forward that does.”
TMZ published the video reportedly recorded by a neighbor showing Wallen using expletives and the N-word after a night out in Nashville with friends. TMZ reported:
Morgan Wallen returned home Sunday from a rowdy night with friends, and as he walked up his driveway he hurled the n-word and other profanities, it’s all on video and Wallen is remorseful.
The country star and a group of buddies had just spent a night out in Nashville. When they arrived at Morgan’s home at around midnight, they were extremely loud … honking horns and talking loudly … loud enough to piss off neighbors. One of the neighbors began recording the antics.
As Morgan appears to stumble toward his house, he tells someone to watch over a guy in his group. He says … “take care of this p****-ass mother******” — and then goes on to say, “take care of this p****-ass n*****” … before finally heading in.
Wallen quickly released a statement of apology and a promise to “do better.” “I’m embarrassed and sorry,” the “7 Summers” singer said. “I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back. There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever. I want to sincerely apologize for using the word. I promise to do better.”
Days later, Wallen posted a video to social media offering a lengthy apology, which included discussion of his sobriety and his efforts to make amends for his mistake.
“I let so many people down who mean a lot to me, who have given so much to me, it’s just not fair,” he said. “I let my parents down and they’re the furthest thing from the person in that video. I let my son down and I’m not OK with that.”