Unruly Students Get Reality Dose From Motivational Speaker — Entire Auditorium Falls Silent

May 30, 2020 by apost team

In 2016, motivational speaker Eric Thomas gave a talk in Vashon High School in St. Louis, Missouri aimed at motivating and inspiring young African-Americans.

Social expectations often trump productive pursuits, which ultimately allows oppression to become internalized. Despite the seemingly insurmountable odds faced by minorities, there is still hope for redemption and recovery.

While Thomas starts his presentation normally, the upbeat tone changes into a stark confrontation with the crowd about halfway through its delivery. After being rudely interrupted on multiple occasions, the speaker decided to take a different approach, as you'll see in the video. The emphatic switch between moods instantly silenced the auditorium.

The self-proclaimed “Hip-Hop Preacher,” known online as “ET,” initially managed to maintain resolve and composure in the face of sheer disrespect. He resolutely stressed the need for the high-schoolers to hear him out, but the peaceable vibe was to no avail. There were more interjections from the audience even after he begged, “I need you to really think about what I’m saying. I’m not playing now. This is why I get so frustrated.”

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As his calm pleas for collective focus were thoroughly dismissed, the minister only had one option left to reach the youth in front of him. He raised his voice dramatically and demanded their undivided attention. The disinterested learners immediately displayed complete receptiveness to the important message once Thomas started spewing some cold, hard facts. To the shock of these distracted kids, the activist on stage bellowed,

“If you’re in the wrong place, you’re gonna get shot and killed, and nobody is gonna go to jail for it!”

Thomas is a renowned influencer who normally makes big bucks for his lectures; however, this special appearance was a charitable endeavor to raise money for a student trip to Costa Rica, as he explains in the video. He made sure to let them know they were rejecting a profound educational gift by ignoring his statements: “They pay me $50,000 to $100,000 when I speak to corporate America […] I ain’t getting a dime here. I’m here because I love you […] When people love you, you don’t do them like dirt."

The renowned motivator also made a salient point by differentiating the actions of African-Americans from other ethnic groups. Thomas poignantly added, “I only get disrespected by my own.”

What are your thoughts on ET's speech? Let us know in the comments and pass this inspirational video on to friends and family members.