This. Right here. This. *taps the screen aggressively* THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT. As this year has progressed I’ve become more and more uncomfortable – and quite frankly angry – with the silence coming from some of those with the most. No, I’m not talking about the billionaires – those assholes are a lost cause. But celebrities, actors, musicians, influencers. Uh, hello, can we get a little righteous indignation going from the creative class? This is especially true at award shows. When given a microphone and a podium at these well-watched public events, I need them to use their voices for more than just witty thank yous and self aggrandizing. I need less vague “love is love” and “be kind to one another” soft-sell messaging. I need more flat-out acknowledgement of the fundamental fuckedupness of our current political climate. I need more celebrities to directly call out Trump, his authoritarian administration and the weaponized infrastructure that is supporting his destructive, chaotic and cruel policies.
So, super stars of the world, take a lesson from Doechii at the BET Awards this week. I’ve listened to her short speech several times now, and each time I am struck by the clarity and the decisiveness. “I want y’all to consider what kind of government it appears to be when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest the military is deployed against us. What type of government is that?” The worst type. The fascist type. Yet here we are here, America. As an artist, as a public figure, as anyone with any kind of platform, this is the moment. Either you are with the oppressed and marginalized communities of this world, or you truly are just some well-paid bread and circus to distract and disengage the masses. I fear for my beautiful state right now. I fear for all immigrants in this country no matter how they got here. I fear for all Black and Brown and other POCs whose communities are being ruthlessly targeted. I fear for women and all pregant people seeking life-saving healthcare. I fear for trans and other queer people just trying to live their lives. I fear for the families and children being bombed into oblivion in Gaza. I fear, but I am also ready to fight. At the very least, we should all be using our voices to scream as loudly as we can. This, this is not right. This, this is not normal. This, this will not stand. Fuck Donald Trump. No Kings. Happy weekend, all.
Gracias!
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