Lady Gaga Speaks Out on Racism, Privilege and Trump's "Ignorance"
Lady Gaga has a lot of things to say.
That’s how the superstar singer opened a lengthy social media post Saturday night, shared amid widespread unrest across the United States as people took to the streets in four dozen cities to protest the death of George Floyd. There were many civil and peaceful protests, however many were overshadowed by police brutality, property damage and looting that led to unprecedented measures in some cities, specifically Los Angeles, where the surrounding county was declared in a state of emergency by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In her post, Lady Gaga expressed reluctance that anything she would say “will incite further anger, although that is precisely the emotion that’s justified. I do not wish to contribute to more violence, I wish to contribute to a solution.” She continued: “I am outraged by the death of George Floyd as I have been by the deaths of exponentially too many black lives over hundreds of years that have been taken from us in this country as a result of systemic racism and the corrupt system that supports it.”
She then said the voices of the black community have “been silenced for too long,” something that “has proven deadly time and time again.”
“And no matter what they do to protest, they are still meet with no compassion by the leaders that are meant to protect them. Everyday people in America are racist, that’s a fact. Right now is a critical time for black community to be supported by all other communities so we can put a stop to something that is intrinsically wrong by the grace of God or whatever creator you do or do not believe in.”
Speaking of support, her words arrived just hours after CNN anchor Don Lemon criticized celebrities and Hollywood at large for being “strangely quiet.” He added: “Why aren’t they helping these young people? These young people are out there standing on a platform at the edge of an abyss by themselves.”
Music stars, like Gaga, have been more visible in the past 48 hours as singers including Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Rihanna and Cardi B all voiced their outrage on social media. Meanwhile, Jamie Foxx joined efforts on the ground in Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed by a white police officer.
Like Swift, Gaga called out President Trump for his failure. “He holds the most powerful office in the world, yet offers nothing but ignorance and prejudice while black lives continue to be taken. We have known he is a fool, and a racist, since he took office. He is fueling a system that is already rooted in racism, and racist activity, and we can all see what is happening.”
Gaga, who just released the new album Chromatica days ago, continued that it’s time for a change, calling on everyone to speak, in her words, gently and with passion, inspiration and to impress the importance of the issue “until the systems that keep us sick die, instead of the people we love.” She also called out her own privilege, taking an oath to stand up by showing love for the black community. “We haven’t, as a privileged community, done enough to fight racism and stand up for those people who are being killed by it. This isn’t justice. This is an epic tragedy that defines our country and has for a long time. I am sad. I am angry. And I will use the words that I can find to try to communicate what needs to change in as an effective and non-violent way as possible for me.”
Read her full statement below.
I have a lot of things to say about this, but the first thing I want to say is I’m afraid to say anything that will incite further anger, although that is precisely the emotion that’s justified. I do not wish to contribute to more violence, I wish to contribute to a solution. I am outraged by the death of George Floyd as I have been by the deaths of exponentially too many black lives over hundreds of years that have been taken from us in this country as a result of systemic racism and the corrupt system that supports it.
The voices of the black community have been silenced for too long and that silence has proven deadly time and time again. And no matter what they do to protest, they are still meet with no compassion by the leaders that are meant to protect them. Everyday people in America are racist, that’s a fact.
Right now is a critical time for black community to be supported by all other communities so we can put a stop to something that is intrinsically wrong by the grace of God or whatever creator you do or do not believe in.
We have known for a long time that President Trump has failed. He holds the most powerful office in the world, yet offers nothing but ignorance and prejudice while black lives continue to be taken. We have known he is a fool, and a racist, since he took office. He is fueling a system that is already rooted in racism, and racist activity, and we can all see what is happening.
It’s time for a change.
I urge people to speak gently to each other, speak with passion, inspiration, and impress the importance of this issue until the systems that keep us sick die, instead of people we love.
We MUST show our love for the black community. As a white, privileged woman, I take an oath to stand by that. We haven’t, as a privileged community, done enough to fight racism and stand up for those people who are being killed by it.
This isn’t justice. This is an epic tragedy that defines our country and has for a long time. I am sad. I am angry. And I will use the words that I can find to try to communicate what needs to change in as an effective and non-violent way as possible for me.
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) May 31, 2020
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