Lady Gaga is the latest musician to speak out regarding the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing protests that have gripped the nation.
“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,” Gaga wrote to begin her note, which was posted to Instagram late Saturday night. “I do not wish to contribute to more violence, I wish to contribute to a solution. I am as 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 systems that support it.”
“The voices of the black community have been silenced for too long and that silence has proven deadly time and time again,” she continued. “And no matter what they do to protest, they are still met 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 the 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.”
Gaga then turned her attention to Donald Trump, who she says “offers nothing but ignorance and prejudice while black lives continue to be take.”
“We have known for a long time that President Trump has failed,” Gaga commented. “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,” Gaga went on to add.
“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.”
Previously, Taylor Swift took Donald Trump to task for “stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism.” Killer Mike expressed his own towering rage while also pleading with protestors not to burn down their own communities, and both Beyoncé and Rihanna called for the arrest and prosecution of all four police officers involved in Floyd’s death. Billie Eilish, meanwhile, says if she hears “one more white person say ‘aLL liVeS maTtEr’ one more fucking time I’m gonna lose my fucking mind.”