The Rock Sends Impassioned Message To President Donald Trump
As many in the wrestling community have shared their response to the killing of George Floyd, and other WWE stars have given their own personal perspectives, The Rock shared a video on Instagram about his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter protests around the country. He asked why President Trump wasn't stepping up and talked about the Black Lives Matter movement.
"Where are you? Where is our leader?," The Rock asked. "Where are you? Where is our leader at this time, at this when our country is down at it's knees begging, pleading, hurt, angry, frustrated, in pain, begging and pleading it's arms out just wanting to be heard. Begging and pleading for change. Where are you? Where is our compassionate leader who's gonna step up to our country who's down on it's knees and extend a hand and say, 'you stand up. Stand up with me. Stand up with me because I got you. I got you. I hear you. I'm listening to you, and you have my word I will do everything in my power to my dying days in my last breath to do everything I can to create the change that is needed to normalize equality because black lives matter.'
"Where are you? It's that same compassionate leader who has to come back and re-address the country to give important context, to give important perspective on the comments that were just made. Of course, all lives matter. Every single one. All lives matter because we, as Americans, we believe in inclusivity. We believe in acceptance. We believe in human rights. We believe in equality for all. That's what we believe in. So of course, all lives matter, but in this moment now, this defining, pivotal explosive moment where our country is down on it's knees, the floorboards of our country are becoming unhinged, in this moment, we must say the words black lives matter."
The Rock asked again where our leader is. He commented on the increased military presence at the protests. He talked about the response people would have if their protests were met with compassion.
"Where are you?," The Rock asked? Where are you because here's what happens when you extend a hand and you reach out to Americans that are in pain and they stand with you, here's what happens, the entire country stands and rises with you as well. There is military force that has been deployed on our own people. Looters, yes.
"Criminals, absolutely, but our protesters who are begging and pleading, our protesters who are in pain, you know you would be surprised how people in pain would respond when you say to them, 'I care about you,' when you say to them, 'I'm listening to you.' You'd be surprised how people would respond, how Americans would respond if you say to them, 'I care about you. I'm listening to you. This is our country. You are all my people, and I take full responsibility and full accountability for something that has been 100s of years of systemic disease. Why am I taking full accountability because I am your leader. I'm your leader, and I'm gonna do everything I can to make this right. And I tell you what. You give me some trust, you give me some time, you give me some effort [and] you give me some love, I'm right there with you and together, we're gonna make this right. Together, we're gonna create that change. Together we're gonna normalize equality. We're gonna do it, but we're gonna do it together.'
"You'd be surprised how well Americans and how human beings would respond. They would rise up with you. We will rise up with you. The world will rise up with you."
The Rock also took time to thank the world for showing their solidarity to the Black Lives Matter protesters. He reiterated the point of normalizing equality.
"I want to take a moment to thank the world for standing up with us in our fight for equality, to normalize equality," The Rock stated. "I want to thank all of these countries around the world, incredible, inspiring beautiful displays of solidarity, and I want you to know something, and I feel confident speaking on behalf of your American brothers and sisters, us through our father, through our smoke, through our fire, through our debris and everything we're going through right now because there's a lot happening around us as we're taking our lumps, don't think for a second we don't see you. We see you. We see you. We thank you. We love you."
The Rock admits that he is not a politician nor an elected official, but he talked about being a father and wishing for a better world for his family and children to live in. He called for the people to step up to be the leaders that they need and gave a hopeful message at the end.
"I, like the majority of Americans, I'm not a politician and I, clearly, have never been elected to office, and I am not the president of the United States, but I am a man," The Rock admitted. "And I am father who cares so deeply about my family, about my children and the world that they will live in. I care so deeply about our country and every single person in it. That's who I am. I am a man who is frustrated. I am disappointed.
"I'm angry, but I'm also doing my best to stay focused and calm as I possibly can be in the pocket to make the best decision for my family and make the best decisions for our country. So as we continue to wait for that leader to emerge, as we continue to wait for that leader to emerge, I would recommend to all of you that we must become the leaders that we are looking for. We become our own leaders because we're doing it now. We're doing it now. We must become the leaders we are looking for.
"I'll ask you one more time. Where are you? Where is that compassionate leader? Who steps up and takes accountability for this country and all of the people in our country? Where are you because I'll tell you what. We're here. We're all here. We are all here. We're all here, and the process to change has already begun. The process to change has already begun, you can feel it. You can feel it. You can feel it. You can feel it across our country. Change is happening. It's gonna take time. We're gonna be beat up. We're gonna take our lumps. There's gonna be blood, but the process to change has already begun. You guy stay strong. We got this."
You can view The Rock's IG video below. If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
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