Some very notable Hollywood celebrities including Aaron Paul, Bryce Dallas Howard, Kristen Bell, Debra Messing, Julianne Moore, Justin Theroux and more and have joined forces with the NAACP to create a new Racism PSA called I Take Responsibility. In the video, the celebrities apologize for their own past instances of racism, and vow to do better. The video is part of an impact oriented campaign – that is described as something where influential voices from the white community take responsibility for turning the racist tide in America.
A transcript from the video reads:
I take responsibility. I take responsibility. I take responsibility. I take responsibility for every unchecked moment, for every time it was easier to ignore than to call it out for what it was. Every not so funny joke. Every unfair stereotype. Every blatant injustice, no matter how big or small. Every time I remained silent. Every time I explained away police brutality or turned a blind eye. I take responsibility. Black people are being slaughtered in the streets, killed in their own homes. These are our brothers and sisters our, friends, our family. We are done watching them die. We are no longer bystanders. We will not be idle. Enough is enough. I will no longer allow an unchecked moment. I will no longer allow racist, hurtful, words, jokes, stereotypes, no matter how big or small to be uttered in my presence. I will not turn a blind eye. Going for a job should not be a death sentence. Sleeping in your own home should not be a death sentence. Playing video games with your nephew should not be a death sentence. Shopping in a store should not be a death sentence. Business as usual should not be life threatening. I stand against hate. I stand against hate. I stand against hate. I stand against hate. I will stand against hate in love. I will make my presence known. Killer cops must be prosecuted. They are murderers. We can turn the tide. It is time to take responsibility. Call out hate. Step up and take action.
You can check it out below:
At the moment of this writing, the video has 101 likes and almost 3,000 dislikes. A lot of the comments are pretty negative as well. Here’s a sample of some of them:
- I’m a celebrity so don’t forget about me in all this turmoil. It’s all about me, too. I’m really involved and changing the world from my sofa!
- Can celebrities for one minute just not make everything about them?
- Message : “I take responsibility”
Translation: “guys pleas dont forget about me i dont want to be irrelevant see guys i matter i care “ - That’s it guys, we stopped racism!
- I think 2020 has showed us that celebrities are truly monolithic in their egotism, narcissism, and are in full damage control as America realizes that we dont need these people. And that the high horse they see themselves on is a one step stool.
- I really hate virtue signalling celebrities.
- This makes me feel sick. These people are the most narcissistic people on Earth. The virtue signalling here is off the scale. There is so so so much ACTING in this video. Celebrities are a joke, they are completely detached from reality. In a time when the fury of long-silenced minority voices is finally resounding across the world, why did these people think we wanted to hear a single word come out of their mouths?
- It just feels so disingenuous and gimmicky.
- Ricky Gervais: You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg.
- This video is pretty racist
- Holy smokes I thought Aaron couldn’t find work because everyone just thinks of him as Jesse Pinkman, now I see it’s because hes actually a terrible actor. Yikes that was hard to watch.
It’s not much better on Twitter.
This is so moving, having white millionaire actors and actresses in a black and white video along with sad music telling me I need to take responsibility for my white privilege. I don’t know how I would have carried on in life, if I’d not seen this video.
— Nikki Stix💥 (@NikkiStix55) June 11, 2020
I have nothing to take responsibility for. My family came to this country as indentured servants and railroad workers. Every generation has pulled their weight and never asked for more than we were willing to work for. We are Americas and we will not apologize.
— Josh Delhotal (@delhotj4) June 11, 2020
Celebrities will save us! 🤡
— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) June 11, 2020
There’s actually nothing more racist than saying what you are saying. Insinuating black people need white saviors. I’m biracial and I don’t see black or white but human beings. Maybe if you just supported each other instead of this savior narrative we might actually get somewhere
— Kaya Jones (@KayaJones) June 11, 2020
Thank you for this. I needed a laugh today.
— Bridget Phetasy (@BridgetPhetasy) June 11, 2020
— James Lindsay, anti-revolutionary (@ConceptualJames) June 11, 2020
Will you all commit to giving up your future roles to actors of color?
— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) June 11, 2020
Thank you for my daily dose of unadulterated CRINGE.
— AmG (@Tektoid) June 11, 2020
What a bunch of pathetic spoogegenies.
MLK would disavow every one of you evil toadlickers.
— Larry Schweikart (@LarrySchweikart) June 11, 2020
Remember how you guys all knew about Harvey Weinstein but only said anything when you could no longer benefit?
— ’08 Lehman Employee of the Year 😷 (@super__twit) June 11, 2020
This is why people hate actors.
— Kevin Brennan – PARODY ACCOUNT (@kevinbrennan666) June 11, 2020
We don’t need “uplifting” we need to be treated like everyone else, remember? Black doesn’t = weak
THAT is the racist part.
— Sarah Tesfai (@SarahTesfai) June 11, 2020
How about eradicating pedophilia in Hollywood?
— Jason Khamoro (@JasonKhamoro) June 11, 2020
The video has drawn comparisons to a video posted by Gal Gadot while the nation was under quarantine during the Coronavirus in which celebrities sang “Imagine” by John Lennon.