It’s been an intense time for the United States lately. Aside from the Coronavirus pandemic, there have been many protests and even riots that occurred following the death of George Floyd, a victim of police brutality. Many of these protesters have been demanding that the police be defunded, and these concerns have been likewise shared by many celebrities. This now includes actress Natalie Portman, who has expressed her desire to see the police defunded.
Natalie Portman explained her thoughts on Instagram, where she first said she didn’t like the idea of defunding the police.
“When I first heard Defund the Police,” she writes, “I have to admit my first reaction was fear. My whole life, police have made me feel safe.”
This is because she never had to deal with the likes of police brutality due to issues like racism, which seems to be why George Floyd was killed. The event promoted an increase in Black Lives Matters protesters, and it was this whole scenario that opened Natalie Portman’s mind to the issues at hand and that perhaps defunding the police would be the best course of action. As she further explained:
“The police make me as a white woman feel safe,” she continued in her post, “while my black friends, family and neighbors feel the opposite: police make them feel terror. And for good reason. Police are the 6th leading cause of death for black men in this country. These are not isolated incidents. They are patterns and part of the system of over-policing of black Americans. Reforms have not worked,” Portman stated.
However, she did praise the Black Lives Matter movement for having made some progression with their efforts. As she explained, Minneapolis has now started “extensive anti-bias training” following the death of George Floyd:
“Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, is one of the most progressive police forces in the country, having undergone extensive anti-bias training.”
She then said how thankful she was for the Black Lives Matter movement.
“I am grateful to the leaders in the Movement 4 Black Lives who have made us question the status quo. And who have made us imagine, what a world could be like in which we invested in nourishing people; (in their education, healthcare, environment, shelter)— rather than putting all of our money into punishment.”
This is when she comes to terms with her desire to see the police defunded.
“I’ve gotten to the age in my life, where if my gut feels uncomfortable, I take the situation as wrong. But this concept initially made me uncomfortable because I was wrong. Because the system that makes me feel comfortable is wrong. #defendblacklives #defundthepolice”
It’s admirable to see celebrities take a stand alongside those that are currently victims of police brutality.