Did He Hear Us? MCR's Gerard Way Speaks Out on BLM, Shades Useless Platitudes on the Way
Gerard Way broke presumed silent support today by posting a unique white-on-charcoal-grey statement about BLM to Instagram:
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I could start by saying I have needed time to think, to explain away the days of silence. ⠀ ⠀ I could say there are no words, or that I don’t know how to begin. But not knowing where to begin is a bad way to begin, and days of thinking are a luxury. ⠀ ⠀ Having the time, and more importantly the safety, to consider ones words is a privilege for me, along with many other privileges I possess due to the color of my skin. And these are privileges not everyone benefits from. There is not much time to think, surely not days, when the knee is on your neck. When the bullets penetrate, or the tear gas finds its mark. When generations of enabled systematic oppression, and its guardians, work against you. When opportunities are not afforded to you because of who you were born to be. ⠀ ⠀ I have always considered myself empathetic, it is one of the reasons I believe I am able to do my job. But in all the pain I have received, I will never begin to know the pain you know. I could never feel the pain you feel. ⠀ ⠀ And I am so deeply sorry things have not changed. ⠀ I cannot begin to understand your experience, but what I can do is stand by you. Continue the internal discussions we are having about ways to affect change in non-performative ways. Meaningful ways beyond this moment, beyond this gesture.⠀ ⠀ And this is a moment, like many moments before this and the countless lives lost. I will open my heart, to receive what you have to give- anger, frustration, sadness, but in doing so, I know I will never be able to fully understand it the way you do, and surely not experience it. I can only open up to you, and accept what you have to give.⠀ ⠀ Grateful for your kindness, your honesty, and the knowledge you have shared that I will further educate myself with. I am, and will remain, inspired by your rage.⠀ ⠀ For information or if you are able to donate, this is a great place for that: https://www.naacpldf.org/about-us/⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀
A post shared by Gerard Way (@gerardway) on
Jun 3, 2020 at 4:04pm PDT
( to whom it may concern, mikey wrote the synopsis version of this. in contrast, his wife has been extremely active with BLM posts. she's a good one)
View this post on Instagram
I could start by saying I have needed time to think, to explain away the days of silence. ⠀ ⠀ I could say there are no words, or that I don’t know how to begin. But not knowing where to begin is a bad way to begin, and days of thinking are a luxury. ⠀ ⠀ Having the time, and more importantly the safety, to consider ones words is a privilege for me, along with many other privileges I possess due to the color of my skin. And these are privileges not everyone benefits from. There is not much time to think, surely not days, when the knee is on your neck. When the bullets penetrate, or the tear gas finds its mark. When generations of enabled systematic oppression, and its guardians, work against you. When opportunities are not afforded to you because of who you were born to be. ⠀ ⠀ I have always considered myself empathetic, it is one of the reasons I believe I am able to do my job. But in all the pain I have received, I will never begin to know the pain you know. I could never feel the pain you feel. ⠀ ⠀ And I am so deeply sorry things have not changed. ⠀ I cannot begin to understand your experience, but what I can do is stand by you. Continue the internal discussions we are having about ways to affect change in non-performative ways. Meaningful ways beyond this moment, beyond this gesture.⠀ ⠀ And this is a moment, like many moments before this and the countless lives lost. I will open my heart, to receive what you have to give- anger, frustration, sadness, but in doing so, I know I will never be able to fully understand it the way you do, and surely not experience it. I can only open up to you, and accept what you have to give.⠀ ⠀ Grateful for your kindness, your honesty, and the knowledge you have shared that I will further educate myself with. I am, and will remain, inspired by your rage.⠀ ⠀ For information or if you are able to donate, this is a great place for that: https://www.naacpldf.org/about-us/⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀
A post shared by Gerard Way (@gerardway) on
Jun 3, 2020 at 4:04pm PDT
- "Not knowing where to begin is a bad way to begin, and days of thinking are a luxury" (go awf)
- Talks about privileges afforded by the color of his skin
- "I cannot begin to understand your experience, but what I can do is stand by you. Continue the internal discussions we are having about ways to affect change in non-performative ways. Meaningful ways beyond this moment, beyond this gesture."
- Lists the NAACP as a good place to start for donation sources
( to whom it may concern, mikey wrote the synopsis version of this. in contrast, his wife has been extremely active with BLM posts. she's a good one)