Justin Timberlake is speaking out about the destruction of confederate statues amidst the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests.
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Though the news have quieted their coverage of the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests, the movement hasn’t slowed down.
One of the more controversial parts of the movement is the destruction of racist monuments honoring colonizers and slave owners.
Now, Justin Timberlake is speaking out in support of these monuments being ripped down, while shutting down the argument that these historical significance of these statues outweigh the n malice actions.
“A lot of you know I’m from Tennessee …a state that happens to be the home of many many confederate monuments. I’ve been listening closely to the ongoing debates about what to do with these statues — and I really want to take a minute to talk about this,” the 39-year-old wrote on Instagram.
“When we protest racism in America, people think we are protesting America itself. Why is that the reaction? Because America was built by men who believed in and benefitted from racism. Plain and simple.”
“This is when you hear ‘But that’s all in the past’. So let’s be clear… those men who proudly owned and abused Black people are STILL celebrated all over the country.”
He continued: “There are roughly 1,848 confederate statues of in the US. More than half are in The South, and it’s not acceptable. No one should be protecting the legacies of confederate leaders and slave owners.”
“If we plan to move forward, these monuments must come down.”
“But let’s remember: Removing these statues does not erase our country’s vile history of oppression — removing them is a symbol of respect for Black people in America and it’s a step towards progress and actual equality for all.”
Many fans were thankful to Justin for speaking out about this hot button issue.
To find out more about the Black Lives Matter movement, please click here .
