White Celebs “Take Responsibility” For Perpetuating Racism In NAACP PSA

In the wake of abundant and high profile racially motivated monstrosities across the US, a group of celebrities has taken part in a public service announcement in collaboration with the NAACP. Sarah Paulson, Aaron Paul, Kesha, Julianne Moore, Kristen Bell, and Justin Theroux among other white celebrities came together to “take responsibility” for their perpetuation of racism and proclaim their refusal to continue to “turn a blind eye.” But like… stop. 

Now is not the time for privileged voices to share the many times they have allowed and ensured the preservation of systematic and institutional racism. No one cares. We knew they were doing this.  One of the reasons they have obtained the positions of stardom they are in in the first place is because they are white. Because they make the masses comfortable and because white skin is not molded into something threatening. 

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The black-and-white video shows various clips of the celebs making statements on racism and confessions of when they allowed racism to go unchecked. It is almost as if they are auditioning for the part of the anti-racist white rich person in the next problematic blockbuster. Like what’s with all the over-acting? And the miserable piano music in the background is just the cherry on top. Aaron Paul gives a beautiful performance, bringing his hands to his lips and looking deep in thought, with a lil smile that says, “this whole thing is so difficult.” Like bro, this isn’t Breaking Bad or whatever else you were in. Bryce Dallas Howard takes responsibility for every time she “explained away police brutality.” She should have just said defended. Girl, I loved you in Black Mirror but it’s looking very yikes for you right now. Julianne Moore’s referral to Black people as white people’s “brothers and sisters” somehow makes everything seem more divisive, even though this is the exact opposite of the point she is trying to make. 

Granted, they mean well. Clearly, they feel as though this is the right thing to do, the right move to make. But it falls flat. And it falls flat because they have never and will never understand. It is completely alien to them, and this is why they’re getting it wrong. The video only further emphasizes how removed racial violence and police brutality is to the collective white identity, especially the collective rich white identity. The PSA was released in conjunction with the I Take Responsibility website in which people can take action on a variety of different issues affecting the Black community in a variety of different ways. Yay to useful resources. Nay to pointless performative melodramatic black-and-white confessions of racist perpetuations. 

You can find the I Take Responsibility website here. 

Next up, Taylor Swift Urges Fans To Vote Locally Against Police Brutality And Racism