Marvel, Netflix, HBO and more decry prejudice, support Black Lives Matter
By Dan Selcke
Over the weekend, people took to the streets in many American cities — and several others around the world — to protest police violence against people of color, sparked by the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis on May 25. It has been an intense couple of days, to say the least, and we hope everyone is safe. If you’re interested in volunteering time or donating money to organizations involved in fighting against white supremacy, systemic racism, or for social justice, here is a good resource.
The reaction to Floyd’s death is still ongoing, and I’m sure we’ll be talking about how the country can address some of these extremely difficult issues for a long time…and hopefully doing more than talking. Right now, many are making shows of support for the protesters and decrying the the inequalities at the heart of the situation, including entertainment giants like Marvel:
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) May 31, 2020
Several Marvel actors have also actually participated in protests, including Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie from the Thor movies)…
— Tessa Thompson (@TessaThompson_x) May 31, 2020
…and Michael B. Jordan (Killmonger from Black Panther):
Other big companies have also tweeted their support, from Netflix…
To be silent is to be complicit.
— Netflix (@netflix) May 30, 2020
Black lives matter.
We have a platform, and we have a duty to our Black members, employees, creators and talent to speak up.
…to Hulu…
We support Black lives. Today, and every day. You are seen. You are heard. And we are with you.
— Hulu (@hulu) May 31, 2020
…to HBO…
“Neither love nor terror makes one blind: indifference makes one blind.” — James Baldwin
— HBO (@HBO) May 31, 2020
We stand with our Black colleagues, employees, fans, actors, storytellers — and all affected by senseless violence. #BlackLivesMatter
…to YouTube, and more besides.
We stand in solidarity against racism and violence. When members of our community hurt, we all hurt. We’re pledging $1M in support of efforts to address social injustice.
— YouTube (@YouTube) May 30, 2020
Now, I agree with Sam Barsanti at The A.V. Club when he says that messages of support like these from big companies have to be looked at critically, because however high-minded they seem, ultimately a company’s not going to make a statement if it doesn’t think it will benefit somehow. Being in support of demonstrators protesting a racist system isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s also good business, because those demonstrators are going to need something to watch later.
Then again, these companies are made up of people with consciences, and they do have a long reach so I’m glad they’re saying something.
Stay safe out there, everyone.
Next. 10 scariest plagues from sci-fi and fantasy. dark
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