(LOS ANGELES) — While he doesn’t mention President Donald Trump by name, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, is calling out the president, looking for leadership in the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of cops in Minneapolis.
“Where is our leader at this time when our country is down on its knees, begging, pleading, hurt, angry, frustrated, in pain with its arms out, just wanting to be heard?” he asks.
“Where is our compassionate leader who’s going to step up to our country who’s down on its knees, and extend a hand and say, ‘You stand up, stand up with me because I got you. I hear you, I’m listening to you. And you have my word that I’m going to do everything in my power, until my dying day, my last breath, to do everything I can to create the change that is needed, to normalize equality because Black Lives Matter?'”
“Where are you?”
The box office star adds, “Of course, all lives matter, but in this moment right now — this defining, pivotal, explosive moment where our country is down on its knees –…we must say the words: Black Lives Matter.”
Johnson, who has flirted with the idea of someday running for public office, offers, “We must become the leaders we are looking for…I’ll tell you what, we’re here. We’re all here. The process to change has already begun. You can feel it across our country.”
“Change is happening…We’re going to get beat up. We’re going to take our lumps. There’s going to be blood, but the process of change has already begun.”
He concludes, “You would be surprised at how people in pain would respond when you say to them, ‘I care about you…I’m listening to you. Together we’re going to make that change.'”
By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.