Following the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and others, white celebrities have joined together for “I Take Responsibility,” a PSA launched on Thursday that encourages white people to call out racism — but people on social media suggest that it might have missed the mark.
Sarah Paulson, Aaron Paul, Kesha, Bethany Joy Lenz, Kristen Bell, Justin Theroux, Debra Messing, Mark Duplass, Bryce Dallas Howard, Julianne Moore, Piper Perabo, Stanley Tucci, Ilana Glazer, and Aly Raisman were featured in a 2-minute PSA video in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
In the video, shot in black and white, all of the white celebrities vow to “take responsibility” for “every unfair stereotype,” and every time they “explained away police brutality.”
The video, produced by film and TV production company Confluential Content in partnership with the NAACP, aims “to stand up for our Black friends and family in America. Our goal is to rally the white community, to provide education and encourage action. Our mission is to ensure this takes place.”
The video begins with the celebrities repeating, “I take responsibility.”
“I take responsibility for every unchecked moment,” One Tree Hill star Lenz says.
Bell adds, “For every time it was easier to ignore than to call it out for what it was.”
“Every blatant injustice, no matter how big or small,” Messing says.
“I take responsibility. Black people are being slaughtered in the streets, killed in their own homes. These are our brothers and sisters,” Moore says.
“Our friends, our family,” Perabo continues. “We are done watching them die. We are no longer bystanders. We will not be idle. Enough is enough.”
American Horror Story star Paulson says, “I will not turn a blind eye. Going for a jog should to be a death sentence. Sleeping in your own home should not be a death sentence.”
“Playing video games with your nephew should not be a death sentence,” Broad City star Glazer says.
“Killer cops must be prosecuted,” Paul says. “They are murderers. We can turn the tide. It is time to take responsibility. Call out hate, step up and take action.”
The campaign website shares links to donate to memorial funds for the families of Black victims of police brutality, the Bail Project, Reclaim the Block, Campaign Zero and more.
It also urges people to “Make your own video, share it with the world, challenge your friends to do the same, and use the hashtag: #ITakeResponsibility.”
Many people took to social media to call out the new campaign and compare it to the celebrity sing-a-long Gal Gadot created during the beginning of quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic and enlisted some of her celebrity friends to join.
Some people even criticized the actors for “acting” and told them to”open your purse” to donate to charities.
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