Meghan Markle speaks out following George Floyd's death: The wrong thing to say is to say nothing
Post date: Jun 04, 2020 2:36:59 PM
The Duchess of Sussex has delivered a heartfelt message against racism following the death of George Floyd.
Meghan, speaking in a video to the graduating class of her former high school, said what is happening in the US is "absolutely devastating".
She said she was "nervous" about speaking out over the issue, but added: "The only wrong thing to say is to say nothing".
Apologising to the students for not "getting the world to a place where you deserve it to be", she encouraged them to "become the leaders we so deeply crave."
In the video message, addressed to graduating students of Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles, she said: "I wasn’t sure what I could say to you. I wanted to say the right thing and I was really nervous that it would get picked apart.
"And I realised the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing. Because George Floyd’s life mattered and Breonna Taylor’s life mattered and Philando Castile’s life mattered and Tamir Rice’s life mattered… and so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we do not know."
Meghan then refers to a teacher from the school, who she says gave her the courage to speak out.
Related: Protesters demand justice for George Floyd (Photos)
Police advance to arrest some protesters after they broke a curfew Wednesday, June 3, 2020, in New York, by marching through Manhattan during a solidarity rally calling for justice over the death of George Floyd. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25.
Police advance to arrest some protesters after they broke a curfew, June 3, in New York, by marching through Manhattan during a solidarity rally calling for justice over the death of George Floyd.
She said: "I was thinking about this moment when I was a sophomore, I was 15... it’s the year we do volunteer work.
"And I remember one teachers, Ms Pollia, said to me, ‘always remember to put other’s needs above your own fears.’
"That has stuck with me throughout my entire life and I have thought about it more in the last week than ever before.
"So the first thing I want to say to you is that I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that you have to grow up in a world where this is still present."
Meghan in a 2012 video, Erase the Hate, speaking out against racism (Erase The Hate) Meghan continues by describing a memory from her childhood, when riots were taking place in LA.
She said: “I was 11 or 12 years old and it was the LA Riots, which was also triggered by senseless act of racism. I remember the curfew and I remember rushing back home and on that drive home, seeing ash fall from the sky and smelling the smoke and seeing the smoke billow out of buildings.
"I remember seeing men in the back of a van just holding guns and rifles. I remember pulling up the house and seeing the tree, that had always been there, completely charred. And those memories don’t go away."
She added that students should have an understanding of that "as a history lesson, not as a reality".
"I am sorry in a way that we have not gotten the world to a place where you deserve it to be," she said.
Meghan then encourages the students to be "part of a movement" of hope, adding that she remember how people "came together" during those times.
She said: “We’re seeing that right now, from the sheriff in Michigan or the police chief in Virginia. We’re seeing people stand in solidarity, we are seeing communities come together and to uplift.
"And you are going to be part of this movement."
Related: Protests over George Floyd's death spread around the world (Photos)
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, an African-American man, died while under police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. In a video that went viral, police officer Derek Chauvin was seen pressing his knee on Floyd's neck to restrain him while he was pinned to the ground. The action, which lasted several minutes, was marked by Floyd's call for help, repeating the phrase "I can't breathe." He was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center but was declared dead.
It sparked off a global outrage and demonstrators gathered on streets to protest violence against blacks and the police strong-arming victims. While protests in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul region was peaceful at first, it soon turned violent as several public and private properties were vandalized, resulting in violent clashes between the police and the demonstrators. Over time, the protests and violence spread over to other American states such as New York and Washington.
Take a look at photos of the ongoing protests from the U.S. and other nations as well.
She acknowledged that the graduation was not as the students envisaged, but urged them “to see this as the beginning of you harnessing all the values and skills that you embodied over the last four yours".
"Now all of that work gets activated - now you get to be part of rebuilding," she said. "I know sometimes people say how many times do we have to rebuild? We are going to rebuild and rebuild and rebuild until it is rebuilt.
"Because when the foundation is broken, so are we."
She added: "You’re going to use your voice in a stronger way than you have ever been able to because most of you are 18 - or you’re turning 18 - so you’re going to vote.
"You’re going to have empathy for those who don’t see the world through the same lens that you do. Because, with as diverse, vibrant and opened minded as I know the teachings are at Immaculate Heart, I know you know that Black lives matters.
"I am so proud to call each of you a fellow alumni and please know that I'm cheering you on all along the way. I am wishing you a huge congratulations on today, the start of all the impact you are going to make on the world as the leaders we so deeply crave."