Darius Rucker is among the many artists who are speaking out about the tragic death of George Floyd. George passed away on May 25, with the official cause of death asphyxiation, after he was pinned to the ground by police officer Derek Chauvin, for nearly nine minutes.
“I have been sitting here trying to figure out what I wanted to say. The whole thing just really breaks me down to my core,” Darius began, as part of a lengthy post he shared on social media. “My heart goes out to George Floyd, his family and friends, and to all of those whose loved ones have been taken because of the color of their skin. No man should die that way. I cannot watch that without tears welling in my eyes and a raw feeling of pain. The men who did that should face the justice that is promised by our laws.
— Darius Rucker (@dariusrucker) June 1, 2020
“2020 has already been heartbreaking,” he continued. “Now here we are having to again face the truth of racism and the pain and the frustration of the African American community. As an American, a father, a son, a brother, a singer a man…I have faced racism my whole life, from kindergarten to the life I live today. Racism is not a born thing; it is a taught thing. It is not a strong belief; it is a weak belief. It is not a financial issue; it is a hatred issue.”
Darius went on to say that, while he may have allowed himself to believe the racism he faced was something he could accept, he can no longer in good conscience stay silent about such an important issue.
“Over the course of my life, I guess I had just put it down to ‘that’s just the way it is,'” Darius noted. “No, I know I had. It is no longer alright for me to perpetuate the myth that things are okay. I have kids whom I love and cherish, and to watch them go through this, to feel their anguish and anger trying to deal with this is heartbreaking for me. The question that keeps coming up is, ‘will it ever change?’ And my answer now has to be ‘YES.’
“We have to come together somehow, y’all,” he remarked. “The only way it will ever change is if we change people’s hearts. I don’t know how we are going to make that happen, but I’m ready to try everything we have to do, because we need to be better.”
The Hootie & the Blowfish frontman ended his passionate call to action with a plea for everyone to unite in the fight against racism.
“The peaceful protesters out there are an extension of the legacy of the great Dr. King and Gandhi, and they are protesting to be heard. Take a moment and listen,” Darius urged. “I really hope that we get better as a nation. My request to you guys is to search your heart, on behalf of all of us, and root out any fear, hate or division you have inside of you. We need to come together.
“We are not always going to agree on where to go or how to get there,” he concluded, “but I will end with this quote by James Baldwin: ‘We can disagree and still love each other, unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of humanity and right to exist.'”
Nashville was one of many cities across the country that hosted a peaceful protest in the wake of George’s death, only to have a handful of people later wreak havoc on the city. 30 buildings were damaged in Nashville including Margaritaville and the Ryman.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of EB Media / David McClister
