Avenged Sevenfold’s M.Shadows has teamed up with Revolver to write an op-ed piece on supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and the protests happening in response to the police killing George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota last week. The frontman has also shared links of resources to learn more and find ways to help.
We shared a portion of it below:
For every human being on this planet, multiple crossroads will appear on the path of their short lives. Today, we are presented with a chance to change something that has festered for 400 years in this country: racism, both individual and institutional, against our African-American brothers and sisters. I hope we can be honest with ourselves; take a step back and choose between right and wrong and reject political hyperbole. I have no interest in sending a neutral message proclaiming “riots aren’t the answer” or “hurting innocent people doesn’t help the cause.” We all recognize that, and if that’s the only message you are focused on during this dire time then I ask you to dig deeper.
There is a massive rift in this country and our fellow Americans are hurting and have been hurting for a very long time. Peaceful protests have resulted in nil. Screams have fallen on deaf ears. Kaepernick takes a knee and half the country goes into a frenzy about it being “the wrong type of protest.” What exactly is the “right” type of protest? One where YOU don’t have to see or hear about ideas you don’t like? That take seems to defeat the purpose, in my view. Many claimed Kaepernick’s stance was “disrespectful to the ones who have served,” but I believe this is the sort of freedom that many have laid down their lives to protect. I respect and appreciate our veterans while also fully standing behind Kaepernick’s and others’ right to freedom of expression. If we had heeded the protests leading up to this with an open mind and open heart, we might be in a different boat than we find ourselves in now. Had we collectively demanded reform before so many hit the breaking point, then we might be sharing ideas rather than battling over differences. The reality is, this is not a “black problem” — it is an American problem. Until we address it as such, the tides will remain the same.
My best friend over the past decade is African American. My brother-in-law and nephew are African American. Our crew members, peers, associates … these are humans I love dearly that simply live a different experience than me because of their outward appearance. The off-handed comments I’ve heard behind their backs should make any decent person sick to their stomach. The dirty looks, the mumblings, the drive-by taunts. This is just part of their daily lives, and somehow, they take it on the chin and carry on. It’s normal to them. To my white friends, can you imagine living like that for a moment? It’s horrifying and unfair. Hell, I took my brother-in-law to a Slipknot show a couple years back (his fav band) and the tension of a black man being in that crowd was palpable. Which brings me to my point.
Read the full piece via Revolver.
Metal Insider has been collecting as many resources and ways to help, we’ve included the ones Revolver mentioned as well as a few others, and you can check them out below:
Help the family of George Floyd
Help the family of Ahmaud Arbery
Helping Protesters: Donate to one or more community bail out funds
Movement For Black Lives, additional ways to help
Connect with leaders building grassroots campaigns
Anti-racism resources additional here
Additional resources to help Black Lives Matter
American Civil Liberties Union
National Bail Fund throughout the U.S
National Police Accountability Project
Change.org Justice For George Floyd Petition
