Natalie Portman has spoken up for the ‘defund the police’ movement because “the system that makes me feel comfortable is wrong.”
Natalie Portman is in favor of the “defund the police” movement as she acknowledged that while the police made her feel safe as a white woman, they evoked terror in the lives of her black counterparts.
Explaining her stance to her 7 million followers on Instagram, she wrote: “I have to admit my first reaction was fear.
“My whole life, police have made me feel safe. But that’s exactly the center of my white privilege: the police make me as a white woman feel safe, while my black friends, family and neighbors feel the opposite: police make them feel terror.”
She defended her statement by providing statistics, “Police are the 6th leading cause of death for black men in this country. These are not isolated incidents. They are patterns and part of the system of over-policing of black Americans,” the vegan actress said.
According to data compiled by Mapping Police Violence, Black Americans are two-and-a-half times as likely as white Americans to be killed by the police despite only making up 13 percent of the US population.
According to the 39-year-old, defunding the police and allocating those funds to uplift coloured communities is the way forward because reforms and extensive anti-bias trainings, which cost cities millions and even billions of dollars have yielded no benefits.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBMK4o_jWrtShe expressed her gratitude to the leaders of the Movement For Black Lives for making everyone “question the status quo,” and envisioning the possibility of a world in which people “invested in nourishing people; (in their education, healthcare, environment, shelter)— rather than putting all of our money into punishment.”
The Oscar winning actress also included extra resources to educate her followers on the movement, which clarified that the movement was not to get rid of the police entirely, it actually meant “reducing police budgets (& power) on a local and state level and investing that money directly into poor communities of color through public services.”
She concluded her post stating that her clouded feelings led her wrong about the movement; however now she stands right by it since she has taken the time to fully understand the reasons behind the protests and constant calls for action and agrees the system needs to be overhauled.
“I’ve gotten to the age in my life, where if my gut feels uncomfortable, I take the situation as wrong.
“But this concept initially made me uncomfortable because I was wrong. Because the system that makes me feel comfortable is wrong.”
Action
While President Trump and his allies are “appalled” by calls to “defund the police”, several cities have announced steps to proceed on those lines.
Fox News reported that the Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the city would slash around $ 150 million from the Los Angeles Police Service budget and reallocate the money towards community programs, job placements and healthcare.
Meanwhile the City Council of Minneapolis, where George Floyd died announced that it was looking to replace the police force going forward because the department “cannot be reformed and will never be accountable for its action.”
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Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
UK’s first fully vegan school kitchen is a huge hit among pupils
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 23rd May 2022
The Lady of Sion School in Worthing opened what is believed to be UK’s first 100% Plant-Based Canteen serving black bean and quinoa meatballs in barbecue sauce, veggie fajitas with Mexican rice and meatless feast pizza. A school in West Sussex has received an overwhelming positive response after it adopted an all-vegan menu. In January, …
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75% of Brits prefer vegan cars, says new study
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A number of companies already offer a variety of plant-based leathers using everything from apples and cactus to pineapple leaves. A new poll has revealed that a majority of UK motorists are keen on buying fully vegan cars. In a research commissioned by the Vegan Society, people were asked about their opinions on vegan cars …
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QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …
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QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a …
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QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …