Natalie Portman joined the ranks of celebrities who have come out in support of the Defund The Police movement, an idea that purports to describe a society in which the vast majority of police officers are replaced by social workers who specialize in a number of areas, including mental health, domestic disputes, etc.
On Monday, Page Six reported, the Academy Award-winner shared a number of images, including a picture of a police car falling apart, alongside a caption that explained her thoughts toward the movement mentioned above.
In her post, Portman explained that she always shrieked at the idea of defunding the police because they made her feel safe. Portman says that the reason she felt comfortable and safe around them lies at the root of her “white privilege.”
You can check out one of her posts below:
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When I first heard #defundthepolice, 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. And for good reason. 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. Reforms have not worked. Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, is one of the most progressive police forces in the country, having undergone extensive anti-bias training. I am grateful to the leaders in the @mvmnt4blklives who have made us question the status quo. And who have made us imagine, what a world could be like in which we invested in nourishing people; (in their education, healthcare, environment, shelter)— rather than putting all of our money into punishment. 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. #defendblacklives#defundthepolice Swipe right for additional resources via @theslacktivists
As it was previously reported, the Defund The Police movement started after the death of George Floyd while in police custody. The idea behind it is to take money away from the police and put it into poor communities of color, including better schooling, in addition to medical services and housing.
Thus far, a plethora of celebrities have supported the movement, including The Weeknd, Brie Larson, Lizzo, Jane Fonda, America Ferrera, and John Legend. All of the above have signed petitions urging for state and municipal governments to cut police funding.
Thus far, the movement has certainly caught on with the celebrity elite and the entertainment industry, however, governments and the general public have been hesitant at accepting the idea, including the mayor of Minneapolis.
Jacob Frey, the Democratic mayor of Minneapolis, said he was on board with the idea of changing how the police treat people of color, however, he can’t get behind taking funds away from the police department. “That’s not where I am,” Jacob said.
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According to The Hill, Frey, despite being booed by the protestors he spoke with, has remained steadfast in his position. Frey went on to say that the public has every right to be “frustrated” at the moment.
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