Halestorm leader Lzzy Hale calls for equality to be "something that we all practice as a fundamental trait of our species".
As rock stars and musicians continue to voice their support for Black Lives Matter protests across the globe, Halestorm's Lzzy Hale has written a powerful blog about the important of equality and stamping out racism – and how she will not just "shut up and sing", as many people are telling her to do.
The singer notes that, not only does rock'n'roll "rebel and stand up against injustice", but it was birthed by black musicians in the first place. As such, Lzzy sends to her love to the black community ("I will never truly understand your pain because I was born white") while asking those who feel uncomfortable by her comments to "take a deep dive into your soul, figure out why, unlearn it, and come join us in the fight for change".
Read this: Lzzy Hale: The 10 songs that changed my life
Read Lzzy's full statement – which is titled The Spirit Of Rock'n'Roll – below:
"I want to start by saying that I do not have a degree in political science; nor am I an expert on social injustice. But you don’t need to be an expert or have a masters degree to know the difference between Right & Wrong and Good vs Evil. This is something instilled in you when you learn empathy and compassion.
"The notion that all Humans deserve to be treated as equals shouldn’t be an optional belief, or a political opinion. It should be something that we all practice as a fundamental trait of our species. It should be a No Brainer. Justice for ALL, not Justice “for some”. We are all born with that trait. But some of us are taught to fear, hate or discriminate against another human based on the color of their skin. Look inside your soul.
"If you are uncomfortable with or truly do not believe that all humans should be treated equally… than You are part of the problem. But it’s ok to be wrong. And just because you are wrong doesn’t mean that “that’s that” and we should just resolve to be divided on this. Fuck No, it’s never too late to educate yourself and abolish that dinosaur mentality. Together we can be the asteroid that puts racism to rest once and for all. I truly believe hope and optimism are on the way.
"Unfortunately right now our country is plagued with Untamed Narcissism, Police Brutality and a Broken System. But sometimes it takes a horrific tragedy (or many horrific tragedies in the case of 2020) to unite us. So, This is not the time for Silence. We must keep up the momentum, if we don’t, history is doomed to repeat itself. And We must not let that happen!
"I know a lot of you are telling me to shut up and sing. Well, this is me singing. I am an artist. And art has always played a role in revolution. I am specifically a Rock N Roll artist. Since the dawn of Rock, the genre has always been a safe haven for outcasts. In fact the WHOLE idea behind the Rock N Roll spirit is to rebel and stand up against injustice! And who birthed Rock N Roll? Black Musicians!
"So I will not shut up. If what I’m saying makes you uncomfortable, then you need to take a deep dive into your soul, figure out why, unlearn it, and come join us in the fight for change. We will welcome you with open arms.
"To my Black brothers and sisters, I will never truly understand your pain because I was born white. But I am outraged and heartbroken that you still have to endure this crushing weight that should’ve been lifted long long ago. I stand in solidarity with you. I will continue to use my voice to spread the Spirit of Rock n Roll.
"Love, equality, peace, empowerment, support and understanding.
"Black Lives Matter."
