George Clooney says there is “no room” for political violence while referencing MAGA mantra
George Clooney has said there is “no room” for the political violence that is spreading across the US, while referencing the MAGA mantra as part of the solution.
The actor made the comments at the Lincoln Center Tribute Gala on April 27th, where he was accepting the ‘Chaplin Award for Film at Lincoln Center’, celebrating his seismic career across the entertainment industry.
While the night was acknowledging the power of the arts, Clooney gave his speech a political edge in light of recent events, including the shooting that took place at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington DC on April 25th.
To this end, Clooney said in his speech (per Deadline): “On a night like tonight, with all of you here in this venue, I can’t just ignore what’s going on in the country.”
He added: “I disagree with everything this administration stands for but there’s no place for this kind of violence that we saw two nights ago in Washington DC. Nor is there room for violence in Minnesota… or anywhere else in this country.”
Clooney went on to implore the audience to take action against the political state of the country, saying, “The struggle has to be won against hatred and corruption and cruelty, violence,” before adding, “And it is a struggle for the soul of this republic. We as citizens, what are we to do?”
The actor provided the ultimatum of his speech when he said: “And it is in that answer that all of us – left, right and centre – can build a more perfect union, heal our wounds and begin to truly make America great again.”
Although he referenced the tagline of many Donald Trump supporters, Clooney is a well-known Democrat who has been vocal in his opposition of the president on many occasions throughout his time in office so far.
Most recently, at the beginning of this month, he condemned Trump’s threat to wipe out the “whole civilisation” of Iran by telling an Italian media outlet, while at an event in the country, “Some people say Donald Trump is fine, but if someone says he wants to end civilisation, that’s a war crime.”
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