- Star Wars star John Boyega took to Twitter to call out systemic racial discrimination.
- Despite the blowback, he’s standing firm in his convictions.
- Boyega — like his Star Wars character Finn — is proving to be a true Resistance hero.
John Boyega is not here for your shenanigans.
The actor, who came into the public spotlight for portraying Resistance fighter Finn in the Star Wars sequels, is using his platform to call out systemic racial discrimination in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.
And despite suffering blowback from his anti-protest “fans,” Boyega is making clear that he said what he said. He’s proving to be the real-life Resistance fighter that we all need.
John Boyega Is Using His Voice to Amplify George Floyd’s Murder
It’s no secret that George Floyd’s murder at the hands of four police officers has rocked, not only the United States, but the world as a whole.
And John Boyega has taken note.
In recent tweets, he pointed out that the systemic racial discrimination that contributed to Floyd’s murder is still very much a real thing, both in the United States and all over the world.
He has encouraged his followers not to remain passive – or silent – in the face of injustice. And he’s shared information about protests in London and the United States for his followers to attend.
But it’s this tweet by John Boyega that’s getting the most attention today:
While there have been a few people who have given him negative feedback — particularly for the strong language — the vast majority of people praised John Boyega for his bold proclamations.
Have You All Forgotten What Star Wars Is About?
Boyega brought up one point that’s particularly incisive:
That Star Wars movie got you lot all the way f**ked up.
Whether that was meant to imply that too many people think he’s passive, or to imply that fans shouldn’t confuse the character he plays with the man he is, it’s worth reminding people what the Star Wars saga is really all about.
Despite its fandom’s recent infiltration by the noxious alt-right, Star Wars is a film series about a diverse group of Rebels taking down a homogenous, oppressive Empire.
George Lucas himself specifically said that the Empire was an analog to the Nazis of Germany. And despite what Donald Trump and his ilk think, American neo-Nazis aren’t “very fine people.”
In the latest Star Wars trilogy, the Resistance is led by a rag-tag group of individuals that have had enough of the oppression of the First Order. They are brave, outspoken, and, most of all, willing to sacrifice for the cause.
With his bold response to the murder of George Floyd, John Boyega is proving he’s not only a Resistance hero on the silver screen.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.
This article was edited by Josiah Wilmoth.
