A number of notable rock musicians spoke up over the last day or so as the protests and violence stemming from the killing of George Floyd created major unrest in the U.S.
System Of A Down singer Serj Tankian and Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose both blasted Donald Trump, with Tankian blasting Trump over reports that he did not want to make a speech and had retreated to a bunker beneath the White House.
Tankian wrote, “Run Donny run into your bunker. You may be the first US President to do so out of fear of your own citizens. A real leader would address the nation properly and a real man would go face the protestors on the streets in person. But like other corrupt undemocratic leaders in the past, you've realized they are not your people as you are not really our President.”
Axl Rose blasted Trump for blaming the unrest on what the former reality TV host called the “lamestream” media, writing, “Lamestream media ISN'T doing everything within their power 2 foment hatred n' anarchy, that's U! As long as we get what Ur doing, that Ur FAKE NEWS n' a truly bad, repulsive excuse 4 a person w/a sick agenda, we can work past U w/whatever it takes 2 a better, stronger future!!”
Guns bassist Duff McKagan, meanwhile, took a more measured approach, musing that he could not understand how racism still exists. He wrote, “I am not a black man..so I can't even pretend to understand what it's like….but even MORE, I can't understand what it's like to be a racist white dips**t. I don't get it. I will never 'get' it. Thankfully, I grew up different. Police training and vetting of new and old officers has to change radically…Peace to all of us. #justiceforgeorgefloyd”
Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg and singer Corey Taylor spoke out for change, justice and an end to oppression. Weinberg wrote, “Black lives matter. Systemic racism exists. White privilege is real…It's time to speak up against police brutality and the perpetrators of systemic racism, and to become an ally to those who do not experience the same freedoms that we who share in our white privilege do.”
Corey Taylor, who has said he is staying off social media for his sanity, signed on briefly to remark, “Several roads have brought us to this point. Only one road is going to lead us out of here. We HAVE to take the road together. Fight injustice. Fight racism. Fight oppression.”