Actor and activist Robert De Niro gave a strong, emotional, and deeply moving speech during the Trump era — and it happened at a special concert celebrating the First Amendment.The event took place on Trump’s birthday, while he was throwing a $60 million UFC fight at the White House.
On Sunday night, at the Rise Up Sing Out!
concert in New York, De Niro refused to say the usual phrase “we all love our country.” Instead, he said, “Not so fast.” He explained that the phrase made him feel uncomfortable because the country isn’t as loving right now.
He went on to say something that made everyone in the room stop and listen: “Loving our country is starting to sound like an abused spouse saying they love their abuser.”
He continued with a list of reasons why he can’t love the country right now:
– He can’t love a country that starts dumb and cruel wars, killing innocent people.
(Referring to the Iran war that Trump started.)
– He can’t love a country that takes away healthcare from millions and uses that money to help rich friends.
(Referring to Medicaid cuts and tax breaks for billionaires.)
– He can’t love a country that sends armed groups to shoot people in the streets, torture neighbors, and separate families.
(Referring to ICE operations that killed two Americans.)
– And he said, “I can’t love the country that’s led by Donald Trump and a group of sycophantic Congress members.”
But De Niro didn’t just talk about the problems — he talked about fighting back.
“For most of my life, I did love this country,” he said.”The United States of America welcomed my immigrant ancestors.I want to love my country again.I want my country back.”
He encouraged everyone to stand up, speak out, keep organizing, and fall in love with the country again.
De Niro wasn’t the only one who wanted to see the United States return to what it was before Trump came with his strict and controlling ideas.
The 90-minute event had a star-studded lineup, including Julia Roberts, Bette Midler, Patti Smith, Lily Gladstone, Tessa Thompson, Ayo Edebiri, Wilson Cruz, Joy Reid, Rufus Wainwright, and Jane Fonda.
Patti Smith sang “People Have the Power,” Bette Midler performed “All You Fascists Bound to Lose,” Rufus Wainwright did “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and Sasha Allen sang “A Change Is Gonna Come.”
Jane Fonda, who started the Committee for the First Amendment after her father, Henry Fonda, helped create it during the McCarthy era, opened the show with a powerful message.
“Right now, the government and its friends are breaking the First Amendment to silence artists,” she said, pointing to the closure of places like the Kennedy Center, the defunding of museums and the National Endowment for the Arts, book bans, and the firing of TV hosts who speak out — all allowed by scared companies.
She concluded with a strong warning: “They come for one of us, they come for all of us.” That’s how you do it.
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