“What you are about to see is hard to watch. But this is the point of this film. It should be hard to watch. But imagine having to live through it. No kid should live through what you are about to see.”
That's the warning at the beginning of the Black Eyed Peas' new music video for their latest hit single "Big Love," an almost-10 minute mini film that focuses on their desire for stricter gun laws and opposition to President Trump's immigration policies.
The music group took to Twitter to share their message and their video:
In a time where our Gov can take kids away from their parents but can’t take guns away from kids, we all need to speak up. We all need BIG LOVE. For our full music video head to https://t.co/LSh6IQJTA0. Special thanks to @AMarch4OurLives @WomenBelong.@OfficialBigLove #BIGLOVEbep pic.twitter.com/4c9u2SPu0C
— Black Eyed Peas (@bep) September 21, 2018
Parkland survivor Matt Deitsch encouraged all to watch the video to gain an understanding of what it was like to go through a mass shooting at his high school:
If you have experienced gun violence I offer a heavy trigger warning for this video — if you have not, I suggest you watch this entire video, the experienced depicted may offer a better understanding of what my siblings and community experienced. #StopGunViolence https://t.co/Cw1tA4zO9E
— Matt Deitsch (@MattxRed) September 21, 2018
On Saturday, will.i.am tweeted Donald Trump to ask the president what can be done to ensure school's are safe moving forward:
Dear .@realDonaldTrump,
— will.i.am (@iamwill) September 22, 2018
How can we help you make U.S schools the best & safest in the world? I’m tired of the divide & I want to help. our kids should be going to school fearless to push America forward. NOT IN FEAR. This video shouldn’t be our realityhttps://t.co/zupc1OjRBO
The video is part of a movement the Black Eyed Peas launched, which they detail on their website, BigLove.com:
This deserves your undivided attention.
We are calling to you, filled with passion and pain.
We need your help.
You are important to us and We need you to use your influence and platform to spread truth and love to our world.
We want to share with you what we have created, because it matters to us so deep within, and it scares us more than we could convey through any lyric.
We can't be silent about what we see happening, so we're confronting the terrifying truth: our children are in danger and we're just letting it happen.
Guns. Detainment. Intolerance. These things threaten children every day. It's our responsibility to protect them, especially in the places where they live and learn.
We have to do more.
We have spent time with children who live in constant fear of an active shooter attack, or of being torn away from their families by ICE. We've listened to them and cried with them, and now we will not stop working toward a solution for them.
Our leaders are more influenced by lobbyists and money than by the safety of our children. Our children have had to lead the charge for change, because our leaders are failing them. It's time for us all to speak up for those who can't.
We need to vote. We need to march. We need to make our voices heard. And we need to make sure that these issues don't get lost in the 24-hour news cycle of distractions.
The lyrics and images in our video contain a message that we feel needs to be conveyed in the realest and rawest way possible because, simply, enough is enough. We’re sharing this with you in the hope that you will feel as deeply about these issues as we do, and join us in our movement of LOVE.
These aren't easy conversations, but they are necessary ones, and we need your help to keep them alive.
We have been blessed with art and influence as our tools; join us to create change.
Big Love,
BEP
Proceeds from the single will benefit the March For Our Lives organization, a gun control group launched by Parkland survivors, and Families Belong Together, a coalition of organizations that oppose President Donald Trump's tough immigration stance.
It's Not So Black And White
What's sad about this entire music video is that assumptions are made, primarily about gun owners.
People lovin' guns more than cases and season
And they say the reason is to protect their freedom
But we don't believe 'em
Those are the lyrics that infer the gun owners don't care about kids. But guess what? Most gun owners have children and the very reason they own a firearm is to protect their family.
No one loves guns more than children. No one wants to see a child shot at their school. No. One. Not conservatives. Not progressives. Not gun owners and not anti-gunners. Why are we being pegged as such?
Placing blame on law-abiding gun owners for the actions of a few unstable people is not just wrong but irresponsible. It creates further divide and makes it more difficult for Americans to come together for a solution everyone can agree on that doesn't trample our Constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
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