While Chris Brown and R. Kelly waited to hear if they had been awarded in their categories, and Beyonce’s “Drunk in Love” was awarded honors?despite?its quoting of Ike Turner’s abusive missives against then-wife Tina Turner from the film “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” one moment to be celebrated?by advocates for survivors and the survivors themselves of domestic violence and sexual assault came as President Obama interrupted the Grammy’s?with a public service announcement about these critical issues.
As an introduction to Katy Perry’s performance of “By the Grace of God,” which featured survivor Brooke Axtell’s brave and harrowing story of her own experience with domestic violence, President Obama’s challenged an industry of music artists to use their power to shape a culture in which intimate partner violence is unacceptable.
“Good evening everybody. Tonight we celebrate artists whose music and?message help shape our culture. And together we can change our?culture for the better by ending violence against women and girls.?Right now. nearly one in five women in America has been?a victim of rape or attempted rape, and more than one and?four women has experienced some form of domestic violence. It’s not okay and it has to stop. Artists have a unique power to change minds and attitudes and get us thinking and talking about what matters. And all of us, in our own lives, have the power to set an example. Join our campaign to stop this violence. Go to ItsOnUs.org?and take the pledge, and to the artists at the Grammy’s tonight, I ask you to ask your fans to do it, too. It’s on us, all of us, to create a culture in which violence isn’t tolerated, where survivors are supported, and where all our young people – men and women – can go as far as their talents and their dreams will take them. Thanks.”
We at Liberal America also ask our readers to sign the pledge at ItsOnUs.org and commit to ending domestic violence and sexual assault. Together, we can all make a difference.
Watch the announcement here:
Also, see Brooke Axtell’s powerful speech here:
