Morgan Freeman Disagrees W/ Defunding The Police, Says ‘It’s Very Necessary’ To Have Officers

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman Disagrees W/ Defunding The Police, Says ‘It’s Very Necessary’ To Have Officers

Morgan Freeman is the latest celebrity to speak out against the defund the police movement.

The initiative sparked last year amid nationwide civil unrest and the fight for social justice as police brutality was put in the spotlight after the tragic death of George Floyd. 

George Floyd

While many called for funds to be taken from police and put in underserved communities, Morgan Freeman has explained why he doesn’t agree with the cause.

He made remarks while speaking on his latest film, The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain, which also addresses police brutality. It features the story of a Black veteran who suffers from bipolar disorder and was murdered by officers in 2011. Police were sent to check on Chamberlain when his LifeAlert device went off. The series of events that came after included Chamberlain, 68, getting tased and fatally shot. Police maintain that they fired shots after he lunged at them. They were never charged.

During an interview about the movie, Morgan Freeman shared his thoughts on defund the police and said:

“I’m not in the least bit for defunding the police. Police work is, aside from all the negativity around it, it is very necessary for us to have them and most of them are guys that are doing their job. They’re going about their day-to-day jobs. There are some police the never pulled their guns except in rage, that sort of thing. I don’t know.”

Frankie Faison, who plays Chamberlain, echoed similar sentiments.

 

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Celebrities like Will Smith have also expressed their disagreement with defunding the police.

Will Smith said last month that the movement has shortcomings when it comes to “the marketing of our ideas.”

“So ‘Abolish the police. Defund the police.’ I would love if we would just say ‘Defund the bad police.’ It’s almost like I want, as Black Americans, for us to change our marketing for the new position we’re in. So ‘critical race theory,’ just call it ‘truth theory.’ The pendulum is swinging in our direction beautifully. And there’s a certain humility that will most capitalize on the moment for the future of Black Americans, without discounting the difficulty and the pain and the emotion.”

He continued:

“This is a difficult area to discuss, but I feel like the simplicity of Black Lives Matter was perfect. Anybody who tries to debate Black Lives Matter looks ridiculous. So when I talk about the marketing of our ideas, Black Lives Matter was perfection. From a standpoint of getting it done, Black Lives Matter gets it done. ‘Defund the police’ doesn’t get it done, no matter how good the ideas are. I’m not saying we shouldn’t defund the police. I’m saying, just don’t say that, because then people who would help you won’t.”

Do you agree with Morgan Freeman? Comment and let us know.