The Rock Online Video Speech Transcript: Calls for Compassionate Leadership in America

The Rock: (00:11) Where are you? Where is our leader? Where are you? Where is our leader at this time? At this time, when our country is down on its knees, begging, pleading, hurt, angry, frustrated, in pain, begging and pleading with its arms out, just wanting to be heard. Begging and pleading and praying for change. Where are you? Where is our compassionate leader who's going to step up to our country who's down on its knees and extend a hand and say, "You stand up. Stand up with me. Stand up with me, because I got you. I got you. I got you, I hear you, I'm listening to you, and you have my word that I'm going to do everything in my power until my dying day, my last breath, to do everything I can, to create the change that is needed, to normalize equality because black lives matter." The Rock: (01:36) Where are you? It's that same compassionate leader who has to come back and readdress the country to give important context, to give important perspective on the comments that were just made. Of course all lives matter. Every single one. All lives matter because we as Americans, we believe in inclusivity, we believe in acceptance, we believe in human rights, we believe in equality for all. That's what we believe in. So of course all lives matter, but in this moment right now, this defining, pivotal, explosive moment where our country is down on its knees, the floorboards of our country are becoming unhinged in this moment, we must say the words, black lives matter. The Rock: (02:38) Where are you? Where are you, because here's what happens when you extend a hand and you reach out to Americans who are in pain, and they stand with you. They stand with you, here's what happens, the country, the entire country, the entire country stands and rises as well. There is military force that has been deployed on our own people. Looters, yes. Criminals, absolutely. But our protesters, who are begging and pleading, our protesters, who are in pain? You would be surprised how people in pain would respond when you say to them, "I care about you." When you say to them, "I'm listening to you." You'd be surprised how people would respond, how Americans would respond if you say to them, "I care about you, I am listening to you, this is our country, you are all my people, and I take full responsibility and full accountability for something that has been hundreds of years of systemic disease. Why am I taking full accountability? Because I am your leader. I'm your leader and I'm going to do everything I can to make this right. I'll tell you what, you give me some trust, you give me some time, you give me some effort, you give me some love. I'm right there with you and together, we're going to make this right. Together we're going to create that change. Together we're going to normalize equality. We're going to do it but we're going to do it together." The Rock: (04:41) You'd be surprised how Americans and how human beings would respond. They would rise up with you. We would rise up with you. The world would rise up with you. I want to take a moment to thank the world. I want to take a moment right now to thank the world for standing up with us in our fight for equality, to normalize equality. I want to thank all these countries around the world, incredible, inspiring, beautiful displays of solidarity, and I want you to know something, and I feel confident speaking on behalf of your American brothers and sisters, us, through our fire, through our smoke, through our debris, through our noise and everything that we're going through right now, because there's a lot happening around us as we're taking our lumps. Don't think for a second that we don't see you. We see you. We see you, we thank you, we love you. The Rock: (05:57) Look, I am like the majority of Americans. I'm not a politician and I've never clearly been elected to office and I am not the President of the United States, but I am a man and I am a father who cares so deeply about my family, about my children and the world that they will live in. I care so deeply about our country and every single person in it. That's who I am. I am a man who is frustrated, I am disappointed, I am angry, but I am also doing my best to stay focused and as calm as I can possibly be in the pocket to make the best decisions for my family and make the best decisions for our country. So as we continue to wait for that leader to emerge, as we continue to wait for that leader to emerge, I would recommend to all of you that we must become the leaders we're looking for. We become our own leaders. Because we're doing it now. We're doing it now. We must become the leaders we are looking for. The Rock: (07:26) I'll ask it one more time. Where are you? Where is that compassionate leader who steps up and takes accountability for his country and all of the people in our country? Where are you? Because I'll tell you what, we're here. We're all here. We are all here. We're all here, and the process to change has already begun. The process to change has already begun, you can feel it. You can feel it, you can feel it, you can feel it across our country. Change is happening. It's going to take time, we're going to get beat up, we're going to take our lumps, there's going to be blood, but the process of change has already begun. You guys stay strong. We got this. The Rock: (08:47) Where are you? Where is our leader? Where are you? Where is our leader at this time? At this time, when our country is down on its knees, begging, pleading, hurt, angry, frustrated, in pain, begging and pleading with its arms out, just wanting to be heard. Begging and pleading and praying for change. Where are you? Where is our compassionate leader who's going to step up to our country who's down on its knees and extend a hand and say, "You stand up. Stand up with me. Stand up with me, because I got you. I got you. I got you, I hear you, I'm listening to you, and you have my word that I'm going to do everything in my power until my dying day, my last breath, to do everything I can, to create the change that is needed, to normalize equality because black lives matter." The Rock: (10:12) Where are you? It's that same compassionate leader who has to come back and readdress the country to give important context, to give important perspective on the comments that were just made. Of course all lives matter. Every single one. All lives matter because we as Americans, we believe in inclusivity, we believe in acceptance, we believe in human rights, we believe in equality for all. That's what we believe in. So of course all lives matter, but in this moment right now, this defining, pivotal, explosive moment where our country is down on its knees, the floorboards of our country are becoming unhinged in this moment, we must say the words, black lives matter. The Rock: (11:14) Where are you? Where are you, because here's what happens when you extend a hand and you reach out to Americans who are in pain, and they stand with you. They stand with you, here's what happens, the country, the entire country, the entire country stands and rises as well. There is military force that has been deployed on our own people. Looters, yes. Criminals, absolutely. But our protesters, who are begging and pleading, our protesters, who are in pain? You would be surprised how people in pain would respond when you say to them, "I care about you." When you say to them, "I'm listening to you." You'd be surprised how people would respond, how Americans would respond if you say to them, "I care about you, I am listening to you, this is our country, you are all my people, and I take full responsibility and full accountability for something that has been hundreds of years of systemic disease. Why am I taking full accountability? Because I am your leader. I'm your leader and I'm going to do everything I can to make this right. I'll tell you what, you give me some trust, you give me some time, you give me some effort, you give me some love. I'm right there with you and together, we're going to make this right. Together we're going to create that change. Together we're going to normalize equality. We're going to do it but we're going to do it together." The Rock: (13:17) You'd be surprised how Americans and how human beings would respond. They would rise up with you. We would rise up with you. The world would rise up with you. I want to take a moment to thank the world. I want to take a moment right now to thank the world for standing up with us in our fight for equality, to normalize equality. I want to thank all these countries around the world, incredible, inspiring, beautiful displays of solidarity, and I want you to know something, and I feel confident speaking on behalf of your American brothers and sisters, us, through our fire, through our smoke, through our debris, through our noise and everything that we're going through right now, because there's a lot happening around us as we're taking our lumps. Don't think for a second that we don't see you. We see you. We see you, we thank you, we love you. The Rock: (14:32) Look, I am like the majority of Americans. I'm not a politician and I've never clearly been elected to office and I am not the President of the United States, but I am a man and I am a father who cares so deeply about my family, about my children and the world that they will live in. I care so deeply about our country and every single person in it. That's who I am. I am a man who is frustrated, I am disappointed, I am angry, but I am also doing my best to stay focused and as calm as I can possibly be in the pocket to make the best decisions for my family and make the best decisions for our country. So as we continue to wait for that leader to emerge, as we continue to wait for that leader to emerge, I would recommend to all of you that we must become the leaders we're looking for. We become our own leaders. Because we're doing it now. We're doing it now. We must become the leaders we are looking for. The Rock: (16:02) I'll ask it one more time. Where are you? Where is that compassionate leader who steps up and takes accountability for his country and all of the people in our country? Where are you? Because I'll tell you what, we're here. We're all here. We are all here. We're all here, and the process to change has already begun. The process to change has already begun, you can feel it. You can feel it, you can feel it, you can feel it across our country. Change is happening. It's going to take time, we're going to get beat up, we're going to take our lumps, there's going to be blood, but the process of change has already begun. You guys stay strong. We got this.