George Clooney has written an open poem to his fellow Americans expressing his views about the divided state of the nation.
The movie star, who was an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump throughout the election last year (16), recently blasted his candidate, Democrat Hillary Clinton, for not elevating her game – and now the new dad is offering up a prayer for the U.S.
In it, the Michael Clayton star prays for the police, servicemen and women, and 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was mistakenly shot and killed by police in November, 2014.
Clooney’s Prayer For Our Country poem reads:
I pray for my country
I pray that we can find more that unites us than divides us.
I pray that our nation’s leaders want to do the same.
I pray that young children like Tamir Rice can feel safe in their own neighborhood.
I pray for all of our children.
I pray for our police and our first responders.
I pray for our men and women of the armed services.
I pray that dissent will always be protected in this great country.
I pray for a more perfect union.
And when I pray, I kneel.
The last line is a reference to the ongoing debate surrounding athletes who kneel during the National Anthem – particularly before American football games – to protest the treatment of African-Americans and President Trump’s condemnation of the kneeling movement.
On Monday night (25Sep17), Jerry Jones and the players and staff of the Dallas Cowboys all took a knee in protest before their game against the Arizona Cardinals as Jordin Sparks sang the National Anthem.
