THE RINGS OF POWER Issues Statement Condemning Trolls for "Relentless Racism" and Harassment
J.R.R. Tolkien is quoted as saying, “I have the hatred of apartheid in my bones; and most of all, I detest the segregation or separation of Language and Literature. I do not care which of them you think White.”
But, there seems to be a good amount of people out there who claim to be Tolkien fans that are relentlessly attacking the show for a variety of reasons, and unfortunately, some of those reasons involve the diversity of the cast. Heaven forbid that a world full of diverse races and characters is filled with a cast of diverse races. I don’t get the hate because Tolkien was all about love and telling inspiring stories and that’s what this series is doing, and so far it’s doing it well!
Well, the cast and crew of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power have issued a statement condemning the hate that is being spewed by the trolls. That statement reads:
"We, the cast of Rings of Power, stand together in absolute solidarity and against the relentless racism, threats, harassment, and abuse some of our castmates of color are being subject to one a daily basis,. We refuse to ignore it or tolerate it.
“JRR Tolkien created a world which, by definition, is multi-cultural. A world in which free peoples from different races and cultures join together, in fellowship, to defeat the forces of evil. Rings of Power reflects that. Our world has never been all white, fantasy has never been all white. Middle-earth is not all white. BIPOC belong in middle-earth and they are here to stay.
"Finally, all our love and fellowship go out to the fans supporting us, especially fans of colour who are themselves being attacked simply for existing in this fandom. We see you, your bravery, and endless creativity. Your cosplays, fancams, fan art, and insights make this community a richer place and remind us of our purpose. You are valid, you are loved, and you belong. You are an integral part of the LORT family -thanks for having our backs." The statement concludes with the elvish word "Namárië," meaning "Farewell."
I’ve never liked bullies. I’ve had my fair share of bullying throughout my life, and by having an online presence, it hasn’t really stopped. I’m totally open to constructive criticism and friendly cool-headed debates, but damn… things have gotten ugly. These stories from Tolkien are meant to uplift and inspire people. That’s why I’ve always loved his stories! They inspire the hell out of me and make my imagination explode. I’ll always defend good stories that do that!