It’s not every day that a teen movie icon from the ’80s suddenly becomes the voice of conscience for the nation. But Molly Ringwald did exactly that this week.
The actress, famous for roles in ‘The Breakfast Club’, ‘Pretty in Pink’, and ‘Sixteen Candles’, took to Instagram to deliver a fiery, emotional message about the state of America.
“Something horrible is going on in our country,” Ringwald said in a video posted Tuesday. Her tone was serious and unflinching. She wasn’t talking about a movie plot or a celebrity scandal. She was addressing real-life tragedy and injustice.
What Ringwald said
Ringwald, who portrayed Samantha Baker in the beloved high school classic ‘Sixteen Candles’, reminded viewers that she has always cherished being American. But now, she says, the country is facing dark times.
“I’ve been so proud to be an American,” Ringwald said. “But right now this is a fascist government. It’s not becoming a fascist government. It is a fascist government under Trump. And ICE is brutalising people.”
The actress’ words drew attention to the recent killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse fatally shot by federal agents during an ICE protest in Minneapolis.
“I don’t care how you identify,” she said. “You have to look at what kind of country you want to live in.”
Drawing on her own life experiences, Ringwald reminded viewers of her time living in France in her 20s. She witnessed firsthand how a brutal regime could take over a country and leave lasting scars.
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“They were taken over by the Nazis,” she said. “A lot of people collaborated. Many did not. They joined the resistance and eventually helped reclaim their country. The collaborators were punished.”
Ringwald’s video did not shy away from the human cost of recent government actions. She mentioned Renee Good, another Minneapolis mother killed earlier this month by ICE, and Liam Conejo Ramos, a 5-year-old boy sent to a detention center in Texas along with his father.
“These are human beings, and we cannot forget our humanity,” Ringwald said, “These are children being taken away from their parents. Mothers being killed. ICU nurses standing up for what’s right… now their families must grieve. For doing nothing except standing up against monsters.”
“So please, please use your voice and protest,” she urged. “Stand up. Think about the victims’ families. Imagine if it were your loved ones. I hope we all love people. Please do the right thing.”