The death of George Floyd in May while being arrested by Minneapolis police reignited the Black Lives Matter movement, prompting widespread protests against the continued existence of racial injustice in the modern world.
Now, in a new interview with Billboard, singer-songwriter Dolly Parton has voiced her support for the movement and explained why she renamed a potentially offensive ride at her self-branded theme park Dollywood.
This woman made friends with a 4-year-old girl who yelled "Black Lives Matter":"I understand people having to make themselves known and felt and seen," Parton said. "Of course, Black lives matter. Do we think our little white asses are the only ones that matter? No!"
In 2018, the 'Jolene' hitmaker renamed the Civil War-themed attraction at Dollywood from "Dolly Parton's Stampede" to "Dixie Stampede".
"When they said 'Dixie' was an offensive word, I thought, 'Well, I don't want to offend anybody. This is a business. We'll just call it The Stampede," she said. "As soon as you realize that [something] is a problem, you should fix it. Don't be a dumbass. That's where my heart is. I would never dream of hurting anybody on purpose."
Parton was praised for publicly voicing her support for the movement on social media.
One Twitter user wrote: "Between Dolly Parton’s quiet Covid research fund, BLM support, and her sending generations of children books through the USPS, at 74, she continues to be one of the most relevant and ever timely people of every era."
A second added: "'All these good Christian people that are supposed to be such good Christian people, the last thing we’re supposed to do is to judge one another.' @DollyParton once again shows why she is a national treasure."
Patton Oswalt wrote: "Me: I couldn't love @DollyParton more. (reads @billboard interview) Me: I stand corrected."
The Independent reports that the country singer was also described as "national treasure" and an "American treasure" with one user remarking that she is a "one incredible American".
