Mark Ruffalo reacts to Trump's election win at ACLU SoCal event: 'We got our asses kicked'
The ACLU of Southern California recognized Mark Ruffalo, Will Ferrell, Harper Steele, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Brittney and Cherelle Griner at the Bill of Rights Awards on Sunday. The event centered on Donald Trump's election victory and the battle for civil rights in the future.
Mark Ruffalo attends the ACLU SoCal Bill Of Rights Dinner at The Beverly Hilton on November 10 in Beverly Hills.
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During a speech at the Beverly Hilton, Ruffalo, a vocal advocate for Kamala Harris, said to the audience, "We got our asses kicked. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, but you may need to spend some time in bed before that happens. It was difficult to come here."
"The fact that we're here says a great deal about what we all care about in this life, and I want to appreciate you all for your values and the grief and the fear that you most acutely may be feeling as well, because I know I am," the singer went on. "We suffered a great loss, it's a loss that touches deeply on so much of what we've worked for and we've hoped for and dreamed of for such a long time now." He then requested everyone in the group to rise and embrace their neighbor and say, 'I love you.'
During his 20-minute address, Ruffalo highlighted that liberal activists are "not new to this; we know what we need to do, and we will do it." We know how to do it; we've been doing it for a long time; all we need to do now is commit more fully to one other and be open to newcomers." He also advocated for compassion over sarcasm and against increased isolation, stating that "those who want to do us harm, we're linked to them, and they're related to us. We're all members of that family; they've simply gone astray and forgotten who they are."
He concluded, "I've experienced demoralization and despair several times over this process, and the message I keep receiving is that if you're losing hope, you're not giving enough and doing enough. Action is the precise thing that fights depression."
Steele, the centerpiece of the Netflix documentary Will & Harper and a former head writer at Saturday Night Live who came out as a trans woman in 2021, said in her address that, despite being a comedy writer, "this week hasn't been especially funny."
Steele added that over the previous three days, while she went about her life, she had wondered, "Who are these individuals, and can I trust them? What do people truly think of me? I believe we've all been pushed down a little bit; what do Americans think of us all?"
"I felt nervous again. "That scary, alienating feeling I worked so hard to overcome was creeping back in," she said. "But this is absolutely not about me. This terrifying sensation has returned for many people across the country who lack the advantage of white privilege, and they have legitimate reasons to be concerned. Their healthcare is under attack, as are their families, physicians, support networks, schools, and very identity, and the assailants have only grown in confidence."
However, Steele advised the audience that instead of hiding or becoming upset, the most powerful step is to express support and love to the trans community, adding, "I guarantee I will regain my confidence. I'll utilize my 15 minutes of fame to demonstrate that I care.
Several celebrities, including Kerry Washington, Zoe Saldaña, Ke Huy Quan, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Will & Harper director Josh Greenbaum, attended the event to support the ACLU SoCal's battle for freedom.
