I keep thinking about the posts I'm seeing about why artists don't speak out in support of BLM, and a lot of it boils down to "it could hurt their reputations/brand/careers." That's true, but that's where choice comes in. What is more important - money or what's right?

I do recognize that some artists may be forbidden, perhaps contractually, from being activist/speaking out. But for those who are not forbidden, being quiet is not a good look, IMO. Authors have often been told to remain neutral to not anger readers. My view:

“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.” — Elie Wiesel

Despite knowing that I would most likely lose readers, I began to speak out against the current occupant of the WH when he was running and especially after he was sworn in. Not a day has gone by where he hasn't done or said something reprehensible, and it's still happening.

He basically gives an orange middle finger to the Constitution, our allies, minorities, the rule of law, the truth, empathy and basic human decency. We see it now in his heated, ugly, obviously racist tweets about the protests. He admires military strongmen and wants to be one.

And he's being enabled by GOP members of Congress who are either compromised or equally disgusting human beings, or both. He's being praised by way too damn many of my fellow Americans, other white people who make me ashamed to be white on a daily basis.

He has vilified the press to the point where they are being shot by the police with tear gas and rubber bullets, resulting in the permanent blindness in one eye of of one journalist, and his cult followers applaud this. Tell me, who are the real animals?

As someone who has worked as a journalist, I'll be the first to admit that there are problems with how modern journalism works. But there are good reporters on the ground shining a light on the protests and the injustice. You want those reporters there.

If no reporters are there to shine a light in the darkness, there's no telling what even more heinous acts would be committed against protesters. There's a reason why freedom of the press is guaranteed in the First Amendment. You don't want to live in a country without free press

Anyway, back to speaking out when it's hard. Maybe it's because I have empathy. Maybe it's because growing up poor gets you looked at in a certain way that feels like garbage. But I can't stand by silent when I see injustice.

If you follow me, you've seen me speak out against attacks on the press, the injustice of K-pop idols being axed from their groups for things they didn't do or daring to date, how horrible it is for black children to be told they have to cut their hair more like white kids, etc.

But right now, in this moment, the injustice that needs the light shone brightly on it is police violence against black Americans and the systemic racism this country was literally built on. Injustice is wrong, whether it's big or small, but right now it's BIG.

When I started being more vocal on social media four years ago, I'm certain I lost followers and readers. After all, I knew that many of my readers and I didn't line up politically. And here's the thing, I blocked some of them too. I've unfriended family members!

But I don't want to be associated with people who hold racist views or who can support someone who is so incredibly unfit to hold the office of the presidency. It's not a party affiliation thing (at least it didn't used to be). It's about human decency and fairness and truth.

And I'm fully aware that I, like every single white person, has had racism baked into our existence since we were born. We have to fight against it on a daily basis, both externally and internally.

But, to me, human lives, truth, justice and standing up for what's right are always going to be more important than how many books I sell. I've been poor before and survived; I can do it again. So, #BlackLivesMatter and screw anyone who thinks otherwise.