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Matthew McConaughey asks Emmanuel Acho advice on fighting racism

Matthew McConaughey sat down on Emmanuel Acho’s show, “Uncomfortable Conversation with a Black Man,” to discuss ways to help end systemic racism. McConaughey, 50, started out by asking the former NFL star how he could do better as a white man. “You have to acknowledge that there is a problem so that you can take …

Matthew McConaughey sat down on Emmanuel Acho’s show, “Uncomfortable Conversation with a Black Man,” to discuss ways to help end systemic racism.

McConaughey, 50, started out by asking the former NFL star how he could do better as a white man.

“You have to acknowledge that there is a problem so that you can take more ownership for the problem,” Acho, 29, told the actor, adding that the first step would be sitting down and having conversations that may be uncomfortable but are necessary.

He added, “Individually, you have to acknowledge implicit bias. You have to acknowledge that you’ll see a black man and, for whatever reason, you will view them more of a threat than you will a white man. Probably because society told you to.”

The “True Detective” star also asked if equality can only come once everyone is on board with the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Once we get these black lives that are being ended unjustly handled by the grace of God through conversations like these … then we can be at a point to focus on everything else,” Acho said.

The athlete compared Black Lives Matter to finding a cure to COVID-19 in that while other illnesses and diseases need cures too, right now the coronavirus cure is the most pressing.

McConaughey then explained that even though he has several black friends, grew up in a diverse environment, worked in an all-black establishment, and is married to a person of color, he still has “white allergies” or prejudices that he might not even be aware of having.

Acho expressed that while prejudices run deep, the best way to make progress is to keep talking and learning and asking difficult questions.

“People should take the responsibility proactively to say, ‘You know what? maybe I’m part of the problem. Maybe I can fix this issue, not just by being not racist but by being anti-racist. Maybe I can level the playing field and make it a fair fight,’” Acho said.

“Heard,” McConaughey responded.

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