Morgan Wallen’s sister Ashlyne is speaking out on the controversy surrounding her brother.
“There are 3 things you should ever do about a mistake: admit it, learn from it, and don’t repeat it,” Ashlyne began to say in a statement she shared on Friday (Feb. 5) via Instagram.
Throughout her statement, she shared that although what her brother said in the video that surfaced on TMZ is completely unacceptable, she knows that it “did not come from a place of hate or malicious intent,” later adding “it doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from, he [Morgan] will welcome you with open arms and show you kindness.”
Wallen’s sister continued, “I know my brother. He is my best friend, and I know in my heart that it did not come from a place of hate or malicious intent. Should he have said it? No. But should he be given the opportunity to correct his mistake and learn from it? Yes. Morgan has the biggest heart of anyone I have ever met. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from, he will welcome you with open arms and show you kindness. He is not the kind of person who would ever want to hurt anyone, but contrary to popular belief, he’s also human. And sometimes, human make big mistakes.”
“The word he used should not be in anyone’s vocabulary,” Ashlyne explained. “I believe that everyone is well aware of this, and now, especially my brother. While derogatory language is unacceptable and ignorant in any situation, I do not believe the pure hate he has received is beneficial to the situation in anyway. There is criticism he is receiving that is positive and educational – this should continue to happen, as it will help him grow and learn from his mistake. But, making a comment out of pure hatred about someone that you do not personally know, based on a short clip of him at a low point in his personal life, is unwarranted.”
Ashlyne later adding, “I have seen firsthand how the repercussions of his actions have affected him, and while it is important that he understands the gravity of what he said, the comments from the media and many people on social media are getting out of control. There are false statements, accusations, and abominable comments being made towards him. Please remember that he is a human being capable of doing good and bad, just like everyone else on this Earth. Believe me, he is well aware of his wrongdoing and will be making changes in his life to rectify his actions in any way that he can. But the way he is being portrayed at the moment is simply not who he is as a human being. I can say this as someone who knows him better than anyone. The worst part is those silent are put in a difficult place because of how people may turn comments of support towards his growth into something else.”
She then explained that cancel culture is the worst thing that has come from the current digital world we live in as it “leave no room for forgiveness and growth, in turn, leaving no opportunity for individuals who have made mistakes to learn from them.” Later adding that “If you make a mistake or do something stupid then apologize, correct you mistake, and learn through personal growth.”
“The world we live in thrives off drama and bringing other down,” Ashlyne continued to explain. “I refuse to be a part of that. If my family or my friends made a mistake and apologize, I’m going to listen, accept it, and expect them to learn from their mistakes. Someone who is truly sorry should be forgiven – not continuously bashed. Your past mistakes do not define you: it is how you choose to move forward that does.”
The hitmaker’s sister ended her statement by saying, “If you don’t have anything kind to say, please say nothing at all. The only thing our world needs more of is love.”
Following Morgan Wallen’s use of a racial slur, country artists spoke out, he was removed from most country radio stations, streaming playlists, deemed ineligible and to have no involvement at the upcoming ACM Awards, dropped from all CMA and CMT platforms, removed from the roster of his booking agency and even “indefinitely” suspended from his recording contract at Big Loud.
You can read her full statement on the Instagram post below.
