Credit: Bravo
JT Thomas explained more about his decision to say goodbye to the United States, and he shared exactly what he meant by “my country is imploding.” The Southern Charm star also addressed getting hate messages after he left.
JT exited the show after last season. At the time, he wasn’t in a good place with many in the cast. Earlier this week, he revealed he sold everything and moved to Bali due to the U.S.’s current state.
In a November 7 Instagram video, JT revealed more of the story.
“I’ve retired and retreated … to Bali because my country’s imploding. Let me qualify when I say my country’s imploding so that people can stop in the comments and [stop] privately messaging me saying … ‘The stock market’s at an all-time high … What’s wrong with you? Everything should be fine with you.’ Well, here, let me qualify for you,” said the star.
JT continued, “There’s a bunch of issues, cost of living, et cetera, et cetera. But there’s one real hot button issue that I’m pretty sure I’m not wrong about — because I agree with the Pope, who’s saying that all humans, including immigrants, should be treated like humans.”
“Recently I’ve watched I don’t know how many dozens of videos … of illegal immigrants getting tackled to the ground and zip-tied,” he continued. “And at first it was stunning and shocking, and it still is. But it’s clear to me that now it’s escalated, if that’s even possible, where now I’m seeing videos of actual women … being pulled out of their place of employment, their apartments, and their vehicles in front of their children by masked men, [then] thrown to the ground [and] zip-tie[d], knees in the back, knees in the stomach.”
According to JT, in the country he “grew up in,” it was “innocent until proven guilty.”
“And so that’s my major hot button topic, because we’re not treating people like humans anymore. We’re treating certain people inside of our borders like animals. It’s absolutely diabolical, I don’t stand for it,” he said. “So I’m at the Indian Ocean, I’m in Bali.”
The new season of Southern Charm premieres Wednesday, November 19, on Bravo.