In the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minneapolis Police officer early last week and the eruptions of riots and protests nationwide, NBA Hall Of Famer Michael Jordan felt compelled to speak and released a statement.
Everyone is condemning Floyd’s death — time to denounce the violence — the destruction is hurting the message and worse yet hurting the community — the destruction is more lost jobs, more programs a city can’t fund due to economic hardship, neighborhoods destroyed.
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I am sure some were minority businesses that were hurt. Celebrities and sports figures get you money ready to help rebuild those cities to help the black people that live there after this mass destruction — if you can’t do that, then your statements mean little.
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) May 31, 2020
I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry. I see and feel everyone’s pain, outrage and frustration. I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country.
I don’t have the answers, but our collective voices show strength and the inability to be divided by others. We must listen to each other, show compassion and empathy and never turn our backs on senseless brutality. We need to continue peaceful expression against injustice and demand accountability. Our unified voice needs to put pressure on our leaders to change our laws, or else we need to use our vote to create systemic change. Every one of us needs to be part of the solution, and we must work together to ensure justice for all.
My heart goes outu to the family of George Floyd and to the countless others whose lives have been brutally and senselessely taken through acts of racism and injustice.
Is he deeply saddened, genuinely pained, and plain angry at the rioters who have hurt innocent people, destroyed properties, and ruined the livelihoods of those who spent years or decades building their small business only to have it looted, vandalized, and burned to the ground? Are the protesters looting Rodeo Drive working against systemic racism in Minneapolis, or could it be possible that this is about something else?
This might be a little hard, but has Jordan ever committed armed robbery, get arrested eight times on various charges, try to pass a counterfeit bill, resist arrest, and drunkenly argue with the police? OK, that’s why Michael Jordan didn’t have problems with the police.
Saying things is just telling a guy with his kind of influence should work to bring the country together. I don’t want to hear racist this racist that, that does absolutely nothing to bring the country together. Go out and help people with your action; use that wealth that you have accumulated that you got through your fans and people who support you.
DO SOMETHING! Stop talking and do. By doing something, I don’t mean for him to join a protest to start rioting, I mean do something useful.
This piece was written by Wayne Dupree on May 31, 2020. It originally appeared in WayneDupree.com and is used by permission.
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