Michael Jordan finally speaks out on shootings of African-Americans and police.
As we have all seen, police brutality has been raging on across the country for the past few years now. From Trayvon Martin, Antonio Martin, Mike Brown, Sandra Bland, Alton Sterling, and countless other African-Americans that have lost their lives due to the ignorance of police. These tragedies have outraged the African-American community by the boat load. These tragedies have also provoked the comments and actions of African-Americans celebrities. The famous basketball hall of famer, Michael Jordan, has been quiet for the last few years, but he finally decided to speak out on these senseless murders.
"As a proud American, a father who lost his own dad in a senseless act of violence, and a black man, I have been deeply troubled by the deaths of African-Americans at the hands of law enforcement and angered by the cowardly and hateful targeting and killing of police officers," Jordan said. "I grieve with the families who have lost loved ones, as I know their pain all too well. I was raised by parents who taught me to love and respect people regardless of their race or background, so I am saddened and frustrated by the divisive rhetoric and racial tensions that seem to be getting worse as of late. I know this country is better than that, and I can no longer stay silent. We need to find solutions that ensure people of color receive fair and equal treatment AND that police officers – who put their lives on the line every day to protect us all – are respected and supported."
Jordan further elaborated on what he has witnessed over the years.
“Over the past three decades I have seen up close the dedication of the law enforcement officers who protect me and my family. I have the greatest respect for their sacrifice and service. I also recognize that for many people of color their experiences with law enforcement have been different than mine. I have decided to speak out in the hope that we can come together as Americans, and through peaceful dialogue and education, achieve constructive change."
It is good to see how passionate Jordan is about this topic, seeing that he has dealt police brutality. Besides just speaking on these tragedies, Jordan has also decided to contribute financially. To support the effort, Jordan contributes $1 million each to two organizations: the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s newly established Institute for Community-Police Relations and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
The Institute for Community-Police Relations’ policy and oversight work is focused on building trust and promoting best practices in community policing. The donation to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, will support its ongoing work in support of reforms that will build trust and respect between communities and law enforcement.
"Although I know these contributions alone are not enough to solve the problem, I hope the resources will help both organizations make a positive difference," Jordan said.
Jordan has refused to stay silent, and has made the choice to donate money to these great institutions. Even though the victims cannot be brought back and the crimes cannot be undone, the donation of funds to programs built to solve is a great step to for the community.
