Michael Jordan Shares His Story And Frustrations With Racial Targeting And Police Shootings

Michael Jordan is not a man of many public words, but with so much social unrest and tension between races he felt it was time. Jordan speaking out has caused more discussion about his views and what his beliefs are than the issue itself, maybe that’s why he stayed silent for so long. He hasn’t been able to do anything without someone analyzing it six ways from Sunday since he was 19 years old.

He wrote a one-page letter as per The Undefeated and in it he promised to donate $1 million to the Institute for Community-Police Relations and $1 million to NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The Institute was introduced in this past May by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Legal Defense Fund has been around since 1940 to support civil rights.

An excerpt of Jordan’s letter according to The Undefeated:

“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. 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.”

At the ESPYs’ Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwayne Wade and LeBron James made a plea to other athletes to be the change needed in dealing with issues of racial injustice and police brutality.

Athletes can do the best they can, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it will fix the problem. The WNBA team Minnesota Lynx supported the Black Lives Matter with t-shirts at a home game that caused Minneapolis police to leave their security posts. Washington Mystics followed suit shortly after the Lynx. The league fined the Indiana Fever, New York Liberty and Phoenix Mercury $5,000 per team and an additional $500 per player for wearing black warmup shirts before the games, but later cancelled the fines due to growing outrage.

According to The Undefeated Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in an NPR interview spoke about Jordan’s unwillingness to speak out on political and racial issues “He took commerce over conscious. That’s unfortunate for him, but he’s got to live with it,” Abdul-Jabar said.

Ron Harper, an old teammate of Jordan’s said “Some of the stuff he [does] may not get on TV like some other athletes like to portray themselves as conscientious Americans, but my boy MJ…he knows what he’s doing in life. Michael Jordan is caring.”

Jordan who is the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets has more people of color in front office positions than any other organization in in any major sport in North America and the Jordan Brand has always had an African-American CEO. Maybe some people think if you don’t hear about it it doesn’t exist, but leading by example can be more powerful than leading by voice.

Jordan made the decision to go public with his donations two weeks ago, but didn’t want to overshadow the LGBT community in light of having to relocate the 2017 NBA All-Start game from Charlotte.

Jordan lost his father, James Jordan Sr., in a shooting nearly 23 years ago. James Sr. had pulled over to the side of the road in North Carolina to take a nap when two men approached the vehicle and shot him to death to steal his car. One of the men convicted of the killing is eligible for parole this year.