{"id":11385,"date":"2016-07-25T12:50:26","date_gmt":"2016-07-25T16:50:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=11385"},"modified":"2016-07-25T12:50:26","modified_gmt":"2016-07-25T16:50:26","slug":"michael-jordan-speaks-shootings-african-americans-police","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2016\/07\/michael-jordan-speaks-shootings-african-americans-police.html","title":{"rendered":"Michael Jordan Speaks Out on Shootings of African-Americans and Police"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Michael_Jordan\"<\/a>Michael Jordan, widely considered the greatest basketball player in the NBA and the sole African-American majority owner of an NBA franchise, has decided to speak out on the country’s recent racial and social problems.<\/p>\n

Jordan wrote his statement in a\u00a0one-page letter that was released by “The Undefeated.”<\/p>\n

He used the letter to announce grants of $1 million each to two organizations working to build trust between law enforcement and minority communities.\u00a0The Institute for Community-Police Relations and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund were both informed of the donations Sunday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re surprised and shocked, but obviously thrilled,\u201d said Sherrilyn Ifill, the president and director of the Legal Defense Fund. \u201cWe\u2019ve been working on these issues for some many years, and it\u2019s great to hear that Michael Jordan and his people are aware of our work and are willing to make a contribution.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the letter, Jordan plead to bridge the divide between law enforcement and the African-American communities they police. On the decision to speak out and contribute his voice and money now, Jordan’s spokesman said “Michael was tired of just talking. He wanted to do something about the issue. This was very important to him.”<\/p>\n

Micheal Jordan’s full statement can be seen below.<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

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 \u2013 who put their lives on the line every day to protect us all \u2013 are respected and supported.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

To support that effort, I am making contributions of $1 million each to two organizations, the International Association of Chiefs of Police\u2019s newly established Institute for Community-Police Relations and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The Institute for Community-Police Relations\u2019 policy and oversight work is focused on building trust and promoting best practices in community policing. My donation to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the nation\u2019s oldest civil rights law organization, 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.<\/p>\n

We are privileged to live in the world\u2019s greatest country \u2013 a country that has provided my family and me the greatest of opportunities. The problems we face didn\u2019t happen overnight and they won\u2019t be solved tomorrow, but if we all work together, we can foster greater understanding, positive change and create a more peaceful world for ourselves, our children, our families and our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Michael Jordan, widely considered the greatest basketball player in the NBA and the sole African-American majority owner of an NBA franchise, has decided to speak out on the country’s recent racial and social problems. Jordan wrote his statement in a\u00a0one-page letter that was released by “The Undefeated.” He used the letter to announce grants of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":600,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11385","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-television"],"yoast_head":"\nMichael Jordan Speaks Out on Shootings of African-Americans and Police<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Michael Jordan gives his statement on the shootings of African-Americans and the targeting of police officers, saying he can "no longer stay silent."\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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