Michael Jordan isn’t usually one to speak out on social issues, but he has broken his long silence in the growing tension related to race relations and the police community.
Jordan announced that he would be donating $1 million to both the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s Institute for Community-Police Relations and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
“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 wrote for The Undefeated. “I grieve with the families who have lost loved ones, as I know their pain all too well.
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“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.”
He then went on to say, “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.”
“We are privileged to live in the world’s greatest country — a country that has provided my family and me the greatest of opportunities,” he concluded. “The problems we face didn’t happen overnight and they won’t 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.”