Pippen Ain’t Easy discussion roundtable: The 2017 NBA Finals
LeBron James’ home in Los Angeles spray painted with “n****r” on front gate, James responded on Wednesday at open media availability
For those that didn’t hear, it was reported that Cavaliers superstar LeBron James had the front gate of his home in Los Angeles vandalized with “n****r” plastered across it.
James, who lives in California during the offseason with his family, addressed the situation with some powerful words (as you can hear in the video above).
“It just goes to show that racism will always be a part of the world, a part of America,” James said during Wednesday’s press availability at the 2017 NBA Finals. “Hate, in America, especially for African-Americans, is living everyday.”
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“No matter how much you have, no matter how famous you are, no matter how many people admire you,” James said, “being black in America is tough. And we got a long way to go for us as a society and for us as African-Americans until we feel equal in America.”
We’re not a Cleveland Cavaliers blog. (Which, speaking of that, go read our network friends at King James Gospel and also Blue Man Hoop for all things Cavs and Warriors during The Finals.)
We’re not a political blog.
But, we’re a team here at PAE that sees when the world’s best athlete and one of the overall good guys in society is being treated like scum by some nonsensical fool(s) who should be ashamed of themself(ves).
LeBron James, the single-greatest basketball player of his generation, still faces racism in 2017.
What’s amazing about the whole thing is that James realized the platform he was speaking from and mentioned how in a way, it’s a positive thing for the world to see him be the subject of racism. (Also, read the story of Emmett Till that James referenced if you haven’t.)
And yeah, he’s not wrong. If LeBron is facing prejudice, nobody’s safe from facing it.
Like James said, it doesn’t matter how much money you have. It doesn’t matter how many people adore you for what you do. You’re still subject to criticism and hatred because of the color of your skin and that’s beyond wrong.
This is bigger than LeBron James being public enemy No. 1 because of how many times he’s eliminated the Bulls from the playoffs. No matter how you feel about LeBron on the floor, it’s about what’s going on off the floor that’s the big picture here. A vile act took place on LeBron’s property at his own home and it’s a shame. It’s 2017 and African-Americans are still seen as “n****rs”, while others are telling minorities to leave America and leaving a noose at the National Museum of African-American History and Culture located in the capital of this country.
If you’re a fellow minority like myself and understand the importance of LeBron’s words, I know you understand where he’s coming from and where I am, too.
Next: A wish list for the Chicago Bulls for the rest of 2017
If you don’t understand, please educate yourself and ask someone that does. Racism is still alive. You don’t have to be a middle-class citizen of the United States to go through it. Wake up and realize that.