NBA: Outraged, Lebron James seeks justice for Jacob Blake

NBA: Outraged, Lebron James seeks justice for Jacob Blake

NBA basketball player Lebron James is outraged about the case of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old African-American father who was shot by a white police officer.

But what happened?

After the death of George Flyod, another innocent black man was again the victim of police violence. On Sunday, August 23, 2020, a domestic dispute erupted in a nearby house between two women in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old father, intervened to help and stop the dispute between the women from escalating. The neighbours call the police. But a surreal scene is about to take place in broad daylight, in front of several witnesses. One of them will film the scene.

What do we see in the video?

In a viral video on the Internet, Jacob Blake is seen walking towards his car as he is chased by three white police officers. When he opens the door and bends over. One of the police officers pulls his shirt off. And he shoots him in front of his children, who were inside the car. It’s a surreal and horrible scene to watch. It should be pointed out that the father of the family was not carrying any weapons with him. Blake collapses instantly. His children are in tears and traumatised as they watch a white police officer shoot their dads in the back, even though he hasn’t committed any crime. In a serious condition, the victim was rushed by plane to the Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. While the police officers responsible for the shootings are just suspended.

Indignation on social networks and in the African-American community.

Sunday evening, Lebron James takes the floor and tweet :

“And y’all wonder why we say what we say about the Police!!” he wrote. “Someone please tell me WTF is this???!!! Exactly another black man being targeted. This s–t is so wrong and so sad!! Feel so sorry for him, his family and OUR PEOPLE!! We want JUSTICE”

And y’all wonder why we say what we say about the Police!! Someone please tell me WTF is this???!!! Exactly another black man being targeted. This shit is so wrong and so sad!! Feel so sorry for him, his family and OUR PEOPLE!! We want JUSTICE https://t.co/cJxOj1EZ3H

— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 24, 2020

On Monday evening, he still expresses his sadness about the Blake affair by saying :

“If you’re sitting here telling me that there was no way to subdue that gentleman or detain him before the firing of guns, then you’re sitting here and you’re lying to not only me, but you’re lying to every African American, every Black person in the community because we see it over and over and over,” James said. “If you watch the video, there was multiple moments where if they wanted to they could’ve tackled him. They could’ve grabbed him. They could’ve done that. 

 “Why does it always have to get to a point where we see the guns firing? His family is there, the kids are there, it’s in broad daylight … It’s just, quite frankly it’s just f–ked up in our community.” 

“We are scared as Black people in America. … Black men, Black women, Black kids. We are terrified.”

LeBron shared a powerful message on Jacob Blake and what it’s like to be African American in America. pic.twitter.com/UOMD7rk7Bd

— ESPN (@espn) August 25, 2020

The Los Angeles Lakers basketball player goes on to explain that the black community is tired and afraid of this injustice. And he expresses his condolences for Blake’s family.

James says :

“People get tired of hearing me say it, but we are scared as Black people in America,” James said. “Black men, Black women, Black kids, we are terrified. Because you don’t know. You have no idea. “

“You have no idea how that cop that day left the house. You don’t know if he woke up on the good side of the bed. You don’t know if he woke up on the wrong side of the bed. You don’t know if he had an argument at home with a significant other, if one of his kids said something crazy to him and he left the house steaming. Or maybe he just left the house saying today is going to be the end for one of these black people.”

“That’s what it feels like. That’s what it feels like. It just hurts. It hurts. It’s just through the grace of God that he’s still living. Like seven shots, close range and he’s still alive? That’s through the grace of God right there.
“My prayers go out to that family and that community, but I’ve got nothing nice to say about those cops at all. At all.”

Basketball player stresses the importance of talking about police violence. And that we must not stop denouncing injustices.

“It’s what we’ve been talking about. And it’s what we’re gonna continue to talk about. Having two boys of my own, and me being an African American in America, and to see what continues to happen with the policy brutality towards my kind, continue to see what goes on with the injustice — it’s very troubling. It’s very troubling,” explained James.

LeBron James on playing on 8/24, Jacob Blake, and police brutality in America.pic.twitter.com/uWwjwPVHmb

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 25, 2020