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You know ish is out of hand when even Michael Jordan has something to say about it. The notoriously neutral greatest of all time NBA basketball player is speaking up about the killing of African-Americans by police and putting his money behind his words, too. 

Jordan dropped a statement on ESPN’s The Undefeated basically declaring that he won’t be silent about the issues of police brutality, and the killing of innocent police officers, he’s seen grip the nation.

“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,” reads part of Air Jordan’s statement. “I grieve with the families who have lost loved ones, as I know their pain all too well.”

He added, “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.”

Jordan also offered up nothing but respect to law enforcement, but clearly noted that his experience with police (Umm, he IS Michael Jordan, after all) are vastly different from other Black men.

Jordan said he will be donated $1M to the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s new Institute for Community-Police Relations and anther $1M to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Thus, Jordan contribution money to help build better relations between cops and the communities they service and to seek reforms to laws that may systemically target Black people, respectively.

Props to Michael Jordan for taking a stand. Maybe some of his fans that conveniently disregard that he is indeed a Black man can better understand why #BlackLivesMatter, too (for those of you can’t comprehend the “too” is always there).

Read Michael Jordan’s full statement right here.

 

Photo: Courtesy of Jordan Brand