This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
It sure would be cool if I ...
— Police represent us, so whether they do wrong or they're attacked, it's personal — George Pyle | The Salt Lake Tribune | Sunday
" ... So when the police do wrong, they do it in our name, on our dime, acting in pursuit of our laws. They harm us all by undermining public trust not only in police officers, but the whole system of criminal justice, the entire civilization.
"When, on the other hand, police officers are the victims of violence, whoever opened fire on them was attacking all of us.
"Those officers were out there protecting us, because we asked them to. We hired them, swore them in, dressed them in uniforms, paid them shamefully small salaries and expected them to see things we don't want to see, go places we are afraid to go and deal with people who frighten us. ..."
... could claim any credit for this:
— Michael Jordan gives $2M to social causes; looks to build trust between blacks, cops — AP / sltrib.com / Today
"Charlotte, N.C. • Michael Jordan is trying to help ease tension between African-Americans and law enforcement.
"The NBA great and Charlotte Hornets owner said Monday he is giving $1 million to the Institute for Community-Police Relations and $1 million to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The aim is to help build trust following several shootings around the country.
" '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 said in a statement. 'I grieve with the families who have lost loved ones, as I know their pain all too well.'..."
Much more likely that MJ was listening to this:
— NBA stars open ESPYs urging end to profiling, gun violence — Boston Globe
"LeBron James and fellow NBA stars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade opened the ESPY Awards with a plea to address racial profiling and end the nation's spate of gun violence. ...
" ... James urged his fellow professional athletes to return to their communities and invest time and resources in helping rebuild them. He asked them to educate themselves and renounce violence. ..."
Elseweb:
— Michael Jordan never gets political. Recent police shootings have changed that — Caleb Lewis | Vox
"Michael Jordan is known the world over for his legendary basketball career, his iconic sneakers, and, these days, his business acumen. But there is one area in which the former Chicago Bulls shooting guard has been notoriously quiet until Monday: racial politics in America.
"In a letter released to the Undefeated, Jordan broke his long-standing silence on social issues in order to 'make a positive difference.'..."
"In an unprecedented and monumental decision, the NBA will move the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte, N.C. to another state because of North Carolina's controversial anti-LGBT law called House Bill 2. ..."
— Adam Silver Leads a New More Socially Conscious NBA — Tony Owusu | The Street
"Adam Silver is quickly staking his claim as the most socially active major sports commissioner in recent memory.
"That socially active approach continued Thursday when the NBA Commissioner announced that the league was pulling its annual All-Star Game festivities from Charlotte, N.C. in response to the state passing House Bill 2, which has been widely criticized as being discriminatory against the LGBT community. ...
" ... Amid an increasingly contentious social climate NBA players have been increasingly vocal. This may be a sign of Silver's activism trickling down to the league's rank and file, or it may be a result of social media allowing players to talk directly to the public without the filter of the media. Whatever the case, with this latest move, Silver has confirmed that the NBA will no longer be politically agnostic on issues that he deems important. Whether that hurts the brand's bottom line still remains to be seen, but for now, Silver is putting his conscience ahead of profits."
#AdamSilverforPresident
"The WNBA has withdrawn its fines for teams and players who showed support of citizens and police involved in recent shootings by wearing black warm-up shirts before games.
"WNBA president Lisa Borders said in a statement Saturday that the league was rescinding penalties given to the Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury and their players for wearing the shirts during pregame protests, which began after shootings in Minnesota and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. ..."