By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
LeBron James has already expressed he feels there needs to be a solution regarding police brutality, but the NBA star’s recent comments regarding the situation has caused a bit of a debate about the topic.
In a new interview with the Hollywood Reporter, LeBron says the following about teaching his sons about police brutality:
On having conversations about guns and police with his sons:
Unlike some of his peers in pro sports, James strives to be a role model. And for the father of two boys, the death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice — shot in November by Cleveland police while he played with a toy gun in a park — and Cleveland’s part in the scourge of police shootings of African Americans are resonant. “I have those conversations with my boys,” he says. “They have tons of play guns. None of them look real. We have Nerf guns that are lime green and purple and yellow,” he says. “But I don’t even let them take them out of the house.”On whether James and his wife Savannah will have the talk with their sons about what to do if they were to ever get stopped by the police:
“Absolutely,” says James. “And the talk is, ‘You be respectful, you do what’s asked and you let them do their job, and we’ll take care of the rest after. You don’t have to boast and brag and automatically think it’s us against the police.’ I’ve had one or two encounters with the police in my life that were nothing. But sometimes you just got to shut up. It’s that simple. Just be quiet and let them do their job and go on about your life and hopefully things go well.” “For everybody,” adds Savannah
Do you agree or disagree? Check out the video below:
LOL. It’s painful to watch black celebs tap dance around topics like this because they are afraid of pissing off white people.
Oh LeBron…
My dad and I bump heads about this all the time because he feels this way, but in a sense, I can see the logic. Encounters with the police where a person tries to stand up for themselves rarely ever end well. If they perceive you as a threat or resistant to what they’re trying to do, that’s a green light for them to do as they please. Now, I am NOT saying it’s right. But for many people that don’t want to find themselves on the “self-defense” end of the law, it’s how they choose to handle it. I can’t say he should be ridiculed for this. For some parents with black sons, they just want them home safe. If this is how they’re getting it done then that’s their choice.
You bring up some valid points and my dad and I have had similar arguments. The only thing is like Porsha said is cops will still shoot you even when you do what they tell you.
Yeah, I totally agree with you both. It’s difficult to cover all the bases with this and it’s honestly unfair. But from personal experience, when I found myself in the position of being wrongfully hassled by the police, my thing in that moment was just answering the questions no matter how inappropriate or asinine they were so that I could get out of there. I got asked everything from did I have weed in the car to would I be comfortable if he had his drug dogs walk around my car… When you’re in the moment it’s hurtful and unreal. You have to handle them from the opposite end of things because otherwise, no matter what you did or didn’t do, it’s your word against theirs.
Cosign.
Sadly he’s not the only black person who feels this way.
He said exactly what I expected him to. LeBron always tip toes around subjects like these. Most black celebrities do because they aren’t trying to lose favor with their white fans. But it’s easy to say black people need to act right so we won’t become victims but there’s many cases where we didn’t act up and were still mistreated.
This is kind of disrespectful to Mike Brown and Eric Garner’s families. And all the protestors. Black people should not be blamed for police brutality against us. We need to place the blame where it belongs…on the police.
L James did not put blame on anyone.He simply said he would like for his son to follow cops iinstructions if the encounter turns out to be unlawful they will take care of it..
Ok. I guess you were responding to me. Well I disagree. Are we not allowed to do that on here? He sounds no different from the white people who said Mike Brown had it coming because he didn’t act the way he should have in that situation. There were many whites who said black people need to do what police tell them so they won’t get killed. But protestors said that was victim blaming and wrong. And a lot of y’all were on here dragging them for saying what LeBron said but Now yall agree…Whatever. Typical.
You make a good point. When white people say something similar, we get angry and we say they are racist. But essentially, they said the same thing LeBron did. Basically if we do as we are told, we won’t be killed by police. You can do as you’re told and hope for the best all you want to. It still doesn’t guarantee you won’t end up dead.
So what happens when you do as the cops tell you and they still shoot at you? That happens all the time. LeBron was better off saying nothing at all.
A lot of parents say the same thing. It’s an old school mentality that goes back to days of segregation. Basically try to act your best and do as you’re told so you will live to go home and tell your family what happened to you. It doesn’t always work though.
If it was that simple, then there would be no need for the protests and all the marches we’ve been actively supporting.
I get what he’s trying to say but I can’t help but feel like it goes against what we have been rallying for. I still love him though.
I see both sides. Great comments on here as usual.
Well… How do you answer that question if you’re LeBron James?