LOS ANGELES – A day after a crowd of pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, LeBron James, captain of the Los Angeles Lakers, wondered what would have happened if the group of insurgents were mostly black people, and President Donald Trump accuses the chaos.
“We live in two Americas,” James said Thursday after the Lakers’ 118-109 defeat to the San Antonio Spurs. ‘And it was an excellent example of that yesterday, and if you do not understand it or do not see it after seeing what you saw yesterday, then you really need to take a step back – not just one step, but maybe four or five, or even ten steps back and ask yourself how do you want your children, or how do you want your grandchildren, or how do we want America to be viewed? Do we want to live in this beautiful country? ‘
James, wearing a black shirt with the message “Do you understand now?” said in block letters he was watching the news coverage of Wednesday’s riots which showed that a large number of white people were being met by a relatively passive police force. He said it made him think about how he and his family – his wife, three children and mother-in-law, who are all black – would be treated in the same situation.
“If it kind of stormed the Capitol, what would be the outcome? And I think we all know,” James said. “There’s no ash, etc or buts – we all know what would have happened to my kind if someone had even come close to the Capitol, let alone the offices inside the corridors.”
James Davis’ teammate Anthony Davis agrees with the sentiment and contrasts how protesters from Black Lives Matter were met by police across the country during the summer.
“It’s like a double standard,” said Davis, who wore a shirt with the title of Public Enemy’s 1990 album “Fear of Black Planet” stitched on his chest. ‘On the other hand, a whole group walks into the Capitol of the country and is escorted to the front door as if everything is all right.
‘And if I’m not mistaken – well, I’m not mistaken – they did things and then the Black Lives mattered. [movement] protest it was: “As soon as the looting begins, the shooting begins.” And to my knowledge, if you take anything, you plunder. And in that case, they are escorted to the front door. And it’s just a slap in the face. It feels like we are going backwards. We thought we saw change and then it happens. ‘
In May, Trump tweeted, “when the looting begins, the shooting begins,” and threatens military action in response to the social justice movement created by the death of George Floyd, who was in police custody in Minneapolis when he died is to an officer kneeling. his neck.
James, who has had a public back-and-forth with Trump dating back years, said the outgoing president is guilty of what happened Wednesday.
“The events that took place yesterday were a direct correlation of the president who is currently in the seat – of his actions, his beliefs, his wishes,” James said. “He cares for no one but himself. No one. Absolutely no one. He does not care for this country. He does not care for his family. He does not care for anyone but himself.”
In 2016, while standing in the locker room of the Cleveland Cavaliers the night Trump was elected, James openly wondered if he would be better off pulling the country out. He said Thursday night that it was a damaging presidential term for the country.
“Four years ago I sat there and said this is the beginning of the end for our country. And hopefully it will only last four years,” James said. “But the one thing you can not get back in life, one thing you can never get back, and that’s time. Can’t get time back. We literally only went away four years. How do we recover that? ‘
Wednesday’s capitulation of the Capitol, which led to five deaths and the resignation of the Capitol police chief, a few hours before Joe Biden officially certified as the 46th President of the United States when Congress confirmed the score of Electoral College 306-232 has.
James said he believes Vice President Biden and Kamala Harris offer hope for the country.
“We took a step forward in November by choosing Joe and Kamala to be in the White House so that they would be the head of our country,” James said. “It’s a step forward.”
Davis said the Lakers and Spurs’ demonstration before the game – locking the arms in a circle in midfield while the national anthem was playing – was meant to inspire unity during a difficult time.
“We simply cannot give up. No matter what goes on. As a fraternity in the league and as African Americans ourselves, we cannot allow ourselves to lose hope just because we do not see change,” Davis said. said. “This is what people want. They want us to lose hope, lose faith and let it fade away. Let the idea of change disappear. And we must do nothing … We must continue to be united and remain in solidarity to make sure we stay strong through all this. ‘