While Trump played golf, loudly claimed he was “not a racist” and did his best to ignore the Martin Luther King holiday, we got pure eloquence from the best player in the NBA.
On King and his legacy:
“For a man who stood for more than himself. You always hear people saying ‘Risking their life.’ He actually gave up his life for the betterment of all of us to be able to live in a free world and for us to be able to have a voice, for us to go out and be free no matter your skin color, no matter who you are, no matter the height and size and the weight or whatever the case may be. He had a vision and he took a bullet for all of us. Literally. In the rawest form that you could say that.”
On how Trump is working to destroy that legacy by stoking ignorance and racism in this country through his words and policies:
“It’s not a sprint, so it doesn’t bother me,” he said. “It’s not a sprint, this is a marathon. You know, the state of racism will never die, but what we cannot do is allow it to conquer us as people. We can’t allow it to divide us. Like I said, the guy in control has given people and racism, and negative racism, an opportunity to be out and outspoken without fear. And that’s the fearful thing for us because it’s with you, and it’s around every day, but (Trump) has allowed people to just come out and feel confident about doing negative things.”
On what we as American citizens can do to combat people like Trump:
“We are in a difficult state right now as Americans as well with the leader of our country,” he said. “But us, like I said, no matter the religion, no matter the shapes and sizes we all have to continue to come together and shine a brighter light on, you know, (I don’t want to) use the word stupidity, but that’s what it basically comes down to. And because we’ve built such an incredible country and for us to be able to live free lives and be able to work and work together, no matter your color of skin tone or things of that nature or religion. … The conversation of how to continue to keep people involved, people starting from their communities all the way to the other communities. And giving the youth an opportunity to be as creative and aware as they can be.”
Wow.