NBA players are trying to raise awareness and fight racial injustice and police brutality in America and there is no better time to do so than now. The players decided to boycott the three games set for yesterday and now the season is in jeopardy if they don’t see more action from teams’ owners and the league.
Everybody is trying to explain why things need to change, and some NBA stars have decided to tell their stories with the police.
Bradley Beal shared a story he lived a couple of years ago and now Moe Harkless recalled the time he was pulled over by a cop on his way to a playoffs game, while he was still part of the Portland Trail Blazers. Harkless revealed the officer had a bad attitude and if it wasn’t because he was an NBA player, perhaps things would’ve gone out of control.
“Figured the times were appropriate for a quick story,” Harkless wrote on Twitter.
He explained that this cop asked who owned the car he was driving with his little brother and nephew. He took the player’s license and registration and when the cop returned, his attitude was completely different.
“Oh hey Moe I’m sorry to bother you, there’s been some suspicious activity in the neighborhood, and I saw you coming down that hill a little fast, good luck tonight go get em.”
Harkless explained that is not good and he should have to be an NBA player to be treated like a human being. He felt sorry for those who don’t have the spotlight and have to suffer abuses from the police, demanding change.
“See why we can’t ‘just play.’ Because even when we do, we’re still looked at as less when we step off that court, we’re still targeted by officers when we step foot off that court. Luckily I’m a fortunate man who has to deal with less of this in his life, but I feel for my brothers and sisters who aren’t as lucky to show an ID and have an officer’s whole viewpoint of you change in an instant.
So when players boycott that’s who they’re doing it for, and if you’re not on this side frankly we don’t want to hear you. It’s not an issue of race or skin color, it’s right and wrong, selfishness and empathy.
Enough is enough.”
https://twitter.com/moe_harkless/status/1298741819094769664
This is incredible and triggering. Fortunately, Harkless didn’t face major problems and he kept driving to the Moda Center. No wonder these guys want to see a change in every level.
