New Orleans Saints star Cam Jordan had a lot to say about the unconscionable murder of George Floyd by a former Minneapolis police officer. During an interview with WWL Radio, he opened up about how the murder affected him personally. Jordan also shared what he believes it will take to end racism in America.
Cam Jordan: ‘I feel like we are being targeted’
Speaking about the shocking murder of Floyd, Jordan went deep to share his thoughts and feelings about the incident.
“You have a whole set of raw emotions that have been following a long period of time,” Jordan said. “It is not like this is something that just happened. This is something that we as a people have faced for hundreds of years in terms of, just call it what it is, I feel like we are being targeted.”
Delving into this a bit further, said African-Americans, especially men, have “a target” on their back.
“There is a target on an African American’s back, especially an African American male… We clearly are seen as a threat. And when I say we, it is clearly African Americans, black men, men of color.”
Jordan also said that this problem “goes from the top of the country on down,” and “is something that we have not overcome as a people.”
“It is going to take the masses, it’s not going to be solely the African America community that is going to garner the attention necessary,” he pleaded. “It’s going to take a multitude of different facets of people to come together and abolish this ideal, this notion that we are not all equal… this should be a time for us to come together.”
He shared that he is already teaching his four-year-old son, who is “huge” already, that he will face unique challenges as a big, African-American man.
“To have to tell him time and time and over again to tell him, ‘Do the right thing. Do everything the right way and go beyond your reason to let everybody know that you are not a threat just because you are who you are.’ That is going to be the toughest battle.”
Speaking on the protests happening across the nation — some of which have turned violent — Jordan said he does not support the riots. That said, he does understand the why behind them.
“There is just so much emotion, so much raw emotion,” Jordan said. “The unfortunate killing of George Floyd is the culmination of a long time of people bringing all types of strong fears and emotions to the very brim.”