Arizona Cardinals star Patrick Peterson is speaking out after spending a week chewing on the death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police.
Peterson took to Twitter Monday to share an emotional statement.
His caption read: “This was not easy for me. I had to take some time to make sure my anger from the tragic #GeorgeFloyd situation was under control before speaking out. I have a responsibility to share my thoughts as an influential black man in America. This is how I feel. WE NEED & DEMAND CHANGE!!”
Patrick Peterson’s statement on the death of George Floyd
“I have spent a lot of time thinking through how to responsibly describe my anger and disappointment resulting from the MURDER of George Floyd and the chaos that has followed. It is clear as day that minorities’ lives, especially those of my black brothers and sisters, continue to be of lesser value in America. This broken record of systemic racism is disturbing and our leadership is failing our communities. How many times do we have to see those who supposedly swore to “protect and serve” our communities murder us until our public leaders step in and demand change? How many times will leaders stand by and watch as our anger spills over into the streets to cause unnecessary havoc in our communities? Not for publicity, not for politics, not for personal interest. BUT FOR THE LIVES OF AMERICANS!???!! How can you expect us to come to any other conclusion than that we ARE NOT VALUED EQUALLY because of the color of our skin?? WE DEMAND CHANGE! ALSO, for those choosing to express their justified anger in ways that only make the situation worse, shame on you! Dr. King showed us how powerful a peaceful unified front can be! We should take this opportunity to start conversations and actions for change. IT IS NOT the time to provide more ammunition for those who see us as “thugs” by these acts of vandalism and theft. Burning down our own communities will only delay the progress and CHANGE that we desperately need! WE ARE ALL ANGRY AND HURT! But this is not the way! I don’t proclaim to have the perfect solution, but I can personally choose to use my platform to spread love not hate. Enough lives have been lost!”
In the week following Floyd’s death, protests have sprung up across the nation as Americans of all race, color and creed demand justice. Unfortunately, some of them have turned violent and ugly.
Peterson and other professional athletes are rightly using their platform to express their thoughts and feelings amid all this chaos. We should listen to them.