Activists Want LeBron To Sit Out Games In Response To Tamir Rice Grand Jury Decision (LeBron Speaks)

[Big Boss]

UPDATE: LeBron makes a statement:

DENVER -- LeBron James spoke publicly Tuesday for the first time since a grand jury declined Monday to press charges against the police officers responsible for the November 2014 shooting death of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old Cleveland native.

James said he was slow to react to the news because he was not informed on all the details pertaining to the case, but activists have started a social media campaign calling for James to sit out games in protest of the grand jury decision.

"For me, I've always been a guy who's took pride in knowledge of every situation that I've ever spoke on," James said following theCavs' win over the Denver Nuggets. "And to be honest, I haven't really been on top of this issue. So it's hard for me to comment. I understand that any lives that [are] lost, what we want more than anything is prayer and the best for the family, for anyone. But for me to comment on the situation, I don't have enough knowledge about it."

James has become more and more outspoken regarding social issues facing the United States in recent years. His willingness to comment on issues, coupled with his immense fame and influence, caused activist and writer Tariq Touré to create the Twitter hashtag #NoJusticeNoLeBron, calling for James to sit in protest of the outcome of the Rice case. The hashtag was embraced by Black Lives Matter activists and gained moderate traction online.


James said that, just like the particulars of the investigation into the police officers' actions against Rice, he was not fully informed about the calls for him to personally protest the lack of an indictment.

"I caught a little bit of it from my folks on the side saying that you guys might ask me about it, but I have no knowledge," James said. "I'm not much of a social media guy. I'm on it, for sure, but I'm not always looking at what's going on in it."

A reporter later asked what James could do, as someone in his position, to help enact the social change he wants to see in this country.

"First of all, I think I've been very outspoken about what I believe in," James said. "What hits home for me, what I am [knowledgeable] about. There's been so many more issues that's gone on that I haven't spoken about.

"There's been the San Bernardino massacre, there's been guys going in movie theaters, shooting up movie theaters, there's been other issues. Those are not something that ... I don't have much knowledge of so I don't speak about it. So for me ... if I feel like it's something that I have a lot of knowledge about [I'll add my voice to the issue], because I don't like to speak when I don't know about it.

"But I think the most important thing that we all need to understand, the most important thing, this issue is bigger than LeBron. This issue is bigger than me; it's about everyone. And gun violence and tragedies and kids losing lives at a young age, some way, somehow we need to understand that that matters more than just an individual."

James has lent his support to social issues in the past, starting in March 2012, when he and then-teammate Dwyane Wade organized a photo of the entire Miami Heat team wearing hooded sweatshirts, the same style of hoodie Trayvon Martin was wearing when he was shot by George Zimmerman. James posted the photo to social media along with the hashtag #wearetrayvonmartin.

Last season, James displayed a similar social consciousness, commenting on the death of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, andjoining dozens of other NBA players in wearing an "I can't breathe" T-shirt during pregame warm-ups to identify with supporters of Eric Garner, another black man killed during a confrontation with police.

In October, he took to Twitter to offer his condolences on the death of a 5-month-old girl, Aavielle Wakefield, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Cleveland. He later elaborated on his stance, saying, "There's no room for" gun violence.








LeBron on Tamir Rice: 'Issue is bigger than me'

LeBron James has shown he's not afraid to address social issues in the past. He's being asked to express himself again.

Using the hashtag #NoJusticeNoLeBron, a group of activists is calling on the Cavaliers star to sit out games until two Cleveland police officers face charges in the 2014 shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. A grand jury on Monday declined to indict the officers.










Rice was killed by police while wielding a toy gun in November 2014.









Rookie officer Timothy Loehmann, who fired the fatal shots, and his partner, Frank Garmback, are on restricted duty and will face a new administrative review, Cleveland mayor Frank Jackson said Tuesday.

James, who is from nearby Akron, has not responded to the request. He played Tuesday night and led the Cavs to a 93-87 win over the Nuggets in Denver.

He has been selectively vocal about issues in the past, including the death of Trayvon Martin. Weeks after Rice's death, he said the shooting showed "how much further we still have to go" with regard to incidents involving police.





Activists want LeBron to sit out games in response to Tamir Rice grand jury decision

 

[jdubnyce]

would be something of epic proportions, however, aint sitting out unless he needs to visit the warm Miami sun for HomeGrownHeat

 

[Brosef]

Bron will do what he wants to

No point strong arming him into this

 

[Big Boss]

DENVER -- LeBron James spoke publicly Tuesday for the first time since a grand jury declined Monday to press charges against the police officers responsible for the November 2014 shooting death of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old Cleveland native.

James said he was slow to react to the news because he was not informed on all the details pertaining to the case, but activists have started a social media campaign calling for James to sit out games in protest of the grand jury decision.

"For me, I've always been a guy who's took pride in knowledge of every situation that I've ever spoke on," James said following theCavs' win over the Denver Nuggets. "And to be honest, I haven't really been on top of this issue. So it's hard for me to comment. I understand that any lives that [are] lost, what we want more than anything is prayer and the best for the family, for anyone. But for me to comment on the situation, I don't have enough knowledge about it."

James has become more and more outspoken regarding social issues facing the United States in recent years. His willingness to comment on issues, coupled with his immense fame and influence, caused activist and writer Tariq Touré to create the Twitter hashtag #NoJusticeNoLeBron, calling for James to sit in protest of the outcome of the Rice case. The hashtag was embraced by Black Lives Matter activists and gained moderate traction online.


James said that, just like the particulars of the investigation into the police officers' actions against Rice, he was not fully informed about the calls for him to personally protest the lack of an indictment.

"I caught a little bit of it from my folks on the side saying that you guys might ask me about it, but I have no knowledge," James said. "I'm not much of a social media guy. I'm on it, for sure, but I'm not always looking at what's going on in it."

A reporter later asked what James could do, as someone in his position, to help enact the social change he wants to see in this country.

"First of all, I think I've been very outspoken about what I believe in," James said. "What hits home for me, what I am [knowledgeable] about. There's been so many more issues that's gone on that I haven't spoken about.

"There's been the San Bernardino massacre, there's been guys going in movie theaters, shooting up movie theaters, there's been other issues. Those are not something that ... I don't have much knowledge of so I don't speak about it. So for me ... if I feel like it's something that I have a lot of knowledge about [I'll add my voice to the issue], because I don't like to speak when I don't know about it.

"But I think the most important thing that we all need to understand, the most important thing, this issue is bigger than LeBron. This issue is bigger than me; it's about everyone. And gun violence and tragedies and kids losing lives at a young age, some way, somehow we need to understand that that matters more than just an individual."

James has lent his support to social issues in the past, starting in March 2012, when he and then-teammate Dwyane Wade organized a photo of the entire Miami Heat team wearing hooded sweatshirts, the same style of hoodie Trayvon Martin was wearing when he was shot by George Zimmerman. James posted the photo to social media along with the hashtag #wearetrayvonmartin.

Last season, James displayed a similar social consciousness, commenting on the death of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, andjoining dozens of other NBA players in wearing an "I can't breathe" T-shirt during pregame warm-ups to identify with supporters of Eric Garner, another black man killed during a confrontation with police.

In October, he took to Twitter to offer his condolences on the death of a 5-month-old girl, Aavielle Wakefield, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Cleveland. He later elaborated on his stance, saying, "There's no room for" gun violence.








LeBron on Tamir Rice: 'Issue is bigger than me'

 

[The God Poster]

My thing is why single out Bron? If they singled out Cleveland sports teams I would be a little more receptive.
All in all at this point we have to realize just protesting will get us nowhere...dog chasing tail status

 

[SoulController]

what do the Cavs have to do with the Cleveland PD? i understand hes the most powerful person in the state, but thats not a fair thing to ask of him

 

[jaguar paw]

Two dudes from Baltimore starting this shyt.

The Browns will gladly sit out Sunday tho.

 

[Mr swag]

Him sitting out does nothing. These is different from those college players affecting the college

 

[FaTaL]

It makes no difference, there's no point

 

[The God Poster]

Interesting he took the Gun Violence stance over Police being trigger happy when it comes to black people. All in all I do respect he voices his opinion where others wouldnt

 

[lamont614]

"I'm not much of a social media guy"

he full of shyt

 

[BXKingPin82]

what do the Cavs have to do with the Cleveland PD? i understand hes the most powerful person in the state, but thats not a fair thing to ask of him

thats how pathetic this country is when it comes to black lives
gotta ask a muthafukkin basketball star to step up instead of the bytches who actually runnin shyt
watchin this shyt happen under their watch

you would think these high officials would be embarrassed by now
if you cant fix or change shyt then what is your fukkin purpose?

 

[SuperNintendo Chalmers]

Lol at people who say it wouldn't make any difference.

 

[mastermind]

This isnt dissimilar to what Kobe got hounded for a couple of years ago.

 

[Big Boss]

This isnt dissimilar to what Kobe got hounded for a couple of years ago.