Michael Jordan is 'Deeply Troubled' By Recent Shootings, Donates $2M To NAACP, Police Group

By Gwendolyn Purdom in News on Jul 25, 2016 5:47PM

Michael Jordan's weighing in on the country's ongoing struggle with racially-charged police brutality and the recent acts of violence against police. His Airness released a statement via ESPN's new race, sports and culture vertical The Undefeated Monday, saying, in part, that he "can no longer stay silent" as an American, a father, a black man and a man who lost his own father to an act of violence.

"I was raised by parents who taught me to love and respect people regardless of their race or background," the former Bull said in the statement, "so I am saddened and frustrated by the divisive rhetoric and racial tensions that seem to be getting worse as of late. I know this country is better than that, and I can no longer stay silent. We need to find solutions that ensure people of color receive fair and equal treatment AND that police officers - who put their lives on the line every day to protect us all - are respected and supported."

Jordan goes on to say that because of the recent shootings, he is making a $1 million donation each to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the International Association of Chiefs of Police's new Institute for Community-Police Relations. Both organizations, Jordan says, are working to better community-police relations through legal reforms and policy work to help police identify best practices, respectively. "Although I know these contributions alone are not enough to solve the problem, I hope the resources will help both organizations make a positive difference," he said.

Jordan made several other high-profile donations to charity here in Chicago in December when he passed along the money from his multi-million dollar 2015 settlements from lawsuits against two local grocery stores to 23 Chicago area non-profits. He won millions from Dominick's and Jewel-Osco after he claimed they used his name in ads without authorization, which just goes to show you, when MJ speaks out against something, people tend to listen.

Let's hope that's the case here.