In the wake of the George Floyd police killing and the police shooting of Jacob Blake, players teams are making all kinds of statements in every sport — from refusing to play games, to opting out of practices and scrimmages, to making specific statements on police brutality. But there have been few statements more specific than the one the Baltimore Ravens released on Thursday afternoon.
Our team decided to practice this morning. After practice, the team will come together for a meeting to discuss and work on a plan for continued social justice reform efforts. pic.twitter.com/Q8NkrLa26O
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 27, 2020
Per the team’s official website:
With yet another example of racial discrimination with the shooting of Jacob Blake, and the unlawful abuse of peaceful protesters, we MUST unify as a society. It is imperative that all people – regardless of race, religion, creed or belief – come together to say, ‘Enough is enough!’
This is bigger than sports. Racism is embedded in the fabric of our nation’s foundation and is a blemish on our country’s history. If we are to change course and make our world a better place, we must face this problem head-on and act now to enact positive change.
It is time to accept accountability and acknowledge the ramifications of slavery and racial injustice.
The Ravens then made the following demands for social justice, saying that “Though we cannot right all the wrongs of our country’s history, we can…”
- Arrest and charge the police officers responsible for Breonna Taylor’s killing and the shooting of Jacob Blake.
- Demand that Senator Mitch McConnell bring the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 to the Senate floor for vote.
- End qualified immunity; require body cameras; ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants; hold police accountable in court; establish a framework to prohibit racial profiling at federal, state, and local levels
- Support state- and federally-mandated CALEA Accreditation and national standards of care in policing.
- Encourage everyone to engage in the political process by registering to vote on both the local and national level. (www.risetovote.turbovote.org.)
- Demand prison sentencing reform that is fair and equitable.
- Encourage every citizen to act with respect and compliance when engaging with the police. If you feel there has been an abuse of power, we encourage you to contact your police department’s internal affairs unit. (For Baltimore City, dial 410-396-2300.)
“We will use our platform to drive change now – not just for our generation, but for the generations that follow, for our sons and daughters and for their children,” the statement concluded.
Owner Steve Bisciotti and the team have donated $1 million to 28 different social justice programs in Baltimore, per the team’s official website.
“We have a powerful platform – and a responsibility – to help eliminate injustices that are prevalent in our communities. For far too long, people of color have been underserved by a system that should protect, rather than harm,” Biscoitti said in an August 27 statement. “Our entire organization, including players past and present, is fully committed to creating social justice reform. We will continue to seek out opportunities that support, encourage and defend those who are most in need.”