Boston Celtics legendary big man Bill Russell has long been active in fighting for civil rights, even marching with Dr. Martin Luther King during the civil rights era of the 1960s.
So the 11-time champion knows better than most how cries for justice can meet deaf ears and even derision from the politicians in power. Silent on the matter of the killing of George Floyd and subsequent protests until earlier this week, Russell posted several tweets on the matter since.
One in particular took aim at one of president Donald Trump’s own tweets on protesting police brutality by taking a knee during the anthem.
Trump’s tweet read, “We should be standing up straight and tall, ideally with a salute, or a hand on heart. There are other things you can protest, but not our Great American Flag – NO KNEELING!”
#Trump you projected your narrative that #TakingAKnee is disrespectful & #UnAmerican it was never about that! You are divisive & a coward. It takes true courage 2 stand 4 what is right & risk your life in the midst of a #pandemic #Proud2kneel #BlackLivesMatter @MSNBC @BostonGlobe https://t.co/nhNITHSrxo pic.twitter.com/h0PuUYVFwu
— TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) June 7, 2020
Russell took issue with this idea.
“Trump you projected your narrative that #TakingAKnee is disrespectful & #UnAmerican it was never about that! You are divisive & a coward,” came his response. “It takes true courage 2 stand 4 what is right & risk your life in the midst of a #pandemic #Proud2kneel #BlackLivesMatter”
Russell also posted a number of other tweets about the Floyd killing, including one offering his condolences to the friends and family of Floyd, noting this continued cycle of unnecessary black deaths at the hands of the police has been a pandemic of sorts going on for decades.
Our deepest condolences to the family & friends of #GeorgeFloyd We can only hope that the US & world stop the senseless murder of black men & women @ the hands of the police. This has been a #pandemic for decades. Thank you to all the peaceful #protesters & the call for #justice
— TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) June 3, 2020
Perhaps most poignantly, Russell related how when his wife showed him the protests taking place around the country.
She asked him if he ever thought he’d such such things yet again in his life, and the storied activist and basketball player responded in the affirmative.
“I said, ‘Yes, nothing had changed & we will see some change, but most likely not enough.'”
To underscore that point, Russell shared an image of an interview of a nation divided by black deaths and racism nearly 60 years prior with the tweet.
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