'Try To Be An Ally': Clippers Chairman Steve Ballmer Urges White People To Help Break Down Racism
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Steve Ballmer, the chairman of the Los Angeles Clippers, is joining others throughout the NBA in calling for changes in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis.
"My number one message to any white people at this stage is, there's an invitation that is clear now and a call to action, which is to try to be an ally of these causes," Ballmer said. "That's the issue — how do you be an ally of breaking down racism and the legacies that come all the way back from slavery? What do you do?"
NBA players throughout the league have unapologetically supported the Black Lives Matter movement in recent years. In one show of support, players like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant donned black T-shirts that said "I can't breathe" after the death of Eric Garner, before their games in 2014.
"I can't breathe" was repeated by Floyd on Memorial Day, as he was being held by the neck under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer for more than eight minutes. He died shortly after being held, and his death sparked protests all over the country since.
The renewed Black Lives Matter movement has also led to work in other areas, like voting rights. This week, James announced he was teaming up with other NBA players to protect the voting rights of black Americans, an issue of heightened importance during an election year.
