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“My dad was a cop. I believe in good cops. We’re not trying to defund the police and take all of their money away. We’re trying to get them to protect us just like they protect everybody else,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. | Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images
“It’s amazing why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us back,” Rivers said.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The tears welled up in Doc Rivers’ eyes as he processed another police shooting of an unarmed Black man.
The Los Angeles Clippers’ coach became increasingly annoyed as he offered perspective as a Black person on Jacob Blake being shot seven times by police Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
So, to make his point more emphatic, Rivers took off his mask.
“What stands out to me is just watching the Republican convention and they are spewing this fear. All you hear is Donald Trump and all of them talking about fear,” Rivers said Tuesday following the Clippers’ 154-111 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.
“We’re the ones getting killed. We’re the ones getting shot. We’re the ones that are denied to live in certain communities. We’ve been hung. We’ve been shot. All you do is keep hearing about fear.”
“It’s amazing to me why we keep loving this country and this country does not love us back.”
Doc Rivers delivers an emotional message on the police shooting of Jacob Blake. pic.twitter.com/A0T26OfsDG
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) August 26, 2020
Rivers’ voice cracked. He has experienced racism throughout his life, including when his San Antonio home was burned down in a racially-motivated arson attack. The 58-year-old former player has become one of the NBA’s most outspoken coaches on systemic racism, police brutality, voting reforms and Trump’s racially divisive rhetoric.
As much as he expressed frustration for addressing yet another incident involving law enforcement shooting an unarmed Black person, Rivers continued to speak out.
“It’s amazing why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us back,” Rivers said. “It’s just really so sad. Like, I should just be a coach. I’m so often reminded of my color. It’s just really sad. We got to do better. We have to demand better.”
Rivers demanded a few things.
First, he outlined how to hold law enforcement accountable.
“The training has to change in the police force. The unions have to be taken down in the police force,” Rivers said. “My dad was a cop. I believe in good cops. We’re not trying to defund the police and take all of their money away. We’re trying to get them to protect us just like they protect everybody else.”
Second, Rivers called on everyone to watch the video that showed Kenosha police shooting Blake seven times as he attempted to go to his car after they followed up on a domestic disturbance.
“When you watch that video, it’s sickening. It’s sickening. You know his kids were there. How do they ever get that …read more
Source:: Chicago Sun Times
