“A girl called me ni**er” – Michael Jordan recalls turning against ‘WHITES’ due to racial discrimination in America
Michael Jordan has had his fair share of troubles, being on the receiving end of racism
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Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan, the Basketball Hall-of-Famer has never been known to be the biggest voice when it comes to social activism. The player ranks top as the richest black person in America and has shown signs of philanthropy but has never really come out to voice his opinion during the several instances of racism in the country.
The Chicago Bulls legend has often been criticized for not speaking out on behalf of the African American plight in the country of the United States of America. The NBA is often known to be the organization that has the most number of players speaking out and protesting against injustice in the world. However, that was not Michael Jordan. Jordan wanted to play, and only play. However, on several occasions in the past, interviews, and other media gatherings have managed to bring out some personal stories.
Jordan, during his young age, was a racist, according to him. The NBA legend was triggered by one specific incident during his young age which made him turn against the “White” race for a certain period during his youth. “A girl actually called me a n**ger, and that was the first time I ever monitored those feelings. It really got to me,” said Jordan in an interview. [quotes from Chicago Tribune]
Michael Jordan admits to having a dark phase during his childhood
The player reveals that he was influenced by the movie ‘Roots’ which portrayed the injustice done to African Americans. Watching the movie regularly on TV and also the incident with the little girl affected Jordan to the point where he was against all people of the White race. “I was very racist,” Jordan admitted.
Jordan also talks about this phase of his life in the book, “Michael Jordan: The Life”. The basketball player was also from North Carolina where according to the player, Ku Klux Klan was dominant which was another factor that played into Jordan being a racist. “I got in trouble a lot. I went to a mixed school but in a very predominantly black area. There was a minor racial tension. It was just one of those situations I dealt with at that age. And I was always aware of it from that point. I felt it was us against the world,” added Jordan.
Jordan despite having a very troubled phase in school, like most African American children, did not, however, motivate the player to be more socially involved. One of Jordan’s most famous quotes is, “Republicans buy sneakers too.” The player also looked at it from a business standpoint before he actually spoke out on controversial topics like racism. Michael’s life has always been looked at through a microscope and is naturally under a lot of scrutiny. What do you think about Jordan and his part in social activism?
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Prateek Athanur
(2944 Articles Published)