Malcolm Jenkins Supports LeBron, Melo, CP3, D-Wade In Speaking Out
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It was one of the more powerful moments in the modern day history of sports and culture.
With American under turmoil after the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and then the retaliation in Dallas, NBA stars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, and Lebron James took the stage to send their message at the start of the 2016 ESPY Awards on Wednesday night.
Anthony, who led the movement on social media last week, started by saying, "In this moment of celebration we ask to start the show tonight this way: the four of us talking to are fellow athletes with the country watching."
"Generations ago, legends like Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, John Carlos and Tommie Smith, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brown, Billie Jean King, Arthur Ashe and countless others -- they set a model for what athletes should stand for," Paul followed.
"The racial profiling has to stop," said Wade. "The shoot-to-kill mentality has to stop. Not seeing the value of black and brown bodies has to stop. But also the retaliation has to stop. The endless gun violence in places like Chicago, Dallas, not to mention Orlando, it has to stop. Enough. Enough is enough."
And finally, James concluded with, "Tonight we're honoring Muhammad Ali, the GOAT. But to do his legacy any justice, let's use this moment as a call to action to all professional athletes to educate ourselves, explore these issues, speak up, use our influence and renounce all violence and, most importantly, go back to our communities, invest our time, our resources, help rebuild them, help strengthen them, help change them. We all have to do better."
One of the athletes looked upon as a leader in Philadelphia, is veteran Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, who is glad that Anthony, Paul, Wade, and James used the ESPY's platform for social activism.
"We're role models," Jenkins said Thursday on the 94WIP Morning Show. "People look up to us and we're leaders in the community, whether we like it or not. And so when things are happening around the country like they are, that's affecting almost every city in this country I think athletes feel -- especially African-American athletes and the turmoil that's going on -- feel like they need to voice or stand up for the community as well and be involved in that part. You can't pick and choose where you want to get involved in.
"So I think that was a big visualization by those guys to be able to show, one that they're not afraid to step up on the podium on the national stage to be heard, but also challenging other people to do the same."
