I just read about this today, although it happened a year ago. I am shocked to say the least.
Is this news to anyone else? I guess a major reason I was not aware of this is the fact that it doesn’t seem to be a story that was carried by the main news outlets. Type Michael Jordan+Palestinian into Google and see what I am talking about.Basketball superstar Michael Jordan, who recently announced that he will return for a second season with the Washington Wizards, has decided to display solidarity with a variety of causes by wearing a black armband during games.
After discussing his new season with the Wizards at a press conference, Jordan was asked about the significance of the black armband he had been spotted wearing.
“It’s in the tradition of silent but visible protest,” Jordan said, “like the Tinker kids, Tommie Smith, and John Carlos.” Jordan was referring to the famous Tinker v. Des Moines free-speech case in which two high school students won the right to wear black armbands in school as a protest against the Vietnam war, as well as the two Black U.S. athletes who gave the Black Power salute during the 1968 Olympics.
When pressed by reporters to explain what the armband represented, Jordan continued: “Well, a variety of things, actually. Number one, I’d like to express some solidarity with the people protesting against the IMF and World Bank. I mean, read the stories in the paper-they all talk about what the protesters are doing, and not why they’re protesting. So I thought I could draw some attention to that.”
Jordan went on to say that he supported the Palestinian struggle and was firmly against what he called “U.S. imperialist antics” in the Middle East.” What are we doing there? Come on, y’all. Oil. Oil, and old scores to settle. That’s it!” Jordan said.
In any event, it seems that “His Airness” is more like “Mr Full-Of-Hot-Air.”
