LeBron James promotes ‘love’ over hate at his foundation’s annual event
By Nam Tran
At his annual “We Are Family Reunion” event, LeBron James took the opportunity to promote love over hate.
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James has never been someone to shy away from making his thoughts on politics and society heard. So on Tuesday, he used his foundation’s annual “We Are Family Reunion” event to promote “love” over hate as a response to the recent “Unite the Right” Charlottesville rally and President Donald Trump’s controversial response to the violence that happened at the rally.
Speaking to the thousands of people in the crowd at his event, James urged everyone to use love as a means of creating social change.
"“I know there’s a lot of tragic things happening in Charlottesville. I just want to speak on it right now. I have this platform and I’m somebody that has a voice of command, and the only way for us to be able to get better as a society and us to get better as people is love.“And that’s the only way we’re going to be able to conquer something at the end of the day. It’s not about the guy that’s the so-called president of the United States, or whatever the case. It’s not about a teacher that you don’t feel like cares about what’s going on with you every day. It’s not about people that you just don’t feel like want to give the best energy and effort to you. It’s about us. It’s about us looking in the mirror. Kids all the way up to the adults. It’s about all of us looking in the mirror and saying, ‘What can we do better to help change?’ And if we can all do that and give 110 percent … then that’s all you can ask for.”"
Many people don’t think that professional athletes should be outspoken about politics or even talk about politics or society to the public. However, even if you think athletes should only talk about sports, you should be in favor of them using their big platform to promote love and positivity, which is what James is doing.
Next: NBA Schedule 2017-18: 5 best games of the season
James isn’t the only player or member of the NBA who has made their thoughts on society known to the public. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, the Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant (to name a few) have all commented on politics and society in the past.