Baltimore Ravens send powerful message: 'Racism is embedded in the fabric of our nation’s foundation and is a blemish on our country’s history'
Jacob Blake's shooting at the hands of a police officer prompted players in multiple sports to refuse to play
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Baltimore Ravens say “enough is enough.”
In the aftermath of Jacob Blake's shooting at the hands of police officer Rusten Sheskey in Kenosha, Wis., on Sunday, a work stoppage began with the Milwaukee Bucks, which failed to show up for their Game 5 playoff matchup against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. Shortly after, other pro teams across the major sports took action in the same manner.
On Thursday, several NFL teams canceled practice to discuss social injustice, and the Ravens were the next team to put out a powerful statement about the shooting.
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ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter retweeted the statement on Twitter, with a message saying, “One of my bosses called this the ‘Best statement I’ve ever seen from a sports team.’”
The statement read: “With yet another example of racial discrimination with the shooting of Jacob Blake, and the unlawful abuse of peaceful protesters, we MUST unify as a society. It is imperative that all people -- regardless of race, religion, creed, or belief -- come together to say, Enough is enough!’
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“This is bigger than sports. Racism is embedded in the fabric of our nation’s foundation and is a blemish on our country’s history. If we are to change course and make our world a better place, we must face this problem head-on and act now to enact positive change,” the Ravens’ statement continued. “It is time to accept accountability and acknowledge the ramifications of slavery and racial injustice.”
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The Ravens once again acknowledged the shooting of Blake, as well as Breonna Taylor’s death.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Though we cannot right all the wrongs of our country’s history, we can…
“Arrest and charge the police officers responsible for Breonna Taylor’s killing and the shooting of Jacob Blake,” the statement read. “Demand that Senator Mitchell McConnell bring the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 to the Senate floor for vote. End qualified immunity; require body cameras; ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants; hold police accountable in court; establish a framework to prohibit racial profiling at federal, state, and local levels, and support state -- and federally-mandated CALEA Accreditation and national standards of care in policing.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Ravens continued: “Encourage everyone to engage in the political process by registering to vote on both the local and national level, demand prison sentencing reform that is fair and equitable, encourage every citizen to act with respect and compliance when engaging with the police. If you feel there has been an abuse of power, we encourage you to contact your police department’s internal affairs unit.
“We will use our platform to drive change now -- not just for our generation, but for the generations that follow, for our sons and daughters and for their children.”