Obama Praises LeBron for wearing ‘I Can’t Breathe’ Shirt
President Barack Obama applauded LeBron James for choosing to wear the "I Can't Breathe" t-shirt that referenced the Eric Garner case.
"You know, I think LeBron did the right thing," Obama told People magazine. "We forget the role that Muhammad Ali, Arthur Ashe and Bill Russell played in raising consciousness."
The Cleveland Cavaliers star decided to wear the shirt after seeing Derrick Rose with the Chicago Bulls sport one about two weeks ago. By wearing the t-shirt, the players showed their support for Garner, who died roughly an hour after a police officer put him in a chokehold while attempting to arrest him for selling loose cigarettes. In the videotape of the incident, Garner had stated that he could not breathe. However, the officer continued to hold Garner in that position.
Obama added, "We went through a long stretch there where [with] well-paid athletes the notion was: just be quiet and get your endorsements and don't make waves. LeBron is an example of a young man who has, in his own way and in a respectful way, tried to say, 'I'm part of this society, too' and focus attention. I'd like to see more athletes do that," he added. "Not just around this issue, but around a range of issues."
The NBA chose not to fine the players, who are legally contracted to wear their official warm-up gear. However, veteran writer, Shaun Powell with the NBA, acknowledged the difficulty that the league could face with players who choose to voice their opinions in the future.
He writes: "Suppose a player next decides to protest an issue that doesn't resonate as loudly as the Garner case, and wears a shirt or a headband or some other eye-catching outfit in the pregame warmups? Does (NBA Commissioner Adam) Silver grant that player the same courtesy as he did LeBron and Rose and Kobe? What if Clippers center Spencer Hawes, an unabashed Republican, wears an anti-Obama hat during a postgame interview? Is the league okay with that?"
Prior to this statement, the President has avoided commenting on the issue between police violence and black men, particularly those who were unarmed, such as Michael Brown in Ferguson.
Although Obama has praised LeBron's decision to show his support, the President did not outwardly speak for or against the current protests that have started after a grand jury decided not to indict the police officer.
