Kobe Bryant has lit a social media firestorm with a comment about the Trayvon Martin case.
Martin's death in 2012 made international headlines — the 17-year-old was returning from the convenience store when George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old neighbourhood watch member, called the police and told the dispatcher that the hoodie-wearing teen looked "suspicious". A few minutes later, Zimmerman had killed Martin with a gunshot to the chest. Six weeks went by before Zimmerman was arrested or charged, and a Florida jury eventually acquitted him.
LeBron James was one of many celebrities to show their support for Martin and his family; he and his Miami Heat teammates posed for a photo wearing hoodies. Now, in a profile featured in the April 4 issue of the New Yorker, Kobe Bryant has criticised that move.
"I won't react to something just because I'm supposed to, because I'm an African-American," he said. "That argument doesn’t make any sense to me. So we want to advance as a society and a culture, but, say, if something happens to an African-American we immediately come to his defense? Yet you want to talk about how far we’ve progressed as a society?
"Well, we’ve progressed as a society, then don’t jump to somebody’s defense just because they’re African-American. You sit and you listen to the facts just like you would in any other situation, right? So I won’t assert myself."
Bryant's comments sound reasonable, but they've kicked off another round of accusations that Bryant is clueless about black culture. (In December 2013, NFL legend Jim Brown said Bryant was "somewhat confused about culture, because he was brought up in another country".)
Remember when @JimBrownNFL32 took heat for blasting @kobebryant? Jim knew what he was talking about. Kobe is clueless about #TrayvonMartin.
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) March 27, 2014The @MiamiHEAT didn't defend #trayvonmartin because he was Black. It was the ASSUMPTION of guilty due to wearing a hoodie, @kobebryant.
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) March 27, 2014If there was any question as to why Kobe Bryant is so hateable, despite being one of the world's most gifted athletes, he answered it today.
— Jamilah Lemieux (@JamilahLemieux) March 27, 2014You guys, we have to love Kobe the basketball player. Deep down, way deep down, we have to admit that Kobe the man is corny AF.
— Van Lathan (@VanLathan) March 27, 2014Sometimes we forget that even tho Kobe Bryant can speak eloquently he really is a dumb jock who didn’t go to college
— Cthulhupe Fiasco (@BoyNamedTawanda) March 27, 2014Erm, why were we expecting better of Kobe? I mean...have you listened to him...ever?
— Mikki Kendall (@Karnythia) March 27, 2014I don't EVER expect Kobe to have anything sensible to say. He's still living as on 17 year old with too much $$ and a finished career #tool
— ProfB (@AntheaButler) March 27, 2014Kobe could've just shouted out love for Trayvon's parents, said he couldn't imagine their loss and kept it breezy. He didn't.
— Goldie Taylor (@goldietaylor) March 27, 2014My issue is that Kobe reduces the Trayvon Martin outrage to blind racial solidarity, when it was about so much more than that.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) March 27, 2014Kobe didn't really grow up in "black America" did he? Does he know what it meant to be a Trayvon Martin? Probably not
— Tierra Leone (@PaintingDaBlues) March 26, 2014Kobe was RIGHT about 1 thing most of all. Don't react to Trayvon's death b/c ur black. React b/c ur human. Black, White, In Between, Whateva
— Roy Pickering (@AuthorofPatches) March 27, 2014So sure, Kobe had a right to say what he said about Trayvon. Doesn't mean he should have said it. And he's rightfully getting dragged.
— Carolyn Edgar (@carolynedgar) March 27, 2014So to be clear Kobe Bryant was largely quiet when Trayvon Martin was killed but now he wants to disparage the Heat for taking a stand? Ok
— Johnny Hampton (@Jthethird) March 27, 2014Just read his remarks on Trayvon. I get Kobe's point but it seems misguided & a little detached to me.
— The Dream Walker (@DevineCarama) March 27, 2014Can't protect you now Kobe. Damn.
— Davis. (@dopemiah) March 27, 2014Let's take it a step further with the whole Kobe thing. A lot of NBA stars are Republicans. Most just aren't dumb enough to talk about it.
— r. (@PlayVicious) March 27, 2014So Kobe Bryant actually says something that makes sense, and the libs are freaking out. Smh typical
— Skyler Hamilton (@skyler0103) March 27, 2014Gained so much respect for Kobe with his comments on the Trayvon Martin case
— Joey Piazza (@JPiazza23) March 27, 2014Kobe can say ABC and yall will be like"WOW, bro. Kobe coulda said it in Italian, he aint real"
— Tv Entertainment (@Tv__Promoter) March 27, 2014Kobe has got to be the most misunderstood athlete of our time.
— Tom Ziller (@teamziller) March 27, 2014Don't like Kobe but his shoes look kinda nice
— Jèf (@_Tesz) March 27, 2014Travon Martin was wronged THATS my opinion and thats what I believe the FACTS showed. The system did not work #myopinion #tweetURthoughts
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) March 27, 2014
