LeBron James seems like he’s had enough. Ever since the weekend’s events in Charlottesville, Va., LeBron has used has status as the most prominent athlete in the country to call out Donald Trump. On multiple occasions, LeBron has tweeted out criticisms of the President of the United States and the way he has led the nation in his nearly seven months in the White House.
Now, LeBron is getting off a Twitter and bringing his criticisms of Trump to an in-person audience. During an event on Tuesday with LeBron and a group of families at an amusement park in Ohio, LeBron got on stage and addressed the crowd. He decided to touch on the president and the events in Charlottesville before he said goodbye, according to Dave McMeniman of ESPN.
Lastly and last before I get off stage, before we all get off stage, 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 get better as a society and for us to get better as people as love. And that’s the only way we’re going to be able to conquer something as one. 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 teach 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. 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 and give both foots forward, then that’s all you can ask for. So, shout out to the innocent people in Charlottesville and shout out to everybody across the world that just want to be great and just want to love. Thank you, and I love you all.
There’s obviously a lot to take in here. Nothing he said is bigger than calling Trump the “so-called President of the United States,” but LeBron also made it clear that he plans on continuing to use his platform to try and improve the world around him. He has made it clear that he wants to do everything he can to help children, both through his foundation and the statements he has made recently, and that he thinks the transformative power of love is the best tool to make society better.
Every superstar gets a spotlight that propels them to the front of the sports world. Everyone who gets this spotlight has the opportunity to do with it what they wish. Instead of running away from it, LeBron James is using his status to try and be the change he wants to see in the world.
