LeBron James discusses concern with world his son is coming into, why he endorsed Clinton

LeBron James is like myself and every other father: He worries about his children.

However, as the father of a young black man, he has an added set of concerns. Something reinforced every time he turns on the news lately. LeBron has been more outspoken lately on social issues — particularly in the wake of police shootings of African-American men — and told CNN recently it was in part because of his growing boys.

“I look at my son being four years removed from driving his own car and being able to leave the house on his own,” James said Monday, a day before the defending NBA champions begin training camp. “It’s a scary thought right now to think if my son gets pulled over, and you tell your kids if you just (comply), and you just listen to the police that they will be respectful and things will work itself out.
“And you see these videos that continue to come out. It’s a scary-ass situation that if my son calls me and said he’s been pulled over, that I’m not that confident that things are going to go well and that my son is going to return home.”

The issue of police and race relations in this nation is far bigger than LeBron and much broader than Akron and Cleveland, but as someone with a megaphone because of his stature as a player, he doesn’t want the conversation to die down. LeBron said he will be standing for the national anthem before NBA games, but he wants the conversation Colin Kaepernick started to continue.

LeBron endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in an op-ed article that came out Sunday night. Of course, Monday after practice he was asked about this, and he said he got to know her through President Barack Obama. Here are LeBron’s comments, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“We’ve become really good friends and from Day 1 I just always liked his vision, especially from a community standpoint,” James said Monday. “And I believe Hillary can continue that legacy that Barack has done for the last eight years. You guys know how important my community service is, especially in my hometown. That’s a main point for me.”

He added that he wanted to do a written op-ed so that his words and feelings could not be misinterpreted.

The mere fact LeBron is speaking out (even in an at times watered-down way) is a good step forward, we need to see athletes involved in their community and society as a whole. It’s far better than watching them sit back and try to protect their brand.