The photo you see to the right is from Dwyane Wade’s Facebook page, a picture of him in a hoodie in support of the Trayvon Martin case.
That shooting in Florida has sparked national debate and interest. Martin, a black 17-year-old man, was unarmed when he was shot and killed in a confrontation with neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman inside a gated community in Sanford, Florida, (outside Orlando and about four hours from Miami). Martin was returning to his father’s place, wearing a hoodie, when the confrontation took place and he was shot. Zimmerman has claimed the shooting was in self defense and has not been charged under the state’s “stand your ground” laws.
The incident has sparked debate about that law, racial profiling and more. Wade told our own Ira Winderman he could no longer keep silent.
In today’s world of international branding and marketing of players, you rarely see guys jump in on any political issue, especially one that is controversial at all. That started all the way back with Michael Jordan and carries through today’s stars. This is the first time Wade has made such a statement. I wish we would see more of him and other athletes willing to be themselves in a more public way.
