Ravens' Forsett calls for U.S. to unite in 'dark time'
Baltimore Ravens running back Justin Forsett has added his voice to the chorus of high-profile athletes asking for the U.S. to unite in the wake of shootings across the country.
Forsett published a blog post on his site Tuesday in which he responds to the recent shootings in Dallas; Baton Rouge, La.; and Falcon Heights, Minn. Here's an excerpt:
I'm tired of seeing dead bodies. We are seeing it so often, but that doesn’t mean we can become callous to it. As a black male with two black sons, this is scary. My boys are going to grow up and I'm not always going to be with them. I want their encounter with police to be different than what I am seeing on TV right now. I see people that look like me dying left and right these past few months - whether that's by crime or police - and my heart grieves over that ... just like it grieves when I see police officers gunned down in acts of senseless violence. I will never get used to this, and I won’t let my heart get callous to it. I want to be part of the solution.
Forsett recalls growing up in the South, where his grandma would greet police officers, and they'd know each other's names. He says some "uncomfortable dialogue" needs to happen, and communication needs be improved between the police and the communities they serve so the relationship can be based on trust and respect.
We as a nation have to look at ourselves in the mirror. People are grieving. We have to be the change that we want to see. It starts with us. I don't have all the answers, but I know that if we want to see change, we need to listen and learn together. It’s going to take more than just talk; it's going to take each of us pounding the pavement and investing in each other and our communities if we are going to grow and change. We all have a platform, whether you're a professional athlete or a schoolteacher or a janitor. People are watching. Are you being the change?
This a dark time for our country. Let's rise up together. Let's serve each other, come together and unite. Let's go out and be the light that can make a difference.
- With h/t to ESPN