National Basketball Coalition Advocates for George Floyd Police Reform Bill
May 28, 2021
The National Basketball Social Justice Coalition is calling on the U.S. Senate to pass a pending police reform bill in honor of George Floyd. The coalition's statement aligned with the one year anniversary of George Floyd’s killing by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020 which sparked global outrage and activism to address racial injustice.
In March, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which looks to stop to aggressive law enforcement tactics. Among other things, the Floyd Act limits qualified immunity for law enforcement officers and lowers the legal standard to which officers are held during federal prosecution. However, the measure faces steep odds on passing the upper chamber.
Last year, the NBA and its players association, the NBPA, formed the Social Justice Coalition to lead the NBA family's collective efforts to address racial and social inequality by campaigning for policy change at national, state and local levels. Through its mission to leverage the game’s influence to raise awareness, educate and advocate for meaningful reform, the Coalition focuses on action and change in several areas, including voting access and criminal justice system reform.
"Systemic problems demand systemic solutions. And, because police actions are governed by a diverse array of state laws and local policies the Floyd Act takes unprecedented strides towards consistency -- reforming at a federal level the practices that failed its namesake," the Coalition said in a statement
Other groups of professional athletes joined the effort this week to push for the legislation's passage. Major League Soccer's Black Players for Change, an independent organization working to bridge the racial equality gap that exists in society, was one of them.
"[The NBA players] communicating that to us, I felt like it was the perfect opportunity for us to collaborate because I just think it's the most meaningful thing that we can do in memory of George Floyd," Toronto FC defender and BPC executive director Justin Morrow said. "Pass some real reform that's going to change [things]."
The WNBPA said in a statement that it remains "hopeful that the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is the important first step for comprehensive policing reform at the federal level."
"America has a serious problem when it comes to discriminatory policing," said the WNBPA. "It is a deadly problem for Black and brown people. Excessive force used against communities of color is past crisis-level. Excessive force used against communities of color demands action by Congress."
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