The common links between Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash go beyond their Hall of Fame credentials. Or their recent struggles in battling through injuries.
Both Bryant and Nash also expressed outrage via Twitter over the a grand jury declining on Monday to indict white police officer Darren Wilson for his role in the death of unarmed black 18-year-old Michael Brown. The incident has sparked protests before and after ruling. The incident inflamed racial tensions. The incident also sparked strong reaction thus far from Bryant and Nash.
The system enables young black men to be killed behind the mask of law #Ferguson #tippingpoint #change
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) November 25, 2014
Disgusted by decision in furguson. Racism is learned. Accepted is systematic suffocation of education and opportunity. What are we saying?
— Steve Nash (@SteveNash) November 25, 2014
This hardly marks the first time both Nash and Bryant have spoken out on political issues.
Nash strongly condemned the U.S.-led invasion in Iraq in 2003. Bryant told the New Yorker last year that he disagreed with the Miami Heat taking a team photo where they are all wearing hoodies last year, a form of protest to commemorate 17-year-old Trayvon Martin being shot by George Zimmerman despite remaining unarmed and only wearing a hoodie in his Florida neighborhood. But Bryant quickly condemned the ruling on his Instragram page. Both Bryant and Nash have self-named foundations. Nash’s foundation helps underserved children in Canada, while Bryant has spent the last three years raising funds through his foundation to help eradicate homeslessness in Los Angeles.
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