Socialist Action /October 2002
Michael Jordan Wears Armband for 'Resistance'
By SUE DOUGHNEM
 Basketball superstar Michael Jordan, who
recently announced that he will return for a second season with the Washington
Wizards, has decided to display solidarity with a variety of causes by wearing
a black armband during games.
After discussing his new season with the Wizards at a press conference,
Jordan was asked about the significance of the black armband he had been
spotted wearing.
"It's in the tradition of silent but visible protest," Jordan
said, "like the Tinker kids, Tommie Smith, and John Carlos." Jordan
was referring to the famous Tinker v. Des Moines free-speech case
in which two high school students won the right to wear black armbands
in school as a protest against the Vietnam war, as well as the two Black
U.S. athletes who gave the Black Power salute during the 1968 Olympics.
When pressed by reporters to explain what the armband represented, Jordan
continued: "Well, a variety of things, actually. Number one, I'd like
to express some solidarity with the people protesting against the IMF and
World Bank. I mean, read the stories in the paper-they all talk about what
the protesters are doing, and not why they're protesting. So I thought I
could draw some attention to that."
Jordan went on to say that he supported the Palestinian struggle and
was firmly against what he called "U.S. imperialist antics" in
the Middle East." What are we doing there? Come on, y'all. Oil. Oil,
and old scores to settle. That's it!" Jordan said.
However, it was Jordan's scathing words for his employer, Nike, which
were most surprising. His voice rose and he counted his reasons on his fingers
as he spoke.
"You know, most of all, I feel bad for dealing with Nike, for so
many reasons. It bothers me that they are still using child labor. It bothers
me that they have inundated the Third World with billboards advertising
their high-priced shoes made for pennies by little kids. And I'm talking
about the Third World in the U.S., in the inner city, as well as in Asia
and South America, you know?"
Jordan also said that he felt some responsibility for speaking out since
he had been employed as a Nike spokesperson for so long.When asked what
would happen with his current Nike contract as well as his millions of dollars
in assets from Nike endorsements, Jordan paused and rubbed his head before
replying.
"I'm not sure yet. I've been thinking about setting up a foundation
or fund that would grant this money to nonprofits and other grassroots groups
fighting hard on these issues. Something's gotta be done with all this money,
that's for sure. I want to support the worldwide resistance." ...
Myrna Shinbaum, public relations director for the Jewish Anti-Defamation
League, said that Jordan was "obviously anti-Semitic" and vowed
that any celebrity who came out in support of the Palestinian cause would
be "utterly closed off from public life forever."
Jordan later said that he was sorry for upsetting people, but that he
felt obligated to "finally follow my conscience instead of the almighty
dollar."He strongly urged all other Americans to do the same.
Excerpted from "Compañero," companyero@mindspring.com.
R.T. Mark Press Services and Thermic Inc. contributed to this story.
Socialist Action /October 2002 |