Simeon Rice Shares Powerful Words on Police Brutality, Racism
As demonstrations continue to take place across the country protesting police brutality, many former and current NFL players have been making their voices heard on these important issues.
One such voice is that of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Simeon Rice, who appeared on NFL Network's "Good Morning, Football" earlier this week to deliver some powerful words.
"I felt like there was a crescendo about to happen," Rice said. "There's so much injustice. All of these things have been building up. This is a build, this is a groundswell that's been happening. And we just summarily move on. We move on. Something happens, we move on. Trayvon Martin, move on. We see it so much. 'Hands up, don't shoot.' 'I can't breathe.' And this is the fallout. Unfortunately, the beneficiaries of it are people in power, in powerful places, that protect them. But the majority is going to uprise at certain point. It has to. And this is what it is."
When asked how positive change can be achieved, Rice said the solution has to come from many different directions.
"Real change is going to have to happen in so many different tiers," Rice said. "It's just not on one individual. If you, as a black person, have to think for a nanosecond, for a scintilla of a second, when you get in the car, 'This can end bad...' I played at the highest level. I played in the NFL, won a Super Bowl. And I still think like that."
"If policemen show that they are lawless, then there is no law." Rice continued. "If you have police, in positions of authority, showing that you can murder someone and get away with it, then there is no law. So then, I understand the looting, because there is no such thing as looting."
For Rice, it's all about holding people in power responsible for their actions, and valuing the humanity of the black community, especially outside the realm of sports and entertainment.
"Until we start keeping those accountable in positions of power, and keeping themselves accountable, that's when things will get better."
"And we have to value us," Rice said. "We have to value black skin. We have to value black thought. We can't just value it in an entertainment situation; playing football, on the baseball field, on the basketball court."
To see Rice's full appearance on NFL Network, click here.
