Tiger Woods is among the most famous people in the world. Everyone knows Tiger.
So when the world’s greatest golfer ever weighed in on the current state of affairs in America, people paid attention.
His words were measured and optimistic.
“My heart goes out to George Floyd, his family, and all of us who are hurting right now,” Woods wrote on Twitter. “I have always had the utmost respect for our law enforcement. They train so diligently to understand how, when, and where to use force,” Woods said.
“This shocking tragedy clearly crossed that line. I remember the LA riots and learned that education is the best path forward. We can make our points without burning the very neighborhoods that we live in,” Woods said. “I hope that through constructive, honest conversations we can build a safer, unified society.”
Woods’ words were very different from those of another superstar athlete.
NBA star Dennis Rodman on Monday called for an end to looting amid protests over the death of Floyd, saying on social media that “we’re human beings, not f*cking animals.”
Dozens of cities across the nation have been set on fire and hundreds of businesses — not surprisingly, mostly high-end store — have been looted in riots after Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in Minneapolis last week by a white police officer.
“I think someone needs to come out and say, ‘Hey, guys, why are we looting? Why are we stealing? Why are we creating more issues, more problems?” Rodman said in an Instagram video, titled “Rest in Power George Floyd.” “This is a bad, bad situation. But the fact that you’re gonna protest, protest in the right way. You don’t have to go and burn down things, steal things, burn things, and stuff like that.”
Officer Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged last week with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Videos shot by bystanders show Chauvin jamming his knee into Floyd’s neck during an arrest, which lasted more than eight minutes. Floyd had been suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill. He died a short time later.
But Rodman said rioting and looting are not solutions.
“Please understand … we have to live together,” Rodman said. “We’re human beings, we’re not f*cking animals.”
The former NBA star also said COVID-19 concerns should still outweigh protests.
“We’ve got enough issues with this COVID,” Rodman said. “We’ve got enough issues, for this right here to happen, right now, it just adds to it. You’ve got people, big corporations closing stores because people are looting. Why? Why are we doing this, why are we hurting each other, again? Why aren’t we helping each other and holding each other’s hands and try to solve the problem?”
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