Fox Sports 1 commentator Jason Whitlock bashed NBA star LeBron James on Wednesday for “trolling” Twitter and using the murder of Ahmaud Arbery to build his “brand.”
Whitlock was incensed that James exclaimed that blacks are “literally hunted everyday” in his Tweet lamenting the horrible death of the Georgia jogger.
“We’re literally hunted EVERYDAY/EVERYTIME we step foot outside the comfort of our homes!” James hyperbolically tweeted on Wednesday when social media began revisiting the Feb. 23 death of Arbery.
Whitlock felt that James was making matters worse with his claim that blacks are “literally hunted” every day by white racists.
“This isn’t helpful,” the Fox Sports Speak for Yourself host tweeted.
“It’s twitter trolling,” Whitlock added. “It’s using this man’s tragedy to build a brand as more outspoken than Michael Jordan. There are all kinds of ways to draw attention to this tragedy. Suggesting that we are hunted everyday/every time is just shit-stirring.”
This isn't helpful. It's twitter trolling. It's using this man's tragedy to build a brand as more outspoken than Michael Jordan. There are all kinds of ways to draw attention to this tragedy. Suggesting that we are hunted everyday/every time is just shit-stirring. https://t.co/zLPICaCKuA
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) May 6, 2020
After taking criticism for his scolding of the NBA star, Whitlock added another tweet explaining that James is a “Pied Piper for a lot of athletes,” and he should think harder about what he posts.
“If the goal is to promote justice for Ahmaud Arbery, LeBron’s rhetoric doesn’t promote justice. It promotes emotion and fear, the enemies of justice. We can continue to promote emotion/fear, or we can seek justice,” he wrote.
LeBron is the Pied Piper for a lot of athletes. If the goal is to promote justice for Ahmaud Arbery, LeBron's rhetoric doesn't promote justice. It promotes emotion and fear, the enemies of justice. We can continue to promote emotion/fear or we can seek justice.
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) May 7, 2020
Certainly, the Arbery case is a tragic one.
Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was confronted by Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son, Travis, 34. Travis reportedly shot Arbery with a shotgun. The pair told police that they thought Arbery was a burglary suspect. When they confronted him, the McMichaels claim Arbery “violently attacked” the younger of the two forcing them to defend themselves.
The case was complicated by the fact that the McMichaels were the only surviving witnesses to Arbery’s death, and the elder McMichaels once worked for Glynn County District Attorney Jackie Johnson, causing conflicts of interest for prosecutors.
Finally, on Thursday, the McMichaels were arrested for the shooting and charged with murder.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston.
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