Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns undaunted in social justice fight after Breonna Taylor ruling
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As he started work Thursday, Odell Beckham Jr. tweeted that he was disgusted and heartbroken over Wednesdayâs decision by a Kentucky grand jury not to file murder or manslaughter charges in the death of Breonna Taylor.
âBut the worst part about it is.. Iâm not shocked,â he said on Twitter.
About three hours later, the Cleveland Browns receiverâs feelings had not changed.
âItâs just getting tougher. Itâs disheartening ... when you just want justice and it doesnât seem like thatâs going to happen,â Beckham said during a Zoom call.
In the wake of the Taylor news, Beckham, Browns receiver Jarvis Landry and coach Kevin Stefanski vowed Thursday to continue to fight social injustice and police brutality.
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Guard Joel Bitonio said the Brownsâ social justice committee met with Cleveland police chief Calvin Williams on Tuesday, and Stefanski said the Zoom meeting centering on how they can help the community also included city councilman Matt Zone of Ward 15.
âI think you try and channel that frustration into ... finding a way for more positive things to happen to seek change and just stay on course,â Beckham said. âTo feel as if youâre doing your part and thereâs something genuine in your heart to want to seek change.
âItâs not something thatâs going to change overnight. Itâs not going to change in two days, itâs not going to change in a year. Itâs something you have to keep chipping away at and I think that everybody plays a role in that.â
Asked if the lack of charges in Taylorâs death would strengthen his resolve, Landry said: âThe fight will always continue. Thereâs no doubt about that. Until the whole world recognizes and sees whatâs going on and stops turning an eye to it and stops just playing a part because itâs trending, I think that it will never be resolved.
âI think thereâs a lot of people out there that donât want to see it resolved and donât care if it does or doesnât get resolved. Thereâs so many people fighting for this, thereâs so many people that look like me out there fighting for this. I know thereâs a lot of people that donât want to see change, donât want to see the necessary things happen for equality or for Black minorities, period.â
Taylor, 26, a Black emergency room technician, was killed on March 13 when police in Louisville, Kentucky, executed a search warrant of her apartment. As the officers entered, her boyfriend fired a single shot and three white officers returned fire, which the grand jury determined was legally justified self-defense. Officer Brett Hankison, since dismissed from the force, was charged with wanton endangerment of Taylorâs neighbors.
In discussing the ruling, Beckham thought back to the comments of TNT analyst Chris Webber when the Milwaukee Bucks did not take the court for an NBA playoff game in response to the Kenosha, Wisconsin, police shooting of Jacob Blake, 29, a Black man left paralyzed from the waist down.
âHe was like, âThe trauma actually comes from the feeling of [being] defeatedâ or for me being like, âYeah, that was expected,ââ Beckham said of Webber. âI think thatâs the hardest thing to deal with ... to have to accept that these types of things will happen. Itâs truly sad, it really is. I donât have the right words for it. I just pray that this world gets better, plain and simple. It could be such a beautiful place, but it isnât.â
Landry called the grand juryâs decision âtragic.â
âItâs tragic how the system continues to fail ... they see whatâs going on, but they fail to go about it the right way or bring justice to all that was involved,â Landry said via Zoom. âItâs just a sad thing. I want to say that it comes by surprise, but itâs not a surprise, itâs been going on forever and this continues to show us the problem thatâs here in America.â
Beckham has made voting his cause after revealing he had never voted in a recent conversation with Maverick Carter on Uninterruptedâs YouTube channel. Beckham said heâs becoming more vocal on social issues as he learns more about them.
âTo me it felt brave to be able to admit to myself, the world, everybody, that it was my mentality ... that my vote wouldnât really matter,â Beckham said. âIt allows someone else whoâs in that same situation to understand itâs OK and you have an opportunity to correct your wrongs and going into the future your voice can actually be heard. Thereâs no better time than the present for your voice to be heard.â
Left guard Joel Bitonio said the Browns have not discussed the Taylor news collectively, but said the teamâs social justice committee met on Tuesday with Williams and a few city councilmen.
âWe got to discuss with them the steps theyâre taking to work with the community and how we can help and those relationships that we want to try and build with Cleveland police and they want to build with the community,â Bitonio said.
Bitonio said the Browns may not share their feelings about the Taylor ruling as a group until next week, but Beckham hopes they can do something at Sundayâs home game against the Washington Football Team to remember her.
âI donât know. I feel like thereâs definitely a call there,â Beckham said. âWe havenât gotten to talk about it as a team yet. Discuss with the team and figure out a plan going forward.â
Follow the Akron Beacon Journal's Marla Ridenour on Twitter @MRidenourABJ.