Photo: Lewis Hamilton on Instagram
As you probably know very well, the USA is dealing with some of the most intense protests the country has ever seen, and it's seen a fair share. As often times before, what caused it was police brutality aimed against an African American citizen (named George Floyd), which resulted in the latter's death.
There's a lot to be said about what happened, but the bottom line is that one person killed another person by abusing the power invested in him by the state and its people. As if that weren't enough, what made it even worse was the manner in which it all happened. Officer Derek Chauvin spent nearly nine minutes with his knee pressing George Floyd's neck to the ground, despite the suspect's cries that he couldn't breathe. During the last three of those nine minutes, Floyd was unconscious, but not even that was enough to convince Chauvin to check up on him.
The outcry was huge, and now riots in Minneapolis have turned violent with protestors burning cars, looting buildings, and attacking police stations. Nobody in their right mind would support such actions, but a lot of personalities have expressed their outrage via the Internet. "I see and feel everyone's pain, outrage and frustration," Michael Jordan said in a statement released on Twitter. "I stand with those calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. We have had enough."
Countless other sports or showbiz celebrities have condemned the actions that led to the tragedy, and now Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG Petronas' main driver and reigning Formula 1 champion, has reacted as well.
“I do not stand with those looting and burning buildings but those who are protesting peacefully,” he wrote on Instagram. "There can be no peace until our so called leaders make change. This is not just America, this is the UK, this is Spain, this is Italy and all over.”
“The way minorities are treated has to change, [and] how you educate those in your country of equality, racism, classism, and that we are all the same. We are not born with racism and hate in our hearts, it is taught by those we look up to.”
But Hamilton didn't stop there. He took advantage of the situation to point an accusing finger at Formula 1's hierarchy and fellow drivers as well. “I see those of you who are staying silent, some of you the biggest of stars yet you stay silent in the midst of injustice,” he said. “Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white-dominated sport.
“I’m one of the only people of color there yet I stand alone. I would have thought by now you would see why this happens and say something about it but you can’t stand alongside us. Just know I know who you are, and I see you.”
Hamilton's feisty reaction is perfectly understandable as a lot of people's blood is running hot these days, and the fact Formula 1 as a whole has remained silent on the subject so far provides strong arguments for his claim that it's a white-dominated sport. Let's see if him calling the entire F1 roster out will wake some up from their slumber or if the most aristocratic form of racing will continue to keep to itself.
The outcry was huge, and now riots in Minneapolis have turned violent with protestors burning cars, looting buildings, and attacking police stations. Nobody in their right mind would support such actions, but a lot of personalities have expressed their outrage via the Internet. "I see and feel everyone's pain, outrage and frustration," Michael Jordan said in a statement released on Twitter. "I stand with those calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. We have had enough."
Countless other sports or showbiz celebrities have condemned the actions that led to the tragedy, and now Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG Petronas' main driver and reigning Formula 1 champion, has reacted as well.
“I do not stand with those looting and burning buildings but those who are protesting peacefully,” he wrote on Instagram. "There can be no peace until our so called leaders make change. This is not just America, this is the UK, this is Spain, this is Italy and all over.”
“The way minorities are treated has to change, [and] how you educate those in your country of equality, racism, classism, and that we are all the same. We are not born with racism and hate in our hearts, it is taught by those we look up to.”
But Hamilton didn't stop there. He took advantage of the situation to point an accusing finger at Formula 1's hierarchy and fellow drivers as well. “I see those of you who are staying silent, some of you the biggest of stars yet you stay silent in the midst of injustice,” he said. “Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white-dominated sport.
“I’m one of the only people of color there yet I stand alone. I would have thought by now you would see why this happens and say something about it but you can’t stand alongside us. Just know I know who you are, and I see you.”
Hamilton's feisty reaction is perfectly understandable as a lot of people's blood is running hot these days, and the fact Formula 1 as a whole has remained silent on the subject so far provides strong arguments for his claim that it's a white-dominated sport. Let's see if him calling the entire F1 roster out will wake some up from their slumber or if the most aristocratic form of racing will continue to keep to itself.
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) May 31, 2020
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