LeBron James Speaks About Home Vandal Incident, Lingering Racism in America
National Basketball Association superstar LeBron James has recently been a target of racist sentiments as his Los Angeles home has been vandalized with a racial slur, according to local law enforcement. The incident happened just as the Cleveland Cavalier star prepares to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Norma Eisenman, the police spokesperson for Los Angeles, have said that investigation is currently ongoing to find possible suspects for the vandalizing incident. A graffiti has been spray painted on the front gate of LeBron's house, which has since been repainted over after being reported to the police, according to Reuters.
The vandal's message was a racial slur, which the local law enforcement spokesperson declined to go into details about. Meanwhile, LeBron James spoke out to the media regarding the incident. The NBA superstar noted how black people in America still face difficulties, regardless of their current station in life.
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"No matter how much money you have, no matter how famous you are, no matter how many people admire you, being black in America is — it's tough," James said, as quoted by the New York Times.
James added that the incident just highlighted how American society has to make progress in terms of racial equality in the country. "We got a long way to go for us as a society and for us as African-Americans until we feel equal in America," James noted.
The incident is currently being investigated from an angle of a possible hate crime. LeBron James' family, including his wife and three children, were not present in the Los Angeles residence when the incident occurred. James himself noted how his family was safe and how he thought of his kids as he tries to figure out the meaning behind the vandalism.
As long as his family remains safe, James is willing to be an example for the discussion of racial issues in the country and "keep the conversation going and can shed light on us trying to figure out a way," James explained.
