By Daily Sports on September 29, 2016
Serena Williams vowed she would not be “silent” on issues of social injustice Tuesday as she reflected on the recent deaths of African-American men at the hands of law enforcement.
In a heartfelt post on her Facebook page, the tennis superstar said she felt moved to speak out after being unnerved at the sight of a police officer while being driven by her 18-year-old nephew.
“Today I asked my 18 year old nephew (to be clear he’s black) to drive me to my meetings so I can work on my phone,” the former world number-one wrote.
“In the distance I saw cop on the side of the road. I quickly checked to see if he was obliging by the speed limit.
“Than I remembered that horrible video of the woman in the car when a cop shot her boyfriend. All of this went through my mind in a matter of seconds.
“I even regretted not driving myself. I would never forgive myself if something happened to my nephew. He’s so innocent. So were all ‘the others’,” Williams added.
The United States has been gripped by a spike in racial tensions in the past week after the latest killings of black men by police.
The deaths, in Oklahoma and North Carolina, were the latest in a series of incidents over the past two years that have brought issues of police brutality and racism to the forefront of national debate.
Williams said her reaction had left her determined to speak out.
“Why did I have to think about this in 2016? Have we not gone through enough, opened so many doors, impacted billions of lives? But I realized we must stride on — for it’s not how far we have come but how much further still we have to go,” she wrote.
“I than wondered than have I spoken up? I had to take a look at me. What about my nephews? What if I have a son and what about my daughters? As Dr. Martin Luther King said ‘There comes a time when silence is betrayal’. I won’t be silent.” (NAN)
Serena Williams
Source Daily Sports
Posted September 29, 2016
You may also like...
I fear for the future of African Sports...
CAFCL: Plateau United Accuse Simba Of Poor Sportsmanship,...
Salah: Liverpool Should Keep Winning To Catch Man...
Rwanda FA boss hails stadium partnership deal with...
Teen star Oji breaks African shot put record...
AFN holds Olympics, African champs trials June 16-18...

Bassey Africa’s best defender – Osimhen
Finidi targets NPFL title after CAFCL ticket
LOC chair promises unforgettable WTT Lagos
Akwa governor almost stopped Uyo pitch maintenance – Gusau
Ezechukwu eyes double gold in African Champs
Nnadozie books final spot as Ajibade, Echegini lose title in France
Peter Obi congratulates Osimhen on Turkish league triumph
Edem launches West Africa basketball tourney in Lagos
Uche felt I don’t like him – Glasner
Ejuke gets ‘Jay-Jay’ nickname amid EPL links
International Sambo Federation hails blind Nigerian athletes
2030 Commonwealth Games Podium Target: NOC President Hails Netball Revival
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,765 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (55,090 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (53,024 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,610 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,534 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,435 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,276 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,832 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (51,017 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,517 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (47,940 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,394 views)