Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti shares strong words about racism and social injustice
Over the weekend the Baltimore Ravens released a five-plus minute video on their official website of owner Steve Bisciotti speaking his mind and having strong words on addressing the matter of racism and social justice discrepancies throughout the country. In the wake of George Floyd’s tragic murder at the knee of law enforcement earlier this month, the cries for change have been ringing coast to coast to coast and even in different parts of the world.
Bisciotti and other members of his organization from players both former and current as well as coaches and executives have been among the most outspoken voices via social media and other avenues to use their platforms to advocate for change not just in the Baltimore area but around the nation.
He said that being silent about racism and social injustice is not an option for the organization and he vowed to support any of his players that desire or decide to speak out on the matter that has captured the hearts and minds of socially and morally conscious people worldwide admits a global pandemic.
“To say ‘stick to sports’ is the worst possible thing that you can feel and say,” Bisciotti said. “If my players, both white and black, don’t speak out about this injustice to their communities, then they’re sellouts or hypocrites. If I don’t defend my players, then I’m the worst kind of hypocrite.”
A week before the video released while the riots were still raging around the country, Bisciotti and his wife Renee foundation and the Ravens pledged to a $1 million donation to social justice reform throughout the Baltimore area. A committee of Ravens past and present will decide which programs in the area the funds will be allocated.
Unfortunately, Floyd is just the latest in a recent uptick of recorded murders of unarmed black men and women to be caught on camera. Bisciotti brought up the deaths of Floyd and Ahmaud Arbury in the video and said that watching the videos of their deaths made him feel “sick” and “angry”.
“Like most of you, I’m sure watching those videos shook you and shook me to my core,” Bisciotti said. “It was the most despicable thing I had ever seen.”
The Ravens’ owner recently took part in virtual meetings with players and coaches via zoom to talk about the current social climate in our country and he said that he could feel the pain reverberating from their words that racism and social injustice has wrought.
“I don’t think I’ve grown by seeing their anger. I think I’ve grown by feeling their hurt. And these young men are hurting,” Bisciotti said.
Conversations about race, religion, politics, and hot button social issues like systematic racism can make people uncomfortable but Bisciotti believes that isn’t an excuse and that these talks must be had anyway so that we can work towards change.
“Ask the uncomfortable questions and you will come to the conclusion, I hope, that I have, that you don’t feel it enough, and you don’t live it enough if you’re not willing to say it,” Bisciotti said in closing. “Black Lives Matter.”
