Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid says “the time is now for all of us to get out of our comfort zones, to not sit idly on the sidelines and to be part of the solution” in the wake of the death of George Floyd and the worldwide protests that have followed.
“Like everyone else, I watched the horror of George Floyd’s murder and felt helpless and sick to my stomach,” McDavid said in a statement tweeted on Wednesday afternoon.
“And as I have watched the many protests against racism and social injustice that have been taking place around the world, I realize that I need to do more to educate myself…that I need to learn more about the history of racism in our countries and to listen to the voices and the perspectives of the black community and other racial minorities to try and understand how I can help to affect positive change going forward.
“As a young white male and pro athlete, I recognize that we live a very privileged life. I believe that the time is now for all of us to get out of our comfort zones, to not sit idly on the sidelines and to be part of the solution to ensure that we end racism in our society.”
McDavid joined P.K. Subban, Sidney Crosby and Patrice Bergeron Wednesday as the latest NHL stars to weigh in as the sports world speaks out following Floyd’s tragic murder and the protests taking place across the United States and beyond.
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