Published 18:50 IST, June 10th 2020
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wants to have open, uncomfortable discussions on race
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban urged white people to have honest and uncomfortable discussions about racism to achieve progress in unison in the US.
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Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is encouraging white people to have more open and uncomfortable conversations about race in order to help the country move forward. There has been an outpour of emotion and rage following the George Floyd death which has led to the Black Lives Matter movement, a campaign that has spread to all 50 states in the country. During an event held by the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban began his speech by touching upon the Black Lives Matter campaign and urged white people to openly discuss the issues at hand when it comes to racism in order for the US to make progress in dealing with the issue.
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George Floyd protests: Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban on dealing with racism
The George Floyd protests have stormed the US with African-American citizens highlighting the issue of police brutality and racial injustice. A number of renowned athletes in the US have voiced their support for the Black Lives Matter movement in recent weeks. The latest icon in the sports world to issue a statement on the Black Lives Matter movement is Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban.
The Dallas Mavericks hosted a 'Courageous Conversation' meet at the Victory Plaza and Cuban began his speech with comments relating to the George Floyd death and explained that the only way to move forward is to honestly address white privilege. Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber was the only NBA player present at the meeting along with other local chiefs of the Dallas community.
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Mark Cuban began his speech by stating that most while people have a defence mechanism when they are accused of having 'white privilege'. The Dallas Mavericks owner added that the defensive statements usually made by white folks show that they are in denial of their white privilege. Cuban then weighed in by stating that in order to end the discrimination, white people must actually be willing to listen to the African-American community and not be afraid to discuss uncomfortable matters. Only once the issues of the African-American people are understood without any blockages will the country be able to move forward. "Even if a conversation is difficult, we must address the issues", concluded Cuban.
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Black Lives Matter: Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber reiterates Mark Cuban's stand
Following the speech from Mark Cuban, German star Maxi Kleber agreed with the Mavericks owner. While addressing the crowd, Kleber stated that people must talk about the racism being felt towards the African-American community in order to take a stand. "Nobody should face racism in today's world and creating awareness by talking about issues should begin as it is extremely important", Kleber stated.
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18:50 IST, June 10th 2020