Jalen Rose Wishes ‘America Loved Black People As Much As They Love Black Culture’

Earlier this week, an unarmed black man, 46-year-old George Floyd, was killed in a police encounter after an officer pinned him to the ground and drove his knee into his neck. The death has sparked outrage across the country, and in recent days, protesters took to the streets of Minneapolis and other cities, with the eyes of the nation turned to the response by Minnesotans in the face of this injustice.

All of this came in the wake of the county attorney waiting to arrest and charge the officer in question until Friday afternoon, despite video evidence showing the officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck while he pleaded that he couldn’t breathe. On Friday morning, ESPN’s Jalen Rose used his time on Get Up to deliver an impassioned speech for white people to come out and support the black people of America, saying “I wish America loved black people as much as they love black culture,” and beseeching people to go beyond the surface level and join in the cause of bringing equality to the oppressed.

Floyd was also a close personal friend of former NBA player Stephen Jackson, who also delivered an emotional interview on Thursday and prompted several current NBA stars to speak out in unity against police violence targeted at minorities in America. The officer was arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.