CHARLOTTE, NC – NOVEMBER 01: Owner of the Charlotte Hornets, Michael Jordan, watches on during their game against the Atlanta Hawks at Time Warner Cable Arena on November 1, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan was notoriously silent when it comes to politics and social commentary during his playing career and that continued well into his years as an owner as well. Jordan broke with that history Monday when he published a piece called “I Can No Longer Remain Silent” in The Undefeated.

“I was raised by parents who taught me to love and respect people regardless of their race or background, so I am saddened and frustrated by the divisive rhetoric and racial tensions that seem to be getting worse as of late. I know this country is better than that, and I can no longer stay silent. We need to find solutions that ensure people of color receive fair and equal treatment AND that police officers – who put their lives on the line every day to protect us all – are respected and supported.”

The article comes in the wake of multiple tragedies that have polarized the country and forced many other athletes to look past their own reluctance and start speaking out about issues of race, police brutality, and the African-American experience in America.

In the weeks since Carmelo Anthony called for professional athletes to lead a path to change in their communities, we’ve seen public responses such as Anthony, LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Dwyane Wade speaking up at the ESPYs and various WNBA players protesting before and after games.

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 13: (L-R) NBA players Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James speak onstage during the 2016 ESPYS at Microsoft Theater on July 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 13: (L-R) NBA players Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James speak onstage during the 2016 ESPYS at Microsoft Theater on July 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

To be fair, Jordan has done more than the public realizes when it comes to voicing his views and taking a side. He’s supported Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign and spent years hiring and grooming minority leaders in his business ventures. We all know the “Republicans buy sneakers too” quote but Jordan hasn’t always been the uncaring robot we’ve portrayed him as.

And yet, this piece is a remarkable step up for His Airness in terms of putting himself publicly in the middle of a heated debate. Jordan didn’t just speak his mind, he also put his money where his mouth is.

“To support that effort, I am making contributions of $1 million each to two organizations, the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s newly established Institute for Community-Police Relations and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The Institute for Community-Police Relations’ policy and oversight work is focused on building trust and promoting best practices in community policing. My donation to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the nation’s oldest civil rights law organization, will support its ongoing work in support of reforms that will build trust and respect between communities and law enforcement. Although I know these contributions alone are not enough to solve the problem, I hope the resources will help both organizations make a positive difference.”

Jordan is right that his contributions alone are not enough, but they are also now a basis from which others can draw conclusions. Is this enough for an icon of Jordan’s stature? Are these the “correct” contributions to make? Does he need to do more or give more?

Washington Post columnist Kevin Blackistone appeared on Around The Horn later on Monday and said he disagreed with Jordan’s donation to a police organization.

“I’m hard-pressed to find out how you can be emotionally moved by the extra judicial killings of black men in this country and then cut check for $1 million to the police. The police aren’t in need of funding when it comes to this situation. I mean, you’re talking about a city like the city of Baltimore, which has paid out over $12 million in settlements for police brutality lawsuits between 2010 and 2014. If they had policed their communities a lot better and treated black people a lot more humanely, then they would have a lot more money to spend for their police department.”

Blackistone wondered why Jordan didn’t make a contribution to the Black Lives Matter movement while he was doling out money to parties involved in the controversies. He also wondered why Jordan didn’t make Hanes, which he endorses, bring factories and jobs back to America (which sounds noble but also a different discussion).

Meanwhile, NFL legend Jim Brown, who has a history of speaking his mind about issues involving the African-American community and he had nothing but praise for Jordan’s contribution to the discussion.

“My thoughts are very positive. I applaud Michael. He’s taken his time to…put his mind to what he was going to say and represent. He put his money there. All I can do is praise him and thank him for reaching out, using his tremendous people power in a way I feel will make a difference in this country.”

It’s also worth noting that Jordan’s article comes courtesy of an ESPN property, which is the latest in an ongoing collection of decisions and standpoints that could be construed as invoking a liberal lean by the Disney-owned sports network. In fact, Clay Travis didn’t construe it, he downright said it in a piece titled “How ESPN Turned Michael Jordan’s Quote Into Liberal Propaganda.” Travis accuses ESPN of promoting choice pull-quotes from the article that put the focus on Jordan’s thoughts about African-Americans and not calling attention to his defense of police officers.

Why would they do this? Because ESPN doesn’t want to feature Jordan’s full statement, they want to use Jordan’s comments on police shootings to further their own one-sided agenda.

Wherever you stand on the liberal-conservative spectrum, it is hard to deny that once you open that Pandora’s box, you play a risky game of intent and perception. That’s not Jordan’s fault, he’s well within his rights to comment publicly. Both entities, Michael Jordan and ESPN, take their chances by printing the statement. Jordan can’t control what others think about him and ESPN doesn’t seem too bothered about any controversy either.

Neither part is about politics but by broaching the subject, even tangentially, they become a part of it.

[ESPN/OTC]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.