Yahoo Movies Colts owner Jim Irsay explains why saying 'all lives matter' misses the point right now
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay believes Black Lives Matter. Irsay, 61, made that declaration on Twitter on Monday. In doing so, Irsay also explained why using the phrase “all lives matter” right now misses the point.
Irsay said that by saying “Black Lives Matter,” you aren’t saying “only Black Lives Matter.”
Of COURSE all lives matter, but the phrase “BLACK LIVES MATTER” is about unequal treatment faced by BLACK Americans. It does not say or imply that ONLY black lives matter. E.g., when we say “BEAT BREAST CANCER” it doesn't mean we don't care about beating leukemia.
— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) August 31, 2020
He compared the issue to cancer, explaining that when a person says “beat breast cancer,” that doesn’t mean the person doesn’t care about other types of cancers. They’ve just chosen to focus on breast cancer in that moment. Irsay pointed out that Black Lives Matter should be the focus right now due to “unequal treatment faced by Black Americans.” People can’t say “all lives matter” without believing “Black Lives Matter.”
Jim Irsay isn’t the only NFL owner to speak out
It’s not the first time an NFL team owner has come out in support of Black Lives Matter. San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York spoke about the movement in June saying he believes “we can make real, serious change in this country.” The 49ers have flown a Black Lives Matter flag from Levi’s Stadium. York’s stance hasn’t come without criticism, as some have pointed out York didn’t offer up the same views when Colin Kaepernick began his protest in 2016.
Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie also wrote a letter in June addressing the issue. In that letter, Lurie talked about “systemic racism, discrimination, violence and oppression of minorities.”
In those statements, however, neither Lurie nor York explicitly said “Black Lives Matter.”
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