“We Condemn Systematic Racism” – Green Bay Packers Release Statement on George Floyd’s Death

George Floyd’s death in Minnesota on Memorial Day has sent shockwaves throughout the world. The incident has prompted reactions from the NFL, football players, it’s fans, and even teams. The latest team to release a statement is 4x Super Bowl Champions Green Bay Packers. It came just a few hours after the team released a video featuring their players condemning the incident. 

Green Bay Packers CEO condemns “systemic racism”

In the statement, Packers CEO Mark Murphy said that he can’t imagine the pain of the victim’s loved ones.

“The Packers community has been horrified at the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and so many others. For their loved ones, the loss must be agonizingly magnified by the fact that if the victims were white, they would likely still be alive. I can’t imagine that pain.”

Next, the Packers aired their stance on the debate of racism and protests. 

“We condemn the systemic racism that has existed forever in this country, we stand with those raising their voices, protesting the injustices, and demanding change. We must all hold ourselves accountable for the ways, small and large, knowingly and unknowingly, that we have contributed to the injustices.“

The statement seeks to not take away from the important focus on “Black Lives Matter.”

It urges people to “take this time to dissect our own role in discrimination toward people with differences in gender, gender identity, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, and physical and mental abilities. I will continue to educate myself on these issues and spend more time putting words into practice.”

Packers CEO has hope in America’s young

“My hope for the future comes from America’s young people, including our players. I had the opportunity to visit with some of our players and hear about their experiences. They are emotional and passionate about this issue. They want to make a difference by using their platform to bring attention to racism, police brutality, oppression, and injustice. And they want to affect change. This strong commitment was displayed in the video seen today.”

“It’s Time For Change” – Green Bay Packers Release a Powerful Video Message

“The Packers support this desire. We will be working with our players to make a $250,000 donation to Wisconsin causes that support social justice and racial equality. And announcing the donations in the near future.”

Murphy says he and his wife Laurie will support the efforts and donate $250,000 to Wisconsin social justice groups.

He concludes by saying, “The donations will help, but we also must continue to educate ourselves. And live our lives in accordance with what we proclaim on social media. I will do my best to live up to that goal.”

What do you make of Green Bay Packers’ statement?