LA cop Deon Joseph wants LeBron James to discuss realities of policing with him, pens down passionate letter
After social media waged war upon NBA star LeBron James for allegedly inciting hate against Columbus cop Nicholas Reardon, a prominent Los Angeles cop has penned a letter, asking for a meeting so he could educate the basketball champ on policing.
James had tweeted a photo of Reardon who fatally shot 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant while she was allegedly trying to attack another woman with a knife. The bodycam footage of the shooting has sparked a massive outcry against police brutality, but many have also claimed the cop saved the other Black girl from getting stabbed. James, however, tweeted a photo of Reardon with the caption “YOU’RE NEXT. #ACCOUNTABILITY" as Bryant was shot the day ex-cop Derek Chauvin was announced guilty for killing George Floyd. The backlash he faced led to James deleting the tweet, but LAPD cop Deon Joseph still believes he needs a crash course on how the job works.
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Deon Joseph's letter
The Daily Wire reports the Los Angeles Police Department officer is quite well-known for his outreach on SkidRow. With ample experience working in the area with rampant homelessness, Joseph is a revered member of the community. In his open letter to LeBron James, Joseph commends the basketball star on his skills, but still wants to sit down with him and express the intricacies of policing.
He opens his letter with "Dear Lebron," Continuing: "I am not going to come at you from a place of hatred. There will be no name calling. I was raised to see the whole of a human being. Not to hyper focus on their flaws or make said flaws the whole of who they are. I’m an honest man. What you do for children, and other acts of charity shows a huge heart. You show to be a family man, and that’s to be respected. You play for the team my family has cheered for since the 1960s, then myself since 1979. But… Your current stance on policing is so off base and extreme."
'Instead of apologizing, you deflected'
Joseph then remarks: "Your tweet that targeted a police officer in Ohio who saved a young woman’s life was irresponsible and disturbing. It showed a complete lack of understanding of the challenge of our job in the heat of a moment. You basically put a target on the back of a human being who had to make a split-second decision to save a life from a deadly attack. A decision I know he and many others wish they never had to make. Especially when it involves someone so young."
Joseph then addresses how James tackled the backlash — by deleting the tweet first, then releasing a statement sans apology, and even going so far as to mock a bar in his home-state Ohio for refusing to air NBA games until the pro is 'expelled'. Joseph alleges: "Instead of apologizing, you deflected. You said you took your tweet down because you did not want it to be used for hate, when the tweet itself was the embodiment of hatred, rooted in a lack of understanding of the danger of the situation. I don’t know if this will ever reach you, but my hope is that one day I can sit down with you and talk. As a man of faith, I can have no hatred toward you. But I do feel I can help you understand the reality of the profession of policing, and that there is another side you need to hear."
'This division and hatred must stop'
He then asks, "You are tired of Black folks dying? So am I. You hate racism and police brutality? So do I. But you cannot paint 800,000 men and women who are of all races, faiths, sexual orientations and are also mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, preachers, coaches, community members and just human with such a broad and destructive brush."
He goes on: "Unlike some who have dug their heals in the belief that police are inherently evil, I think if you yourself actually sat down and had a real honest and open conversation with a cop, there is a strong chance you may discover we are not the monsters you have come to believe we are, who deserve the hate and distain you have. And even if you come away feeling the same way, I could respect it, because at least you gave the other side your ear instead of only hearing one narrative."
Joseph concludes: "The offer is on the table Lebron. No cameras. No fanfare. Just two men who care talking. I know it’s a long shot. But this division and hatred must stop. It’s clear based on rising crime in marginalized communities that cops and the community need to build bridges to save lives on all sides. That cannot be done through the demonization of any group of people. Just putting it out in the universe brother. Even if not me, please take the time to talk to a police officer instead of judging them. No shade. Thanks for all the positive things you do."