Wizards guard Bradley Beal joined the chorus of Washington athletes wrestling with the proper response police shootings on social media late Thursday night. And as with some of his predecessors, Beal prompted a disappointed response from some fans who didn’t like his approach.
This prompted a flurry of “All Lives Matter” responses, and at least a few complaints about Beal’s timing on a night when police officers were under attack in Dallas. “Lost respect for you,” one person wrote. “Disgraceful,” wrote another.
Which led to a longer explanation from Beal.
“So b/c I say Black lives matter: 1. I don’t think ALL LIVES MATTER 2. I’m in favor of cops being killed? Some people are ignorant af. The issue at hand regards my race and I have every right to speak on it! If you don’t like it, it’s a [big] UNFOLLOW button on the top of my page! Saying all lives matter is like saying we all need air to breathe! We all know that!!!! Killing a cop is no better than a cop taking a life! Innocent black lives are being taken by those sworn to protect and serve, not murder! When does it come to an end? And you wonder why people rage? We aren’t getting justice, just more body counts! People are getting sick of this [stuff]. So yes, Black Lives Matter!”
There's ZERO excuse for killing period, civilian or cop! #SINisSIN
— Bradley Beal (@RealDealBeal23) July 8, 2016
Beal became at least the second high-profile Washington athlete to venture into some disagreements with fans over these issues in the past two days. Redskins linebacker Will Compton also prompted some angry responses with a tweet that mentioned both the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and the FBI’s decision not to recommend criminal charges against presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Several fans reprimanded Compton for including those topics in the same sentence.
Chalk up these recent killings and Hillary Clinton not getting prosecuted to this ignorant year of 2016
— Will Compton (@_willcompton) July 7, 2016
“Not comparing,” he wrote back to one such fan. “We have a lot of issues.”
“For the love of God. I’m talking about recent news in general,” he wrote to another. “Her getting off the hook for leaving soldiers to die.”
“Well duh. Wouldn’t you??” Compton told a fan who recommended he stick to football. “Thanks for the follow and interest in what I have to say either way.”
Meanwhile, other local athletes continued to post their thoughts on the latest disturbing news out of Dallas.
Pray for systematic injustice to end as well as pray for officers safety today, many of whom exemplify what it means to protect and serve.
— Dustin Hopkins (@Dahop5) July 8, 2016
It's a war going on out there you all be safe.
— Pierre Garçon (@PierreGarcon) July 8, 2016
Where was all this coverage for #AltonSterling and #PhilandroCastro now we gotta come together
— Chris Baker (@cbakerswaggy) July 8, 2016
https://twitter.com/cbaker92redskin/status/751360058513059840
Let me just get off social media kuz at the end of the day tweeting isn't helping this world become a better place.. #PrayingForPeace
— Keith Marshall (@Truthh4) July 8, 2016
Let's change the way we treat each other. Both sides of it. #BlackLivesMatters #CopsLivesMatter… https://t.co/WCqewLP9Lq
— David BRUTON JR. (@D_Brut30) July 8, 2016
https://twitter.com/T_Garvin28/status/751275276248621056
https://twitter.com/Mason_Foster/status/751393160119586816
Pain, anger and frustration .. #Godislove pic.twitter.com/PoumaPKH0Z
— JD (@JDoc_son) July 8, 2016