--- title: NYPD Shooting: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: This Is Tragedy, Not Politics description: Police—like my father and grandfather—are not under attack. Institutionalized racism is. canonical: https://time.com/3643462/kareem-abdul-jabbar-nypd-shootings-police/ author: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-12-22T01:08:25.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:40:41.764Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: This Is Tragedy, Not a Political Opportunity og:description: Police—like my father and grandfather—are not under attack. Institutionalized racism is. og:url: https://time.com/3643462/kareem-abdul-jabbar-nypd-shootings-police/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt22b07337a53bfbe9/6987705fcd1bba03376f4545/460750486.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: Two Cops Shot And Killed Execution Style In Brooklyn og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: This Is Tragedy, Not a Political Opportunity twitter:description: Police—like my father and grandfather—are not under attack. Institutionalized racism is. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt22b07337a53bfbe9/6987705fcd1bba03376f4545/460750486.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: The Police Aren't Under Attack. Institutionalized Racism Is. > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ## Video: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar On Racism [Watch (HLS stream): Kareem Abdul-Jabbar On Racism](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/QPdUnHb2.m3u8) (2:21)  _Published 2014-05-05. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: How To Tell If You're a Racist Like Donald Sterling_  by [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://time.com/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/)  ## Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Dec 22, 2014 1:08 AM UTC  Women place flowers at a memorial to the two New York Police Department (NYPD) officers that were shot and killed nearby Dec. 21, 2014 in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Women place flowers at a memorial to the two New York Police Department (NYPD) officers that were shot and killed nearby Dec. 21, 2014 in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Spencer Platt—Getty Images  by [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://time.com/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/)  ## Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Dec 22, 2014 1:08 AM UTC According to Ecclesiastes, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose.” For me, today, that means a time to seek justice and a time to mourn the dead. And a time to shut the hell up. The recent brutal murder of two Brooklyn police officers, Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, is a national tragedy that should inspire nationwide mourning. Both my grandfather and father were police officers, so I appreciate what a difficult and dangerous profession law enforcement is. We need to value and celebrate the many officers dedicated to protecting the public and nourishing our justice system. It’s a job most of us don’t have the courage to do. **READ MORE** [Bernie Kerik: War Is Being Waged on Our Homeland](http://www.time.com/3643676/bernie-kerik-war-is-being-waged-on-our-homeland/?xid=time%5Freadnext) At the same time, however, we need to understand that their deaths are in no way related to the massive protests against systemic abuses of the justice system as symbolized by the recent deaths—also national tragedies—of Eric Garner, Akai Gurley, and Michael Brown. Ismaaiyl Brinsley, the suicidal killer, wasn’t an impassioned activist expressing political frustration, he was a troubled man who had shot his girlfriend earlier that same day. He even Instagrammed warnings of his violent intentions. None of this is the behavior of a sane man or rational activist. The protests are no more to blame for his actions than _The Catcher in the Rye_ was for the murder of John Lennon or the movie _Taxi Driver_ for the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. Crazy has its own twisted logic and it is in no way related to the rational cause-and-effect world the rest of us attempt to create. Those who are trying to connect the murders of the officers with the thousands of articulate and peaceful protestors across America are being deliberately misleading in a cynical and selfish effort to turn public sentiment against the protestors. This is the same strategy used when trying to lump in the violence and looting with the legitimate protestors, who have disavowed that behavior. They hope to misdirect public attention and emotion in order to stop the protests and the progressive changes that have already resulted. Shaming and blaming is a lot easier than addressing legitimate claims. ### Witness the Aftermath of Police Shooting in Brooklyn  The skyline of Manhattan is seen in the background as investigators work at the scene where two NYPD officers were shot in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Dec. 20, 2014 John Minchillo—AP  Police are pictured at the scene of a shooting where two New York Police officers were shot dead in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Dec. 20, 2014. Carlo Allegri—Reuters  Police are pictured at the scene of a shooting where two New York Police officers were shot dead in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Dec. 20, 2014. John Taggart—EPA  A police officer wipes tears away from his face as he walks away from the scene of a shooting where two New York Police officers were shot dead in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Dec. 20, 2014. Carlo Allegri—Reuters  Police pay their respect outside Woodhull Hospital as two Police ambulances carrying the bodies of two murdered officers head to Bellevue Hospital in New York City, Dec. 20, 2014. Paul Martinka—Polaris  A man leaves flowers at an impromptu memorial near the site where two police officers were killed the day before in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Dec. 21, 2014. Seth Wenig—AP  New York City police officer Darren Cox, right, accompanied by fellow officers, leaves flowers at a memorial in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Dec. 21, 2014. Mark Lennihan—AP  Donna Salvaggio (L) and a woman who gave her name as Reverend Jordan hug at a makeshift memorial at the site where two police officers were shot in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, Dec. 21, 2014. Carlo Allegri—Reuters  A man takes part in a prayer vigil at the site where two police officers were fatally shot in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, Dec. 21, 2014. Carlo Allegri—Reuters  Mourners take part in a prayer vigil at the site where two police officers were fatally shot in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, Dec. 21, 2014. Stephanie Keith—Reuters  New York Police Department officers Mark Cava, left, and Jason Muller participate in a moment of silence for two slain NYPD officers before an NBA basketball game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Detroit Pistons in New York City on Dec. 21, 2014. Jason DeCrow—AP  New York Police Department officer Jason Muller salutes during the national anthem after participating in a moment of silence for two slain NYPD officers before an NBA basketball game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Detroit Pistons in New York City on Dec. 21, 2014. Jason DeCrow—AP  A woman recites from a Bible while standing over a makeshift memorial during a prayer vigil at the site where two New York Police Department (NYPD) officers were fatally shot in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, Dec. 21, 2014. Stephanie Keith—Reuters  Mourners take part in a prayer vigil at the site where two police officers were fatally shot in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, Dec. 21, 2014. Stephen Shames—Polaris Some police unions are especially heinous perpetrators. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s previous public support of protestors has created friction with these unions. The Patrolman’s Benevolent Association responded with a petition asking that the mayor not attend the funerals of officers killed in the line of duty. Following the murders of Ramos and Liu, an account appearing to represent the Sergeants Benevolent Association [tweeted](https://twitter.com/SBANYPD/status/546472549589467136): “The blood of 2 executed police officers is on the hands of Mayor de Blasio.” Former New York governor George Pataki [tweeted](https://twitter.com/GovernorPataki/status/546489605378551808): “Sickened by these barbaric acts, which sadly are a predictable outcome of divisive anti-cop rhetoric of #ericholder and #mayordeblasio. #NYPD.” This phony and logically baffling indignation is similar to that expressed by the St. Louis County Police Association when it demanded an apology from the NFL when several Rams players entered the field with their hands held high in the iconic Michael Brown gesture of surrender. Or when LeBron James and W.R. Allen wore his “I Can’t Breathe” shirts echoing Eric Garner’s final plea before dying. Such outrage by police unions and politicians implies that there is no problem, which is the erroneous perception that the protestors are trying to change. This shrill cry of “policism” (a form of reverse racism) by Pataki and the police unions is a hollow and false whine born of financial self-interest (unions) or party politics (Republican Pataki besmirching Democrat de Blasio) rather than social justice. These tragic murders now become a bargaining chip in whatever contract negotiations or political aspirations they have. **READ MORE** [Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Sounds Off on Racism in America](http://time.com/3637075/starbucks-howard-schultz-race-politics/) What prompted a mentally unstable man to shoot two officers? Protestors? The mayor? Or the unjust killings of unarmed black men? Probably none of them. He was a ticking bomb that anything might have set off. What’s most likely to prevent future incidents like this? Stopping the protests which had sparked real and positive changes through a national dialogue? Changes that can only increase faith in and respect for the police? No, because the killer was mentally unfit. Most likely protecting the police from future incidents will come from better mental health care to identify, treat, and monitor violent persons. Where are those impassioned tweets demanding that? In a Dec. 21, 2014 article about the shooting, the Los Angeles Times referred to the New York City protests as “anti-police marches,” which is grossly inaccurate and illustrates the problem of perception the protestors are battling. The marches are meant to raise awareness of double standards, lack of adequate police candidate screening, and insufficient training that have resulted in unnecessary killings. Police are not under attack, institutionalized racism is. Trying to remove sexually abusive priests is not an attack on Catholicism, nor is removing ineffective teachers an attack on education. Bad apples, bad training, and bad officials who blindly protect them, are the enemy. And any institution worth saving should want to eliminate them, too. “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose.” This is the season and time when we should be resolved to continue seeking justice together and not let those with blind biases distract, diminish, or divide us. The way to honor those who defend our liberties with their lives—as did my father and grandfather—is not to curtail liberty, but to exercise it fully in pursuit of a just and peaceful society. **READ MORE** [Ferguson Should Be More Than a Moment](http://time.com/3632171/ferguson-more-than-a-moment-2/) _Abdul-Jabbar is a six-time NBA champion and league Most Valuable Player. He is also a celebrated author, filmmaker and education ambassador._ **READ NEXT** [7 Arrested in New York Charged With Threatening Police](v-new-york-charged-with-threatening-police/?xid=time%5Freadnext) [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article) ## Transcript From what I can tell, more whites in America believe in ghosts than believe in racism, and that's why we have shows like Ghost busters and not racist busters. [ LAUGH ] As a general rule things don't end well if the sentence starts let me tell you something I know about the Negro. People see the fact that a black American could get elected President, they see that as the end of racism. That's absolutely not the case. [ NOISE ] It's a milestone in a marathon. Just a tip for you. [ LAUGH ] Don't start your sentence that way. I think it's pretty created a false sense of achievement that we've done everything that we need to do, and that we can just slump back into being complacent. Racism, unfortunately, rears it's head in places that you would never expect at, at times that you would never expect. I think the President is in a tough position because as a Black American, if he's. Too proactive or too enthusiastic, about dealing with racism. People think he has agenda. White Americans are not a group that is targeted, so it's a surprise to many White Americans that discrimination and bias can affect people's life. They, they think it's a thing of the past. We have shows like John Stewart and Stephen Colbert they're like colonoscopies into America's bowels. You know, they're looking for the polyps of intolerance. There is no racism in America. There's more Cholera in America than there is -. Than there is racism. [ SOUND ]. More Cholera! Yes. Racism has gone the way of [ NOISE ] where you drink. [ LAUGH ] And I think that by pointing those things out and ridiculing them we get a chance to identify issues and and deal with them in a meaningful way. You know there's only one lead story today and that is the racist comments of LA Clippers owner and Darth Vader with his helmet off, Donald Sterling. [ LAUGH ]. Racism has obviously been a hot topic with regard to sports. And, and Mr. Sterling's problems, but racism as it relates to society at large is something that we don't talk about enough. And inclusion should be the keynote of, of American life. We have people from all over the world that come here, and they can become American Citizens and have a, have a wonderful life here. 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