Cam Newton Speaks Out on Police Shootings: ‘People Need to Be Held Accountable’

Sports

“I’m a firm believer of justice and a firm believer of doing the right thing,” says the Carolina Panthers’ quarterback

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Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton opened up about the police shooting in Charlotte earlier this week, suggesting that those involved be held responsible during a press conference on Wednesday.

Newton started off by saying that his high-profile platform can be seen as a “lose-lose” situation because if he speaks on the police shootings he’ll be critiqued and if he doesn’t speak out, he’ll be branded as “fake.”

Despite the potential criticism, the 27-year-old said he was dismayed by how justice has been dispensed recently.

“I’m a firm believer of justice and a firm believer of doing the right thing, and I can’t repeat enough about just holding people accountable,” Newton said. “I’m an African-American. I am not happy with how justice has been dealt with over the years.”

The Panthers’ hometown experienced a night of unrest Tuesday when protesters clashed with authorities following the fatal police shooting of a black man, Keith L. Scott. His death came a day after Tulsa, Oklahoma, police released video footage of the deadly shooting last week of Terence Crutcher, an unarmed black man with his hands up.

“But we also, as black people, have to do right by ourselves. We can’t be hypocrites. I say that on one voice and also another voice that when you go public, or when things happen in the community, it’s not the fact that things are happening, it’s the way they’re being treated after they happen,” Newton added.

The NFL All-Pro also put himself in the position of a father taken from his family.

“I have a son and a daughter that I’m responsible for. So how would I be if one day they come home and there’s no more daddy?” stated Newton. “Money doesn’t matter in that sense. People need to be held accountable, that’s all.”

Newton has left people confused in the past regarding his stance on the matter, which appeared to some as a flip-flop. It was reported recently that public relations advisor, Frank Luntz was working with the quarterback to bolster his discussions on race.

See the rest of Newton’s comments below.

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