Politics

Jesse Jackson compares LeBron James to ‘runaway slave’

interns Contributor
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Jesse Jackson criticized Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert on Sunday, saying Gilbert sees LeBron James as a “runaway slave” and that the owner’s comments after the free-agent forward decided to join the Miami Heat put the player in danger.

Gilbert had fired off a letter to Cleveland’s fans, promising to deliver a title before James wins one. He called James’ decision “cowardly.”

Jackson said Gilbert’s comments were “mean, arrogant and presumptuous.”

“He speaks as an owner of LeBron and not the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers,” the reverend said in a release from the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. “His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality. He sees LeBron as a runaway slave. This is an owner employee relationship — between business partners — and LeBron honored his contract.”