梅尔文·戈登是丹佛野马队的一名后卫，他在接受美国广播公司采访时谈到了在警察开枪后引发的全国范围的种族公正抗议雅各布·布莱克，一个在戈登的家乡克诺沙的黑人，威斯康星州。
周日，在一场所谓的家庭纠纷之后，雅各布·布莱克在视频中被一名警察在进入他的汽车时从后面连续七次射杀。据报道，布莱克现在瘫痪了，目前正在威斯康辛一家医院接受大量药物治疗。随之而来的是基诺沙和美国其他地方的愤怒。
戈登一生的大部分时间都在威斯康星州踢足球，包括在该州的旗舰大学。当他看到关于雅各布·布莱克的新闻时，他说他深受影响。
卡米尔·克尔扎辛斯基/法新社
2020年8月26日，在威斯康辛州的克诺沙，一名抗议者举着“黑色生命至关重要”的标语，抗议警察射杀雅各布·布莱克。
“我的意思是，这只是令人心碎。我只是瞬间变得悲伤，它只是变得悲伤。...在经历了所有这些之后，我们作为一个整体正在努力完成的所有事情，仍然看到这样的行动，特别是在我家里，这真是令人心碎。”
针对这一事件，密尔沃基雄鹿队决定抵制他们周三晚上的季后赛导致当晚所有联赛延期。他们的决定对体育界产生了连锁反应——WNBA的其他球队、美国职业棒球大联盟和MLB的球队都加入了罢工，表明了反对警察暴行和社会不公的立场。
“我们有声音——运动员，运动员。我们有一个平台，我们有责任使用它。...我们需要这样的人来使用它。”“我们需要这样的人走出舒适区，帮助我们做出改变。”
大卫·扎卢博夫斯基/美联社
2020年8月28日，科罗拉多州恩格尔伍德，丹佛野马队队员梅尔文·戈登(左)在参加美国国家橄榄球联盟足球训练时，向安全人员贾斯汀·西蒙斯打招呼
周四，在联盟同意与球员一起进行社会改革后，周五决定恢复NBA季后赛。这包括在选举日将所有球队拥有的NBA区域变成安全的现场投票中心。
包括丹佛野马队在内的几支美国国家橄榄球联盟球队宣布，他们将取消会面和讨论种族公正问题的惯例。虽然戈登说他不打算缺席NFL赛季，但他确实说这是一个需要讨论的话题，尤其是因为他理解黑人现在对警察的恐惧。
“如果你是有色人种，我知道你害怕...错误的举动，最轻微的举动，可能是你最后的举动，也可能是你最后一次见到你的家人——任何事情戈登说。“我所知道的恐惧是存在的，我知道如果你是有色人种，无论如何，你遇到警察，你肯定会想，‘好吧，我必须非常小心谨慎地对待我在这个特殊时刻做的任何事情，因为这可能是我最后一次了。’”"
美国国家橄榄球联盟和美国国家橄榄球联盟球员协会发布了一份联合声明，对布莱克的枪击事件做出回应，支持决定取消训练的球队。
“在这个充满挑战的时代，NFL社区比以往任何时候都更加团结，相互支持。”我们都感到愤怒和沮丧，最近一次是因为雅各布·布莱克被枪杀。”“当我们的热情继续高涨的时候，我们感到自豪的是，我们的球员和俱乐部，联盟和工会，正在花时间就这些影响美国黑人社区和其他有色人种社区的问题进行艰难的对话。”
戈登告诉美国广播公司新闻，在他为种族正义而战的过程中，他得到了队友和教练的周到支持。
“只有男人支持我...戈登说:“你知道，从教练、球员，甚至是委员罗杰·古德伊尔那里收到短信，对我来说意义重大。”
在马丁·路德·金博士发表“我有一个梦想”演讲57周年之际，成千上万的美国人聚集在华盛顿特区，要求种族公正。
“马丁·路德·金多年前就在打这场仗，”戈登说，“今天我们仍在打这场仗。”
Kenosha native Melvin Gordon speaks out on Jacob Blake protests, COVID-19
Melvin Gordon, a running back for the Denver Broncos, spoke to ABC News about the nationwide protests for racial justice that sparked after the police shooting ofJacob Blake, a Black man in Gordon's hometown of Kenosha,Wisconsin.
On Sunday, after an alleged domestic dispute, Jacob Blake was seen in video being shot seven times in the back by a police officer while entering his car. Blake is now reportedly paralyzed and currently under heavy medication at a Wisconsin hospital. Outrage in Kenosha and elsewhere through the U.S. followed.
Gordon played football in Wisconsin for most of his life, including at the state's flagship university. When he saw the news about Jacob Blake, he said he was deeply affected.
A protester holds a "Black Lives Matter" sign during a demonstration against the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Aug. 26, 2020.
"I mean, it was just heartbreaking. I just instantly got sad, it just got sad. ... After everything we've been through, everything we're trying to accomplish as a whole, and to still see actions like this, especially back at my home, it's just heartbreaking," Gordon told ABC News.
In response to the incident, the Milwaukee Bucks decided toboycott their NBA playoff game Wednesday night, leading to a postponement of all league games that night. Their decision had a ripple effect on the sports world -- other teams in the WNBA, MLS and MLB teams joined in the work stoppage, taking a stand against police brutality and social injustice.
"We have voices -- players, athletes. We have a platform and it's on us to use that. ... We need guys like that to use that," Gordon said about the NBA boycott. "We need guys like that to kind of step out of that comfort zone and help to make change."
Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon, left, greets safety Justin Simmons as they take part in drills during an NFL football practice, Aug. 28, 2020, in Englewood, Colo.
The decision to resume the NBA playoffs on Friday came Thursday after the league agreed to work with players on social reforms. This includes turning all team-owned NBA areas into safe, in-person voting centers on Election Day.
Several NFL teams announced they were canceling practices to meet and discuss issues of racial justice, including the Denver Broncos. Although Gordon said he's not planning on sitting out the NFL season, he did say it's a conversation that needs to be had, especially because he understands the fear that Black men have of police right now.
"If you're of color, I know you're afraid ... the wrong move, the slightest move, could be the last move you make, could be the last time you see your family -- anything!" Gordon said. "The fear I know is there, and I know that if you're of color, no matter what, you have any encounter with a cop, it's definitely going to come to your head like, 'OK, I have to be very aware and cautious of anything and everything I do at this particular moment because it might be my last.'"
The NFL and NFL Players Association released a joint statement reacting to Blake's shooting, supporting teams that have decided to cancel workouts.
"The NFL community is united more than ever to support one another in these challenging times. We share anger and frustration, most recently as a result of the shooting of Jacob Blake," the statement said. "While our passions continue to run high, we are proud that our players and clubs, League and Union, are taking time to have the difficult conversations about these issues that affect the Black community and other communities of color in America."
Gordon told ABC News he's been receiving thoughtful support from teammates and coaches who stand with him in his fight for racial justice.
"It's just guys having my back ... you know, getting text messages like [from] coaches, players, even [Commissioner] Roger Goodell reached out to me, and that meant a lot," said Gordon.
On the 57th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s "I Have a Dream" speech, thousands of Americans gathered in Washington, D.C., demanding racial justice.
"Martin Luther King's fighting this battle years ago," Gordon said, "and here we are today still fighting this battle."
