Kareem Abdul-Jabbar defends protests

(CNN)Thousands of Americans took to the streets this weekend in nationwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, but millions more sat at home, watching the protests unravel on their TVs.
A glance at Twitter and other social media will show varying opinions on the protests, with many focused on protesters' supposed disregard for social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic, as well as some on the looting and violence.
But Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar defended the protests in a powerful op-ed for the Los Angeles Times on Saturday, writing that while he doesn't want to see stores looted or buildings burned, the protests are the result of what happens when black Americans have been pushed to their tipping point.
"African Americans have been living in a burning building for many years, choking on the smoke as the flames burn closer and closer. Racism in America is like dust in the air. It seems invisible -- even if you're choking on it -- until you let the sun in. Then you see it's everywhere," Abdul-Jabbar wrote.