Former NBA star Charles Barkley is tearing into politicians for driving a wedge between Americans for their own benefit.
“Man, I think most white people and Black people are great people,” Barkley said during a CBS broadcast of the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament Saturday.
He continued, “I really believe that in my heart, but I think our system is set up where our politicians, whether they’re Republicans or Democrats, are designed to make us not like each other so they can keep their grasp of money and power. They divide and conquer.”
Barkley explained he “truly” believes “most white people and Black people are awesome people.”
He added, “But we’re so stupid following our politicians whether they’re Republicans or Democrats, and their only job is, ‘Hey, let’s make these people not like each other.”
Watch his comments below:
Charles Barkley is the best pic.twitter.com/JR2LrLDf4l
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“‘We don’t live in their neighborhoods, we all got money, let’s make the whites and Blacks not like each other, let’s make rich people and poor people not like each other, let’s scramble the middle class.’ I truly believe that in my heart,” Barkley said.
This is not the first time Barkley has expressed his frustration with both political parties. The hall of famer said in 2019 both Democrats and Republicans “suck” when it comes to standing up for the Black community.
When taking aim at former President Donald Trump, Barkley said he has an “anger management problem.”
Touching on how “all politicians take black folks for granted,” Barkley explained, “They talk to black folks every four years, and that’s about it. How they’re going to make our lives better, and then do nothing about it.”