Larry Miller is a liberal Democrat’s worst nightmare.
For those unfamiliar with him, he is an executive for Nike and former team president of the Portland Trail Blazers. His life story is an astounding tale of redemption and perseverance. Convicted of murder as a teenager, he went from prison to becoming a multimillionaire. As such, his story is also the ultimate rebuttal to claims of systemic racism and ubiquitous white supremacy in the United States.
Larry Miller, a black man and convicted murderer, may never have achieved such success or affluence if he had listened to leftists, liberals, and Democrats. His success shows that the U.S. is hardly the racist dystopia they claim it is.
In 1965, Miller murdered a man in Philadelphia in an act of gang violence. He went to prison until he was about 30. He studied while behind bars and after his release earned an accounting degree from Temple University. From there, Miller has enjoyed amazing success. He climbed his way up to become vice president of Nike Basketball in 1997, president of the company’s famous Jordan brand in 1999, and then president of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers in 2006. He eventually returned to Nike and resumed his duties as president of the Jordan brand in 2012.
Despite having every disadvantage — a murder conviction is kind of a blot on one’s resume, after all — Miller succeeded as he did because he made specific life choices. He learned from his mistakes. He worked hard. He took advantage of the opportunities presented to him.
And today, he probably makes more money than the entire Philly neighborhood where he grew up. He exemplifies the American dream. His story is one of empowerment — a story that would be impossible if any of the claims made by those on the Left were true.
Miller shattered the image of hopelessness that leftists persistently place before racial minorities. His story should be celebrated, shared with anyone and everyone who has ever said minorities cannot succeed in the U.S.
