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MMA fighter Michael Chandler is facing backlash over comments he made on how he's raising his two Black adopted sons.
During a recent episode of "The Shawn Ryan Show," Chandler, who welcomed son Hap in 2017 and Ace in 2022, suggested he's taking a colorblind approach to raising his two Black children.
“I’m not raising black children, I’m raising children,” Chandler said.
“Whether you are black or you are white, no matter what race that you are, there are certain things about being a man and being a good man when it comes to character and integrity and safeguarding the helpless and sticking up for those who need it,” the UFC fighter continued. “Being a good man, a good man of reputation, none of that has to do with skin color. Everything has to do with the character of the man. Probably not an answer that some people would say is important but that’s where the world has gone.”
“Where we think that the most important thing about us is our skin color or our gender or our political affiliation or all these different identity politics or the identities that we put on each other, when really we’re just human beings on this earth. And there are certain things about being a good person that transcend skin color, and age and sex and religion," he added.
Several social media users disagreed with Chandler's stance on raising Black children.
"I respect you adopting and raising those boys BUT you need to acknowledge their blackness. You may not see color but Trust me the world does. And you’re setting them up for failure with that mentality. God bless your family tho," one X user tweeted.
"You might have good intentions but you're wrong. Those boys are Black. They should know Black history. They should know that they might not see color but the world does. You should answer them honestly when they ask the question," a second user said.
"You are raising Black children. Your perspective is not the perspective of the world they will be living in. Don’t be selfish. Prepare them and let them know Black is beautiful too. Please. Their lives depend on it," a third person commented.
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