I'm a Fighter

Taylor: If you go out there holding that sign up, they’re pulling their sponsorship.

Jordan: Which one?

Taylor: All of them! You are a boxer, Jordan. That is who you are, that is what you do. Nobody cares about your political opion.

Jordan: This isn’t politics.

Taylor: All you have to do is go out there and do your job. You need to be thinking about this fight right now, nothing else matters!

Jordan: This matters! Taylor is taken aback. He looks at her now.

Jordan: I’m a boxer. That’s what I do. But that’s not who I am. That’s not all I am. And if we keep letting the world treat us this way, that’s all I’ll ever be and nothing will change. People are dying. Black people are dying! For no other reason than the color of our skin and if I just go out there and say nothing... well it still says somethin. It says it doesn’t matter. It’s not important enough. But it is!

Taylor: You don’t think I understand? That I think this shit is fair? But what’s better?

Taylor: 2. You go out there, you fight, and you make your money. Enough to support your family. You know the life of a boxer isn’t long. You gotta make as much as you can while you can. Or... you can go out there and throw it all away. And for what? For someone else? You will loose everything, Jordan. Don’t you get that? No one is asking you to make that sacrifice. I don’t want you to. Your family doesn’t.

Jordan: I’ve got to do what’s right. If I’m not doing what I think is right and I play by everyone else’s rules, then who am I? I’ve lost already. Jordan gets up and starts for the door.

(Jordan stops)

Taylor: So you’re gonna throw it away. For this?! You do this thing, you lose everything! And you know what will have changed? Nothing. This shit is gonna keep happening anyway. Jordan looks at her and pauses.

Jordan: Maybe. Maybe not. But I know this. If I do nothing, nothing will change. I’m a fighter, Taylor. I gotta fight. Jordan turns and walks out. Taylor watches him leave. She sighs, scared, but proud.