I find it ironic in some respects about how many great black athletes are willing to ally their name to teams and communities that are horrific racial discriminators. As if they are not in the same dimension. What does it tell me about these athletes who would lend their acquiescence of racism in order for themselves to have a better chance to succeed? The fans who watch these athletes coexist with racism as if it was no priority have the luxury of hating others while rooting for their teams to win despite the others being the most of the best players on their teams. These fans in the racial communities are being enabled to keep their racism as long as they don't use it against their teams.
I know how hard it is for for black athletes to sacrifice their futures for a greater good that brings them no closer to their own individual prosperity, yet if they would consider that no matter who they played for they would still be great athletes. In college sports, such as football and basketball, this is quite evident by the success of teams embedded in racial heritage. If each black athlete were to weigh the dynamic of their names being affiliated with discrimination of their communities and states they should realize that nothing will change until they also make a stand against racial injustice. None of us is immune. Even me, a white older man is just as responsible to making our society more equal, fair and just. For me, and it should be for all of us, we are all deserving of respect and dignity when we have not abused it.
Our nation is so dependent upon our sports to distract us from the very real problems we face in our economics, politics and social lives. Using our sports as a platform to face down racism is an excellent way to further the cause of our most admired and courageous leaders who fought against slavery and racism with their treasure and ultimately their lives. Our great black athletes need to reboot how they think about teams they wish to join not from a personal success advantage but from a stand that faces down the convenience of racism to exist behind the shadows of acquiescence.
I know how hard it is for for black athletes to sacrifice their futures for a greater good that brings them no closer to their own individual prosperity, yet if they would consider that no matter who they played for they would still be great athletes. In college sports, such as football and basketball, this is quite evident by the success of teams embedded in racial heritage. If each black athlete were to weigh the dynamic of their names being affiliated with discrimination of their communities and states they should realize that nothing will change until they also make a stand against racial injustice. None of us is immune. Even me, a white older man is just as responsible to making our society more equal, fair and just. For me, and it should be for all of us, we are all deserving of respect and dignity when we have not abused it.
Our nation is so dependent upon our sports to distract us from the very real problems we face in our economics, politics and social lives. Using our sports as a platform to face down racism is an excellent way to further the cause of our most admired and courageous leaders who fought against slavery and racism with their treasure and ultimately their lives. Our great black athletes need to reboot how they think about teams they wish to join not from a personal success advantage but from a stand that faces down the convenience of racism to exist behind the shadows of acquiescence.
No comments:
Post a Comment