In response to the recent death of Eric Garner, who was
placed in a choke hold by a police officer while he was being arrested, many
athletes in the NBA have shown support by wearing t-shirts with the phrase “I
can’t breathe” on them. The altercation
between Garner and the police officer was video taped by an onlooker and the
tape shows that Garner was saying “I can’t breathe” after being placed in the
choke hold. This is a beautiful thing
about the country we live in today. We
can all peacefully protest and stand up for what we believe in.
Kobe
Bryant, one of the athletes who has worn one of these shirts, was quoted on
ESPN.com saying, “It's important that we have our opinions. It's important that
we stand up for what we believe in and we all don't have to agree with it and
it's completely fine. That's what makes this a beautiful country.” He brings a very important point to light,
and that is that we all do not have to agree on the same topics. What makes America so beautiful is the fact
that one can stand up for what one personally thinks is right. It does not have to be agreed upon by the
American public. The message here is
that people need to stand up for what they believe in to change the culture we
live in today.
It is important
for Americans to take advantage of the platforms they are given to speak out
for what they believe in. These NBA
players are huge celebrities in American culture and are watched by millions of
people weekly on TV. What better way to
stand up for what they believe in than wearing a t-shirt with a simple phrase
on it? These games are nationally televised
all across the country. It is
brilliant. These players have been using
the gifts they are given and the opportunities they have to stand up for what
they believe is right. It is something
so simple that can have a huge impact.
We as
Americans need to find the talents we have, and use these to change our country
for the better. We are being called to
speak out against violence, and racism, and sexism, and so many other issues that
plague our country today. It is in our
hands to eradicate hate and violence from the communities we are involved with
every single day.
What I found interesting about the wearing of the shirts is the criticism these athletes were receiving from people protesting on the streets. Many were quick to jump on them for not using their role as black men who were constantly in the spotlight to take a stand for their own beliefs on a major platform. I too had begun to become curious as to why so many were choosing to remain silent at a time when outrage was so high. I'm happy to see that some are finally speaking out for their community and that they are using their public image to promote political and societal change.
ReplyDeleteWhat i have found sad is the typical reaction to athletes speaking out on societal issues. Derrick Rose, the first to wear the "I Cant Breathe" Shirts was chastised by Chicago sports writers and pundits, indicating he was not capable of understanding what exactly he was trying to express. The Rams players who put their hands up were criticized by Mike Ditka of ESPN for making a football game political, casually ignoring the military fight jets that fly over every football game. Athletes are people too and hopefully the idiots who criticize them for standing up are stripped of their voice to express their ignorant opinions.
ReplyDeleteTyler Jones
DeleteI am very glad that Derrick Rose started this trend, which later caught on with other big name players like Lebron James, Kevin Garnett, and Kyrie Irving. These players have a very wide reach and can influence many people. These players are huge name players and there are kids all across the country, and even the world, who admire them and want to be like them and what better way to influence them by standing up for something that needs to be addressed and changed in our country. I hope this push by athletes keeps progressing and doesn't simmer out as the season goes on.
ReplyDelete