Athletes & Inequality: Sustained Argument
In the more recent sports news world, many controversies have come and gone: the storm of the Tiger Woods affairs, the O. J. Simpson murder case, and the many more scandals that followers of the sports media won’t ever forget. As these pass by over time, there is one specific controversy that goes all the way back to the foundation of sports but is still very present, and that is the human desire to protest. Aside from sports, racial equality is something this world has always lacked, which is one of the main concerns that many athletes choose to speak out and fight for.
On April 28, 1967, boxing champion Muhammad Ali protested against racial inequality by refusing to be inducted into the U.S. Army as he was “immediately stripped of his heavyweight title” (Muhammad Ali Refuses Army Induction). Ali simply did not believe in fighting for a country that treated him unequally, but he still faced the consequences, including huge backlash from many people of the white race. As Ali is greatly remembered as a man with strong words for what he did, he is a great example of how important this controversial topic is, standing as one of the first athletes to ever protest.
Now we are living in the 21st century, where a good amount of our United States population believe that because many changes, including new laws, have been made by the government to help fix this issue, racial inequality is non-existent. Yeah, the First Amendment states that we have the right of free expression and action, including “freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and freedom of religion” (Dictionary.com). But take a good look around, discrimination and oppression against people of color are still very prevalent in today’s society, which explains why some athletes have recently decided to follow Muhammad Ali’s footsteps by acting upon this constitutional right.
One major act of protest that has been going on for many years in society is the burning the American Flag of the American Flag, a flag that is meant to represent “equality”. President-elect Donald J. Trump recently shared his feelings about it in an article written by Charlie Savage called, “Trump Calls for Revoking Flag Burners’ Citizenship. Court Rulings Forbid It”, proposing that “Americans who protest government policies by burning the flag could lose their citizenship” (Savage). Even though these citizens are only living up to their right of the First Amendment, people with higher authority have negative views on it, including Trump.
When professional athletes participate in their freedom of speech by protesting societal issues, we must take a look at the reactions and backlashing comments that come from all the different groups of society: sports fans, people of the media, patriotic families, etc. Consequently, many different views are formed on whether these athletes are in the right place to protest, shaping two main opposing sides. Of course there is the side that disagrees with them using their platform to make a difference and believe that they are only generating more corruption. U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaks on this side of the argument when saying that some of these athletes are “arrogant” and that she has been “offended by their actions” (GINSBURG: Kaepernick’s protest is ‘dumb and disrespectful’).
On the other hand, there is an existing side that supports the movement these athletes are trying to make and feel that they deserve to act upon societal issues by addressing their concerns and aspiration for change. Following the fact that most athletic protests involve raising awareness on the issue of inequality, this side of the controversy contains people who are already aware that this is actually a very serious issue and are ready to seek change.
I am sure that the many reasons that fall under both sides of this debate make valid points. As an educated individual, the willingness to research both arguments and being entirely open to all sides of an issue is essential. Although the act of athletes protesting can understandably be offensive and disrespectful towards the beliefs of others who are not affected by the issue being protested, it simply can not compare to the amount of disrespect that these athletes, the ones who are being affected, feel when they are continuously mistreated away from their athletic fame and within society. When society calls for a change, athletes should protest because change will never happen unless somebody speaks up. And who ever is to say that they are wrong for doing so is refusing to respect their right of free speech.
Sympathy for the victims
Not everybody will be able to comprehend that there are particular issues, such as racism and inequality, that need to be addressed and accounted for because they are not the ones witnessing them in a first person view. Though, these issues are actually life threatening and the majority of these supporters are actually victims of these societal issues who do not have as loud of a voice as a professional athlete.
Take Gerald Harris, an African-American father of two sons who live and work in San Francisco, for an example. Harris, in response to professional football player Colin Kaepernick’s protest, wrote the article, “What Colin Kaepernick’s Protest Looks Like to a Black 49ers Fan,” sharing his view on why he supports and respects the athlete for his actions of not standing for the flag during the national anthem. Like many other citizens in America, he sees himself as a target due to all the police brutality incidents that have happened recently, feeling terrified for his life because of his skin color. He explains, “As an African-American father of two sons who live or work in San Francisco, I fear their lives, or mine, might be taken unjustly in a confrontation with the police…” (Harris).
It is clear that something needs to change, but first, awareness must be raised. Supporters of this particular protest see that Kaepernick is fighting against the oppression of black people when he refuses to stand for a flag that represents “equality” in America. His actions, along with some other athletes, let people know that there is in fact inequality that still exists. This example justifies why athletes should be honored for speaking out and having their voice heard.
Let them be humans
I came across one of the more convincing arguments that backs up athletes’ right to protest as I continued to read more of Harris’s article. He makes a very important case that they are human like everyone else and that we should not be “surprised when one of our heroes turns out to be a real person with feelings” (What Colin Kaepernick’s Protest Looks Like to a Black 49ers Fan). Many sports fans on the opposing side would obviously love to see athletes stick to their profession and not get involved in societal issues whatsoever, but this statement touches on why many sports fans falsely envision athletes.
They are often viewed as superior to us humans because of their fame and talent that we, as sports fans, idolize so much. When we think of a likable player, the first thought that comes to mind is the excitement we get when watching them play, how they may arguably be one of the best in the game, or how cool their style is compared to other players. Why is it that we do not also consider the characteristics that players have off the field?
Fans obtain satisfaction when a player scores the game winning point, run, or touchdown, but instinctively becomes disappointed when a player also strives to win off the field.
Serena Williams, a professional woman’s tennis player, makes a difference off the court by receiving “multiple awards for her charitable work” (Chloe). Along with many other athletes, Serena has put in effort to benefit our society by being a part of inspirational acts of kindness. Athletes who choose to protest issues, such as racism or inequality, are also trying benefit the atmosphere of our society, just in a different way. If athletes are potentially trying to reach the same goal off the field, we must learn to accept all the the different ways of getting there.
We need a leader
Another reason that stands out to me is that many people are longing for their chance to be part of a social movement, but will not initiate action until somebody else takes charge. While facing the reality that we naturally place professional athletes on a much higher pedestal, they are in the perfect position to take on that leadership role. Athletes are known to have this type of platform, where anything that they say or do is revealed by the media and talked about as if they are the only ones doing or saying these things.
As many of us are embarrassed to admit, we still look forward to see which athlete one of the Kardashians are going to date next or invest time into finding out if the majority of people find Messi to be more attractive than Cristiano Ronaldo. In all seriousness, it is not the athletes fault that this is how they are talked about by the media, but we must agree that their platforms could be put to better use.
An ABC News Article, “Study Says Kids Emulate Athletes,” shared some data results from a study that is applicable to my point that athletes are capable of being the leader that many of us are waiting to see. It is said that 73% of kids ranked famous athletes among the most admired people in their lives (Ziemer). The majority of this article shares more data that explains how kids are being negatively influenced by famous athletes, but this statistic proves that there is a substantial amount of young eyes focused on these athletes. That is to say that many people with similar views would not think twice about standing behind an athlete’s protest on a societal issue.
We all deserve protection
Although people may only think athletes are trying to make a society a better place by protesting, it is much deeper than that, to a point where this is there only way to fight for safety without creating more violence. Even though equality has come a long way, people of color are still put in life or death situations because of their skin color. None of us ever know when our lives will be taken away from us, but the possibilities are sadly much higher if you are a person of color, and the same goes for athletes of color.
Just because they have a different kind of job than us, they are still working Americans. When their shift is over for the day and it is time for them to head home, they hope to go home and see all the faces of family members they love. Even though we do not see it, they go home with the same types of fears, shedding the same kinds of tears.
Well known NBA point guard for the Chicago Bulls, Derek Rose, was not afraid to speak out on his personal thoughts about police brutality. In the article, “8 athletes Explain Why Their Protest Matters,” Rose says, “I don’t want my son growing up being scared of the police or having the thought that something like that could happen… It’s sad that people lose their lives over that.”
No doubt, Rose is an outstanding basketball player to watch on the court, but this quote shows people that he is also a man looking for protection. When an athlete protests, it is meant to improve society, but it is also their way of crying for help.
What should we do?
In conclusion, it is a no brainer that athletes will continue to face backlash for their actions, but the ones who are able to look past it are only going to continue to fight for what society needs. While they come up with new and creative ways to speak out to the people, what are we doing to make society a better place?
We can of course go on with our everyday lives, which includes watching sports for entertainment, but we can not keep walking away from situations that involve facing disagreement and negative judgments by others. If we really want to see change happen, we must come together and build off of one another. It starts with the little things, such researching current social movements and how you can be involved. Professional athletes know what they are getting themselves into, but they hope that people will eventually wake up and help them raise awareness by being a part of the movement and taking action.
Societal issues draw fear into every single one of us in some way, shape or form. Protesting these issues can be just as scary, just do not let it stop you. If your goals do not scare you, they are not big enough.
Works Cited:
By Chloe Foster, and Chloe Foster I Work in Public Relations, Social Media, and Sports Promotions. I Also Enjoy Envisioning How Organizations Can Use Social Media to Enhance Thei. “Chloe Foster.” NPOIO. N.p., 25 Aug. 2016. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.
Greenberg, Chris. “8 Athletes Explain Why Their Protest Matters.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.
Harris, Gerald. “What Colin Kaepernick’s Protest Looks Like to a Black 49ers Fan.” The New York Times. The Opinion Pages, 31 Aug. 2016. Web.
“Muhammad Ali Refuses Army Induction.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2016.
Savage, Charlie. “Trump Calls for Revoking Flag Burners’ Citizenship. Court Rulings Forbid It.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 29 Nov. 2016. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.
Sheth, Sonam. “GINSBURG: Kaepernick’s Protest Is ‘dumb and Disrespectful’” Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 10 Oct. 2016. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
“The Definition of First Amendment.” Dictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.
ZIEMER, TRACY L. “Study Says Kids Emulate Athletes.” ABC News. ABC News Network, 13 Oct. 2000. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.
