Using Sports as a Platform for Social Activism

American sports have a far-ranging appeal to individuals around the world. In almost any country, one can find a stranger wearing a New York Yankees hat or a Los Angeles Lakers jersey. In my travels, I have found that merchants in nearly every country appeal to tourists with local goods incorporating American sporting franchises. American sports athletes are now well known throughout the world. According to Business Insider, “the percentage of NBA players who were born outside the United States is nearing 30%.” MLB.com states, “Of the 856 players on Opening Day rosters…241 were born outside the 50 states, a 28.2 percentage.” American sport athletes are no longer confined to the traditional American market, which requires them to understand the complexity of their job. Athletes can no longer act only in the interest of their trade; they are also tasked with acting as international role models. The definition of a role model varies from person to person, but Merriam-Webster defines it as, “a person whose behavior in a particular role is imitated by others.” Athletes are tasked with providing for their community in a variety of ways, and their actions are constantly monitored, especially in the age of social media.

Beginning in 2016, Colin Kaepernick decided to kneel during the National Anthem before NFL games. Kaepernick’s actions aren’t dissimilar to those taken by many young athletes. During youth sports, teams kneel in solidarity with the injured player. The New York Times describes this phenomenon as, “an acknowledgement of the vulnerable humanity that, for the moment, has been obscured by the intense competition of the game…a gesture of self-surrender before the greater reality of human suffering.” The timing of Kaepernick’s kneeling has provoked a strong backlash, as the National Anthem has always provided Americans with a sense of unity regardless of current events and differences. September 11th, 2001 is the most recent large-scale terror attack on the United States’ homeland. First responders raised the flag at Ground Zero to unite the spirits of all Americans. Some will argue that the flag is representative of American Constitutional values, like the 1st amendment and the right to protest, while others will argue that it represents American Constitutional values, but the flag should never be disrespected as countless American heroes have sacrificed their lives to protect our rights. This issue has become partisan. According to Reuter’s poll, 88 percent of Republicans, 47 percent of Independents, and only 29 percent of Democrats disagree with Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the National Anthem. CNN notes, “72 percent of Americans thought his display was ‘unpatriotic.’” While the timing of Kaepernick’s protests seems generally condemned, he is within his right to kneel, “to protest police violence against African-Americans, they are making a gesture of pain and distress.” This leads one to question how professional athletes can utilize their platform to address the pressing social issues of our time.

Social activism is about establishing a grass roots campaign based on a shared set of ideas. Social media, especially Twitter, is a popular tool utilized by athletes to express themselves. Colin Kaepernick and some NFL players chose to silently protest by kneeling during the National Anthem, while others instead stood with their fist raised high. Athletes, like LeBron James, have appeared on the campaign trail with Presidential nominees, such as Former First Lady Hillary Clinton. NFL players have most recently stood in solidarity with one another by linking arms, as a signal that an attack on one player is an attack on all players. President Trump referred to athletes who kneel during the Anthem as “son of a bitch” protestors. Clearly, there are many ways to express stances on social issues, but kneeling during the National Anthem appears as the least patriotic and most divisive. The Seattle Seahawks created the Seahawks Players Equality & Justice for All Action fund, which is “a charity fund that will benefit education and leadership programs that fight inequality and promote justice.” This concept seems extremely important as it provides assistance for those in need and abstains from open political activism. It also allows the Seahawks players to volunteer and give back some of their salary to their community. Americans often view sports as one of the few refuges from politics. In an increasingly political world, it is refreshing to be able to enjoy entertainment without being lectured on political issues.

“When Deshaun was 9, he went to a Halloween church function for underprivileged kids. Deann later searched her son’s candy and found a pamphlet for Habitat for Humanity, the charity that provides affordable housing for those in need…Deshaun tells his story about growing up in a Habitat for Humanity home to young kids in South Carolina. If he can accomplish something from a Habitat home, so can you, Deshaun tells kids.”

Athletes often come from difficult backgrounds and their stories provide hope for those in difficult circumstances. Many young children look up to various athletes including JJ Watt and Deshaun Watson. Athletes can teach children about community activism, and discuss the work ethic required to become a professional athlete. In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, JJ Watt established the JJ Watt Foundation with an initial goal of $200,000 in aid to victim of the hurricane, however in two weeks the foundation raised over $33 million. “The foundation’s website states only that ‘every dollar’ will be ‘put to work for the people in the devastated areas in and around Houston.’” Watt’s teammate, Deshaun Watson, has also given back to his hurricane-ravaged community. According to NFL.com, “Watson had given his game-check to three cafeteria workers who lost everything in Hurricane Harvey…’ his mindset is, he’s really trying to encourage others for how to act in a similar situation.’” Watson is the rookie quarterback for the Houston Texans and he most recently won the College Football National Championship game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2017. Watson’s commitment to public service and social activism stems from his troubled upbringing. Watson and his siblings grew up in a government-subsidized housing project in Gainesville, Georgia. He “spent the first 11 years of his life, an environment he says had drug dealers.” “When Deshaun was 9, he went to a Halloween church function for underprivileged kids. Deann later searched her son’s candy and found a pamphlet for Habitat for Humanity, the charity that provides affordable housing for those in need…Deshaun tells his story about growing up in a Habitat for Humanity home to young kids in South Carolina. If he can accomplish something from a Habitat home, so can you, Deshaun tells kids.” Watson and Watt are both superior examples of exemplar community service leaders. These two model athletes utilize their profound influence to strengthen and unify their community.

Athletes come from a variety of economic, social, racial and religious backgrounds, which they utilize to promote concepts and ideas that have a profound influence on their lives. Some athletes prefer expressing their support for certain causes during their sporting events, while others prefer to perform community outreach outside of the sporting events. Both types of social activist athletes are within their right to promote causes they care about, so long as their league allows such behavior. Some expressions of activism are more divisive than others, however real change will always make some uncomfortable in order to benefit the greater good. It is important to understand the complexity of athletes’ backgrounds and to acknowledge different perspectives, while maintaining the integrity of sporting events.