How athletes can contribute to social justice reform
In 2020, we are still battling inequality and racism in the United States. You would think by now, all men and women would be equal, and justice would be served in the court of law. There has been racial injustices that has occurred in this country that dates back to slavery, which is what the foundation of this country was built on, so how can there truly be equality, if the foundation of this country was founded on the dehumanization of black and brown people?
We are still fighting a war. A war that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Malcom X and countless of other people tried to fight years ago during the civil rights movement and other movements that fought to end racial discrimination and gain equal rights for blacks.
With the access of social media, more incidents of police killing black men and women and an increase of police brutality is being seen, bringing the heinous crimes to light. The black lives movement, in comparison to the civil rights movement, fights to bring justice to alleged incidents of police brutality through protest.
Some have questioned the efforts and voices of celebrities and athletes and where are they when it’s their voices that could help the cause?
In 1968, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists at the Olympics during the national anthem, as a salute for human rights. In 2016, Colin Kaepernick kneeled at football games during the national anthem to protest police brutality and social justice. As a result, leaving the 49ers in 2016, it was alleged that Kaepernick was blackballed from the NFL for his on-field political statements. However, now that ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests have erupted nationwide due to the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, there are talks that the free agent may get signed to a team.
Kaepernick, Smith, and Carlos put their career on the line to stand up to what they believed in and bring awareness to social justice reform. Here’s one way that other athletes can contribute to social justice reform.