Four years after Colin Kaepernick took the knee that reverberated around the world, other NFL, NBA and some MLB players’ water has finally broke and they seemingly are ready to join together to help give birth to a new, racist-free era in America. To be sure, the gestation period was indeed long, but it probably would have been even longer if not for the insistence of voices like LeBron James, who used his bully pulpit in a consistent and forceful manner.
Now Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is taking up the challenge and speaking out in regards to what he thinks needs to be done to right the American Ship of State. And while I appreciate any and all efforts to finally bring the long-running nightmare of racism in this country to an end, Myles is out of his league (excuse the pun) when it comes to solutions to racism.
His suggestion was that hate speech should be outlawed — and while I’m in sympathy with that notion, the First Amendment has to remain sacrosanct. Indeed, while I might not like it, I would not want to outlaw the right of some racist to call me a nigger. I might kick his ass, but that’s a personal decision, not one mandated or approved by the government.
Nonetheless, if professional athletes really want to do something to advance the fairness agenda, they probably should not sit around the locker room having skull sessions, at least not without proper guidance. The players’ unions should take the lead and bring in black thought leaders — people like Michael Eric Dyson, Ibram X. Kendi, Ta-Nehisi Coates. Hell, even I could outline a course of action that in the end would be more productive than what they can come up with on their own.
The simple fact is, black athletes are (or can be) the most impactful and effective influencers on the demographic that can, if engaged, help to bring about the changes we must have in this country. Someone has to explain to these athletes that the only way to bring about an end — or at least a drastic reduction — to police brutality is to change the politics of the nation, and to do that tRump must first be ousted. And for that to happen we need everyone in the black community voting.
Face it, the least registered group of folk in the country are black and brown youth — the group pro athletes can have the most influence over. What these now “woke” professionals need to do is get out into the neighborhoods and kick ass and take names if that’s what it takes to get these young people registered to vote, fill out a census form, and then make sure they get their asses to the polls. This is completely doable with a well thought-out and executed plan.
The problem of course is, if a survey were to be taken to determine how many of these pampered men/boys are actually registered to vote, the resulting figures would be most likely be dismal and disheartening. But it’s not too late. They could host meet-and-greet events at the Board of Elections around the country (while they register too); they could fan out to recreation centers all over inner cities and give away signed Air Jordans and jerseys to encourage registration. Indeed, the methods whereby they could become seriously engaged and really help to bring about a change in America is literally endless.
All they need is a bit of guidance — some coaching.
