Paper Sample: Athletes Unite for Social Justice Awareness

Professional athletes have a fantastic talent with which they amass millions of supporters. Yet, sports still serve as a perfect alternative for creating awareness of social justice and advancing activism (Keiper 4). However, this does not seem to yield much despite the pressure from different channels and the need for a sudden change of character. The most recent killing of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd shifted attention to how much athletes have suffered without concern from authorities despite the role they play in coming up with policies that focus on enacting laws aimed at ensuring equity in all aspects of life (Keppel 1). In particular, the media has become the center of change through which athletes and other professional players seek justice. Advanced technology has led to a subsequent increase in connectivity between athletes and their fans; hence, the internet has shifted into an unexpected source of redemption for athletes facing various issues, especially those related to justice.

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Every citizen feels proud whenever their team wins or whenever an individual from their country makes it in a given sport. On the other hand, countries gain so much fame from the victory that eventually results in an attraction of investors and other channels that result in the betterment of the economy. However, the respective government seems not to reciprocate the athletes' efforts in giving the country big names. This shift of attention has brought on board well-wishers, either individuals or companies who have channeled massive donations into the sports industry, intending to use sports as a channel to enhance their businesses or other operations. Hence, athletes have eventually turned into slaves for individuals who are too selfish to appreciate their efforts. This paper aims to discuss social justice in sports and how athletes use the league as a platform for seeking change.

In the late 1960s, a number of stars, including Bill Russell, Jim Brown, and Lew Alcindor, joined hands in support of Muhammad Ali in Cleveland when he refused to be part of the fight during the Vietnam War (Goudsouzian 437). This was an act of solidarity by the then-greatest athletes gathering to defend Ali for losing his heavyweight title unlawfully for failing to conform to commands by a set of individuals. This group of widely admired black athletes believed that standing up for Ali when he needed help most, meant so much to the society who also admired Ali despite being hated by both black and white Americans, especially for joining the Nation of Islam and immediate objection to joining the army. This summit was quite a challenge because some of the attendants had been in the military before, while others had business enterprises at stake if they stood against the authorities. However, despite all these, Muhammad Ali’s sacrifices still earned him a chance to stand as an epitome of enhancing justice.

History has it that athletes play a major role in pushing for new legislation through direct actions or creating awareness to wider audiences when they channel positive energy into their influence. This is evident from a most recent act by NBA players who decided to wear T-shirts branded with “I Can’t Breathe” in 2014 as a sign of remembering Eric Garner through their influence on social media and the interviews contacted both before and after the matches while shedding more light on the case (Richardson & Ragland 27). This happened during the game between the Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers, with more than 300 protesters chanting, “I can’t breathe" to mimic Eric Garner's words when he was put in a chokehold by a white police officer in New York. With the entire world watching, such a simple act leads to sudden attention and pressure against the authorities who then have to address the protesters, the whole nation, or the world regarding the issue in question and the actions they intend to take to ensure that justice is served to the bereaved.

While remembering Garner, the athletes led the nation in remembering Michael Brown, another black teenager. He had died of white police brutality after he was shot despite being unarmed and insisting that the police officer should not shoot. These are two incidents, both of which the white police officers involved were not indicted despite indisputable evidence that they broke the law by taking innocent lives. It is difficult for specific individuals to rise to the occasion and condemn such acts for fear of victimization and intimidation. Still, it is easier to organize protests during national events such as games, which then creates attention and calls for immediate action from the authorities.

Racism is as much a concern in the sporting industry now as it was many decades back. Different leagues, including NFL, have expressed different opinions and options for handling issues related to racism raised by black athletes. Colin Kaepernick is the best example of an athlete who received punishment by the league for rightfully standing up for justice. Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem to show solidarity to black athletes who had been victims of police brutality (Coombs et al., 1). Like other predecessors who had stood up against the authorities, he had to bear the consequences. Despite doing what was symbolic from the national anthem by exercising the act of liberty and peaceful protest, jerry Jones owner of Dallas Cowboys took this as an unpatriotic act and subjected Kaepernick to blackballing and tagging him as a troublemaker.

Like any other country, a nation founded on protests still depends on demonstration as a fundamental tool for ensuring democracy prevails. While racist believed that Kaepernick disrespected the men and women who have sacrificed for the lives of the fellow citizens by not sparing a moment for a salute to the flag, there is still a need for a broader look at the incident. Peaceful protest makes the targets uncomfortable but does not exempt them from sparing a moment to listen to the truth and ensure justice is served to the victims. Kaepernick fails to act like other rich men who find this more of a blind spot because none of them loses a loved one to police brutality without the perpetrators facing justice and paying dully for their action. Despite a majority of the players being black, the lack of black owners still subjects the black athletes to ownership by the rich white masters.

The actions and events resulting from Kaepernick’s confidence indicate a repetition of history. In 1968, Carlos John and Tommie Smith protested during the Summer Games by raising their fists on the Olympic podium in Mexico City (Loosbrock 340). Peter Norman, an Australian athlete, supported them later in solidarity, which made him lose his career. These events created another channel for future protests that would see similar or improvised acts like that of Kaepernick. This happened during the peak of racial tensions in the US, with the Black Power Movement being given way by the Civil Rights Movement. The Civil Rights Movement had been passive in most of its dealings despite the injustice and unfairness faced by blacks from all over the US. This called for action to ensure pride in the black skin through active protests advocating for an end to acts of racism.

Social media's use continues to gain more impact in the fight for justice, especially for the black, despite the constant fight for justice being so unjust. A video with star players, including Saquon Barkley, Patrick Mahomes, Odell Beckham Junior, and other players from the NFL forced the league officials to acknowledge their unfairness to players, especially the blacks (Wood et al., 28). This extended the frequent exposure of the NFL for failing to address matters of discrimination against blacks. This video was such a success because it made the league speak up on matters relating to treating the black like slaves, especially those who ever chose to stand up against the oppression of the blacks.

Like any other industry, athletes are building on such experiences to raise their concerns on seeking better treatment for standing up against injustice towards others. The criticism and attention that results from being exposed to the media tend to yield more fruits than any other method that has been used to voice concerns (Kamberidou 90).

It is difficult to get a lasting solution because of the authorities, but the people who interact with the blacks day by day do not spread the injustice. It is incredible how Drew Brees, Kaepernick's teammate, gives a comment that is so off base upon being asked to comment on kneeling during the national anthem (Coombs et al., 3). When this goes viral on the media, people from all over the world criticize him, including fans, media, and fellow players. Upon creating so much attention, Brees realized how much damage he had caused and apologized, indicating how uninformed his comments were. From this experience, Brees took up the challenge and decided to educate his media followers on racism and the need to treat every citizen with equity and as a normal human. The overall impact of this on the league creates a chance for change from all angles of administration.

However, it is hard to determine whether every move being taken by the league or the players are genuine. For example, people would argue that Brees' idea of educating his followers on issues related to racism, which has existed for centuries in the US, is a mere cover-up aiming at saving his public figure. On the other hand, he risks his position in the league by pointing out sensitive issues like racism and going against his previous stand against Kaepernick's actions. His initial comment was in line with Jerry's thoughts, and if he were acting out of cowardice, he would not have withdrawn his previous sentiments. Through the league, the athletes seek to make all white people understand the truth about the impact of racism towards blacks despite the impact they have on the growth of the economy through their activities and labor.

In recent times, women have also paid dearly for standing up against the authorities and using the league to voice their concerns. Renee Montgomery and Maya Moore had to withdraw from the WNBA competition to focus on issues emanating from t...