12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and killed by a police officer on Nov. 22, 2014, in Cleveland, Ohio. On Dec. 28, 2015, a grand jury chose not to indict the police officers responsible for the shooting. Shortly after this news broke, social media created the hashtag #NoJusticeNoLebron, encouraging Cleveland Cavaliers megastar LeBron James to boycott playing in protest of the non-indict for Tamir’s death.
When asked about a potential protest, LeBron admitted he didn’t have “enough knowledge” to participate in a boycott. Previously, LeBron has spoken out in solidarity with Trayvon Martin’s case and Eric Garner’s, but he has never boycotted an NBA game. But what is LeBron’s and other star athlete’s true responsibility?
Jim Brown. Muhammad Ali. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Three powerful black men that stood up in the face of racial and social adversity in the prime of their careers. Let’s add some context — all of these players performed during the Civil Rights era. Unfortunately, our athletes today are playing in one of the most socially turbulent times in modern U.S. history. But what makes these athletes different than their predecessors? Money.
Michael Jordan is one of the most powerful men in the United States and he has a strong stance against speaking on social issues. Why? The money. MJ is not going to isolate anyone from buying his tennis shoes based on his thoughts on police brutality. But even Jordan didn’t play during anything as publicly visible and polarizing as Mike Brown, Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland and a host of other racial provocative issues and incidents. Even the NBA has spoken out against gun violence — that’s a powerful statement if you think about it.
So should we force players like LeBron to speak out in protest for the black community? No. An activist, a leader or a spokesperson for a particular issue or group should be passionate and knowledgeable about whatever they’re advocating. Black people don’t need uninformed athletes speaking out against issues they know nothing about. Etan Thomas wrote a letter to Richard Sherman about his Black Lives Matter comments back in September of last year. Thomas is using his former platform correctly, but his comments will never have the same impact as LeBron’s.
It sucks we must have this conversation, but it’s a reality for the world we live in today. I would rather see athlete’s take the Jalen Rose route and start a school. Words matter, and they help, but actions go a lot farther. Sports aren’t just games; they’re a way of life. And the victims of police brutality are not just names; they’re mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. Our obsession with celebrity forces us to hold athletes to a standard they might not be able to reach but their influence our world is strong.
