Like it or Not, Sports are Making a Difference

By Liam Wirsansky on August 29, 2020

The sports industry seemingly continues to make headlines even as society navigates through an unprecedented era of mass sociopolitical and environmental turmoil, all intersecting with a massive global pandemic that has taken the lives of thousands worldwide and threatens millions more. America, falling short of their claim to be a world leader or the fact that they are nowhere near equipped to handle these dangerous and divisive times, is somehow more focused on sports. For a while, it seemed to offer a realm of entertainment and escape after a highly anticipated return from an adjustment period to the COVID-19 crisis, but recent events, such as the league wide NBA playoff protest and walk out, have completely turned the sports world on top of its head and made a difference in the process.

Let me be clear, what players, coaches, officials, analysts, and staff are doing is nothing short of courageous, as they demand for attention and support to be cast on the ongoing fight against the unjust police brutality against black individuals that continue to make headlines on a seemingly weekly to daily basis. The latest incident to spark a massive eruption nationwide occurred in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Sunday, August 23rd, when Jacob Blake, a black man who had just broken up a fight and was walking back to a car after police had arrived onto the scene, was shot seven times in the back in front of his own children by police officer Rusten Sheskey. After videos of the shooting that were taken by a bystander went viral worldwide, massive unrest shook the city of Kenosha as people all over town took to the streets to protest the violence that had just occurred at the hands of the police.

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In response to these protests, 17-year old Kyle Rittenhouse, a self-described militia member whose mother drove him from Illinois across state lines to Kenosha with a loaded AR-15, took matters into his own hands when he shot three protesters and killed two of them. Rittenhouse then consciously and freely walked away from the scene, was given water by a police officer, and then made his way back home to Illinois before being arrested and charged with first-degree intentional homicide and five other charges for his actions in Kenosha. He now awaits trial and his atrocious deeds have sparked mass polarization, with many touting his actions or defending them as self-defense. Meanwhile, Blake continues treatment in a hospital for his wounds, now paralyzed from the waist down and shackled in handcuffs to his bed.

With a full slate of NBA playoff games set to take place starting at 4 pm, the day after the Rittenhouse shooting took place, the Orlando Magic took the court, but proceeded to wait as the Milwaukee Bucks took matters into their own hands, making the extraordinary decision to refuse to emerge from their locker room to play against the Orlando Magic, as they protested the Kenosha shootings that happened only 40 miles north of their city, in solidarity with Black Lives Matter Movement, Jacob Blake, and all the other victims whose lives have been threatened and taken by the police unjustly in a system that fails to hold its officers accountable for their racial abuse and mistreatment of the law. While unexpected and seemingly unprecedented, the Magic quickly followed suit and stood behind the decision of the Bucks decision to boycott in what became a line of dominoes falling against one another in the sports world.

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What started with the boycotting of one game quickly gave rise to the entire slew of scheduled games to be cancelled, as all of the NBA playoff teams scheduled to play agreed to a joint protest in the form of boycotting the playing of their games, using their platform to attempt to achieve social change. Following the protest, the NBA players held a meeting with coaches that lasted over three hours late Wednesday night to determine what next steps should be taken and whether the season should even continue to be played, with both the Lakers and Clippers rumored to have voted to end the season.

Nationwide people in and out of the sports world took notice to what the NBA players were doing, with many deciding to stand in solidarity and protest in their own ways. Games and practices were cancelled in sports leagues all across the United States, including the MLB, WNBA, NFL, and MLS on Tuesday and Wednesday, AUgust 25th and 26th. In the WNBA, players of the Washington Mystics, wore shirts with seven bullet holes in the back. On the show Inside the NBA, analyst Kenny Smith emotionally stated, “For me, I think the biggest thing now is as a Black man, as a former player, I think it’s best for me to just support the players and not be here tonight,” before walking off set, and players from sports leagues of all kinds around the world made their support and voices heard in a myriad of ways, facing massive scrutiny and threats of massive repercussions.

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Make no mistake, the players understand that their decisions will receive backlash and resistance from league officials, owners, and fans, but they also understand important it is for them to stand up and grab this opportunity to stand in solidarity and to pave the way for a positive change in whatever way that they can, sacrificing and gambling a lot in the process. Players like Lebron James and Kawhi Leonard would not just vote to end the season if the circumstances did not call for those extreme measures. Players whose opportunities and income rely on the continuing of the season, are putting their own state of affairs at risk as well. For these players, sports are their lives and livelihoods, and for many of them to put the lives of others before their own is a selfless act we can all take note of.

While many have questioned the true power of actions such as these, look no further than what the NBA players have already done. While they have conceded to continue the season, starting on Saturday, August 29th, the players and coaches have worked with the league to commit them to executing a wave of new social justice support efforts, announcing a plan to convert some of its arenas into polling locations for the November election as part of the agreement. This is just one example, but throughout the ongoing pandemic, professional sports players and affiliates have stepped up to the plate and incited positive social change. It may cause some controversy on the way, but like it or not, sports are making a positive difference and giving back towards the unification and betterment of society.

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