by Justin Dunbar, Website Manager
“Stick to sports,” people often say to athletes who attempt to voice their political opinions. More than ever, athletes are defying that expectation by sharing their political beliefs, oftentimes using their popularity to spread awareness to important issues. Players, such as Colin Kaepernick, LeBron James, and Malcolm Jenkins, have shown that there can be a proper equilibrium between sports and politics. The influence they and all athletes have had in bringing public awareness to important issues is substantial, to say the least.
By far, the most well-known instance of an athlete voicing their political opinion is Colin Kaepernick’s protest during the National Anthem. During a preseason game, the then quarterback of the 49ers refused to stand for the National Anthem and instead took a knee. When asked why he chose to not stand, Kaepernick stated he wouldn’t “stand up to show pride for a country that oppresses black people” (NFL.Com). Kaepernick’s protest soon became popular amongst NFL athletes, as nearly every team had at least one player who refused the stand during the anthem. Kaepernick sacrificed his entire football career to bring awareness towards the fight towards social justice, and has since remained unsigned for two seasons, as teams are too afraid of the controversy it would cause to sign the 31-year-old. Since then, he’s become the face of Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign. “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything,” Kaepernick said in his first Nike commercial. What started out as simply a personal protest has now reached Nike, a widely known brand with a value of $28 billion last year. Although Kaepernick may no longer be playing football, he has become an important political figure, all because he didn’t just “stick to sports” and instead took a stand—or a knee—for the equal treatment of minorities.
Kaepernick was not the only football player to make a difference in the fight for social justice. Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins has also not been afraid to voice his opinions, especially on the issue of social justice. During this summer, for example, he refused to speak when being interviewed by the media during his usual locker room interview session, and instead held up signs with certain statistics that strongly advocated for social justice for African Americans. Since Kaepernick is no longer a part of the National Football League (NFL), Jenkins has now taken the role of social activist in the NFL, and has thrived in that role.
In the National Basketball Association (NBA), LeBron James is the ultimate example of a player using his popularity to bring awareness to what they consider to be political and social issues. He has called out President Donald Trump on numerous occasions, even once calling him a “bum” and accusing Trump of trying to “divide the country.” After being told to “shut up and dribble” by Fox’s Laura Ingraham, James is began helping to create a three-part documentary, which focuses on the basketball players on their impact off the court, ironically titled “Shut Up and Dribble.” James has demonstrated that the best players are the ones with the most influence over the public, and therefore they should be the ones to speak out on important political issues.
While athletes may be most popular for what they do on the playing field, what they do when they’re not playing cannot be overlooked. Numerous athletes have used their popularity and influence to turn the public’s attention to critical political and social problems. Athletes have proven that they are more than just athletes, and that they have a right to express their political views, even if they may differ from the beliefs of the public or of important figures. Thanks to the new wave of activist athletes defying the phrase “stick to sports,” sports are having a growing influence in the world of politics.
