A revamp of this movement started recently with Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers refusing to stand during the national anthem, which is traditionally played before the start of every NFL game. Kaepernick said he refused to stand for a flag and a country that continues oppress black and colored people, resulting in a ton of controversy towards these types of gestures during the anthem, and people all over the country are either encouraging it or saying it’s disrespectful to America.
With racial tensions so high in the U.S. right now, people all over the country are making their voices heard through protests and social media. But as regular people of the public, the protests or statements don’t get as much media attention as they should to raise awareness. This is where athletes come into play.
I would have thought that no one on the MSU football team would have made any type of gesture at all, to keep the controversy and possible attacks by the media to a minimum. Williams, Sherrod and Lyke did the right thing by standing with a cause they believe in. They wouldn’t have held up their fists if they didn’t relate to the feeling of being put down or being affected by a situation that has oppressed black people.
With MSU being a prodominently white institution, the general assumption would be that a protest of this caliber would be seen as disrespectful. For those men to put their name and brand out there knowing that there will be positive and negative things said about them from that point on, is exceptionally brave.
What those players did on Saturday brought national media attention to the situation that innocent black and colored people are being killed by police, seemingly every day. Their statement was simple — their world does not revolve around this university or playing football. Some African-American people, especially African-American men, fear for their lives when they step outside, and by raising their fists, Williams, Sherrod and Lyke showed they aren’t comfortable in the very world they’re living in.
And of course there are the obvious questions, like why the Wisconsin game? Why didn’t they do it sooner? But what I say to those people asking those questions is that at the college level everything is 10 times bigger, including the microscope athletes are under.
By playing Division I football, the eyes of critics are watching these athletes’ every move from September to January. Many athletes can believe in a cause but not publicly display their stance for fear of constant judgment by people who only know their position, number and name. But there comes a time when a situation stirs so much controversy, strikes so close to home, that the only option left is stand up and speak out.
Being a Division I college athlete myself, I know my platform can reach other MSU athletes, students and faculty, but also people throughout the nation. People see athletes like myself as a role model, as well as the product of hard work and sacrifice — a responsibility that invites critics watching, no matter how big or small the action is. It is an athlete’s responsibility to use their platform and brand for things they believe in.
Kaepernick, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Serena Williams, the women of WNBA team Phoenix Mercury, Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever, the University of Missouri Football team and other athletes all used their platform to raise awareness for the wrongdoings in this country — and more athletes are joining the protest every day.
Williams, Sherrod and Lyke are now added to the list of athletes that support this cause, and will now have an even bigger platform to bring awareness and speak on things that they support.
