Horvat speaks out on racial injustice
Bo Horvat makes a big deal of his small-town values.
The Vancouver Canucks’ captain is approachable, amiable and accountable. And the life lessons he learned in the tiny southwest farming community of Rodney, Ont. — to be respectful and think of others first — has never been more important.
In more than 140 U.S. cities, peaceful demonstrations to condemn the senseless asphyxiation death of African-American George Floyd on May 25 by the knee of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has led to disbelief, anger, violence, looting and death.
It has turned The State of Hockey into The State of Confusion.
It has turned the thought of the twin cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis being a hub finalist for resumption of the paused NHL season into an optical nightmare. And it led to this Monday social media post by Horvat:
“As athletes, we are often asked to provide our opinions on things that happen on the ice, in a locker-room. It usually feels familiar to us, or at the very least, like something we are qualified to speak to. Relating to and discussing the severe pain and frustration most of us are feeling now is something I am not well-suited to discuss.
“But the opinion that it is easier to say nothing is a part of the problem that has gone on for far too long. I am not going to pretend that I know what people of colour are going through, but what I do know is there needs to be change, that we need to do better, that we need to work together and find justice, peace and love.”
Jim Benning likes to believe it wasn’t always this way. He was born in Edmonton.
He played his junior hockey in Portland and his NHL career in Toronto and Vancouver.
It wasn’t until the latter part of his 11-year career that the former defenceman had a teammate of colour. It was Val James of the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate in Newmarket, Ont. for a brief period in 1986-87 and Tony McKegney the following season in Italy to close out Benning’s career.
What Benning witnessed in his childhood was a melting pot of co-operative cultures. What he sees now in violent protest eruptions in Minneapolis and dozens of other U.S. cities is stunning.
“It’s so unfortunate,” Benning said.
“To even watch what’s going on, it just seems like a crazy time — I don’t even know what to say.”
What can you really say? You don’t have to be of colour to have slurs sent your way.
“Where I grew up in north Edmonton, there was a big influx of Italian immigrants who came over from Europe,” Benning said. “And with the kids I went to school with, soccer was their game and I never came across anything to any extent.
“I don’t understand why we don’t treat everybody like we want to be treated. When I played, I never really saw racism. You turned around and swore when you got run through the end boards — no matter who hit you — but I just didn’t see racism.
“I don’t know about now.” There’s a history of racial slurs leading to NHL suspensions: former Canucks winger Donald Brashear was once branded “a monkey.” And there are forms of racism in Vancouver. It can be the looks, the words, the graffiti or the shoves now caught on smartphone cameras.
It’s why more than 1,000 protesters attended a racism rally Sunday at the Vancouver Art Gallery. It’s why NHL teams and players took to social media to condemn racism, hatred, bigotry and violence.
The Canucks posted this on their Twitter handle:
“We live in one of the most diverse, multicultural places in the world, yet racism exists, here, too. Be kind and be understanding. We can do better. We are all in this together. We can be a positive force for change. We invite you to join us in sharing the #DifferentTogether pledge on social media and encourage others to take part.”
Brock Boeser obviously has been rocked by what has occurred in Minneapolis, the epicentre for nationwide protest and violence.
The Canucks winger was born and raised in Burnsville, located 32 kilometres southwest of Minneapolis, and has a summer home in Prior Lake, Minn., 24 kilometres south of downtown Minneapolis. He was skating in Sioux Falls, S.D., and unavailable for an interview Monday, but on Instagram offered a re-post of the following by actor Mariska Hargitay:
“I understand that I will never understand. However, I understand.”
That’s fitting for the respectful Boeser, who has endured heartache and injury in his personal life and NHL career, but cares more about the well-being of others.
Canucks wingers Justin Bailey and Jake Virtanen also weighed in to stress education and understanding as foundations of change toward racism. So did defenceman Troy Stecher.
I don’t understand why we don’t treat everybody like we want to be treated.