I WOULDN’T FEEL SAFE IN AMERICA
Livingston star is saddened by race row in the States
MARVIN Bartley says he wouldn’t feel safe even visiting America — because the colour of his skin makes him a target in the USA.
The Livingston midfielder confessed that he’d found it hard to even watch video footage showing the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.
But the former Hibernian fans’ favourite has been following anti-racism protests taking place in all 50 states — and countries around the world.
Bartley, who suffered racial abuse during an Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle last year, revealed: ‘I had a conversation with my family about this just yesterday.
‘I said: “How sad is it that I wouldn’t go to America at this moment in time?” I wouldn’t go there on holiday, I wouldn’t go there for a work opportunity. I just wouldn’t do it because I don’t feel that I would be safe there. Not because I’m any sort of person, just because I’m a black person. I really wouldn’t do it.
‘That, for me, wouldn’t be a holiday — because I’d be constantly worrying if something was going to happen to me. I wouldn’t be comfortable at all.
‘Just to leave your house and not know if you’re going to come home, not because you’re a bad person, not because you’re involved in something that’s breaking the law, but just because you are black… it’s something I never thought would be going on in this day and age, if I’m honest.’
In the wake of Floyd’s death, caused by a white police officer kneeling on his neck even after he’d lost consciousness, America is once again confronting the realities of how it polices black communities.
In recent days, it has been impossible to tune into social media without seeing viral videos of previous incidents of brutality.
Speaking on BBC Radio’s Scottish Football podcast, Bartley said he still has hope that the current furore will help to change attitudes around the world.
But he admitted: ‘It’s been extremely hard to watch. There’s obviously a lot of videos flying about — and I haven’t managed to watch any video all the way through.
‘Obviously being a black man myself and seeing people in America treated a certain way because of the colour of their skin, to me, is deeply distressing, if I’m honest.
‘There are a lot of things about me that I can change. My attitude to something, my work rate, anything like that. But I can’t change the colour of my skin. Marvin Bartley was born a black man.
‘All the other people, they were born this colour, so why are they being treated this way in 2020? You know, seeing people lose their lives, it’s alarming.’
Impressed with the blackout campaign intended to spark debate earlier this week, Bartley added: ‘I definitely do think a positive can come out of this. The blackout on social media is an example.
‘Even if somebody wasn’t on social media and had no idea what was going on, when you see the blackout you’ll read into and ask what is going on here.
‘This is all about educating people. If that has educated one person, if it has sparked up one conversation then it’s done its job.
‘Definitely there can be positives that come out of this, because people are now more aware of what is going on. And I think, also, people have to vote. It’s coming up in five months’ time in America — I think it’s five months today.
‘It’s well known that black people don’t really go out and vote. And it’s time.
‘If you want to make a change, you have to vote in numbers. Do the right things. And it’s not just us as black people against racism. It’s everybody against racism. Make a change in America. Vote someone in who sees it as really important, something they want to change.’
Bartley believes next week’s planned return to training ‘doesn’t make any sense’ for clubs who have players on furlough — until a date for the Premiership kick-off is firmly in place.
But he’ll be ready to report back, despite understanding the concerns raised by Watford captain Troy Deeney, who initially refused to return out of fear that the Covid-19 death rate among BAME individuals would put his young son — who had breathing difficulties — at risk.
‘It can only be looked at on an individual basis,’ said Bartley. ‘I totally understand what Troy Deeney is saying and N’Golo Kante was kind of the same.
‘If I was in their position, I wouldn’t be going back to training — if it put someone in my immediate family at risk, someone I lived with. Football would have to go on the back burner.
‘The health of my family would be put first, so I totally understand what Troy was saying about not putting people at risk in order to play football and entertain people.’
On the plans to return just for socially-distanced training, he said: ‘Especially with clubs who have players on furlough, if these players go into training just to have non-contact training, and these clubs lose those payments, what is the point?
‘Do you think it makes sense for clubs to be paying 100 per cent of players’ wages just to run a passing drill, when you don’t know when the season is going to start?
‘But it’s huge to be having football back for anyone who loves it.’