TAKING A KNEE
Lobo player Lilly did so as a protest in 2017 and would be willing to do it again this football season
Elijah Lilly said he will kneel again during the national anthem if given the opportunity, as he did three years ago with several other University of New Mexico football players.
Cedric Patterson III penned his thoughts a few weeks ago in response to the police killing of George Floyd and the following protests. It was a piece titled: “Inspiring Change,” calling for people to come together for social justice.
The two Lobo wide receivers, who are African-American, have taken to Twitter recently to voice their opinions. They have also been a part of weekly team discussions via Zoom that give the players the opportunity to speak about social justice and other topics pertaining to race.
Lilly, a redshirt senior who graduated with a degree in Liberal Arts this month, said he has no regrets for kneeling during the national anthem during that 2017 home game against Air Force. It was a rare occurrence because college players are usually in the locker room when the national anthem is performed before games. In this case, weatherrelated delays both before and during the game pushed the anthem to being performed at a halftime that was reduced to five minutes, with both teams staying on the field.
“I don’t have a bunch of money,”
Lilly said. “I can’t help set up foundations and stuff like that. But I know I can make a change by educating the people around me by using my voice and using my platform as an athlete. So taking a knee is something I know will get my point across. That’s something I would definitely do again if I had the opportunity.”
Lilly became frustrated after watching the video of Floyd being killed by police on May 25. His first thought was, “not again,” he said.
“I don’t understand how something like this can continue to happen from the people we are supposed to trust,” Lilly said. “How are we supposed to trust in the police if the police are the ones that are constantly hurting us and they’re the ones that don’t have our back?”
Lilly and Patterson have been encouraged by the team discussions and believe talking about the issue will make the Lobos stronger as a team.
Danny Gonzales, in his first year as head coach of the Lobos, has said that he stands with his players. Earlier this month, he issued a statement on Twitter in support of racial equality.
“We have several members on our team that have very strong feelings,” Gonzales said. “It’s taken a couple of times for them to open up, but I think there has been some really good dialogue. I appreciate (Patterson) for sticking his neck out there and taking the lead and taking charge. It was good.”
Patterson’s message on his blog focused on change. He wrote the piece on June 4.
Patterson, 19, who graduated this month with a degree in psychology, said he was initially shocked after watching the Floyd video. He wanted to gather his thoughts before writing.
“I think change starts with each individual,” he wrote. “When you wake up every morning are you carrying stereotypes or beliefs that aren’t true? We should be constantly evaluating ourselves first to make sure we aren’t part of the problem.
We should then go on into the world and inspire others to do the same things and start a chain reaction of change.”
Patterson posted the link to his blog on Twitter.
“I just felt like this was my way of speaking up and my way of playing my part and bringing forth a change,” he said. “I just hope that this doesn’t fade away like other things and that we just keep pressing on and talk about it until there’s change in the world.”
Both Lilly and Patterson will be working on graduate degrees, Lilly in education and Patterson in sports administration and exercise.