Impressive actions need strong followup
What’s next? A big chunk of professional sports shut down Wednesday and Thursday as part of the growing protest movement over social injustice and police brutality.
An amazing, unprecedented, couple of days, unimaginable even a few months ago. Athletes not just taking a knee or tweeting thoughts and opinions, but walking off the job.
Powerful. Eyeopening. Conversation starting. But what’s next? The Milwaukee Bucks led the charge — their refusal to play led to all three NBA playoff games Wednesday being postponed, and teams in other sports quickly followed suit. But before the Bucks explained their reasons on national television, some of the players called Wisconsin Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes, asking about the path forward.
“They just wanted to know what they could do,” Barnes told ESPN. “They were very interested in a call to action. They wanted something tangible that they could do in the short and long term. They wanted the walkout (from Wednesday’s game against the Orlando Magic) to be Step 1.”
What are the next steps athletes can take toward advancing social change?
After urging policereform action from the state legislature, Bucks point guard George Hill closed the team’s statement by saying, “We encourage all citi
zens to educate themselves, take peaceful and responsible action and remember to vote on Nov. 3.”
One challenge of any grassroots movement, in which leadership often comes from the ground up, is identifying concrete goals and the best way to achieve them. Leaders are already emerging, and the mission is gaining clarity. The Lakers’ LeBron James, well before the current protests, started an organization to promote voting and fight voter suppression. Stephen Curry and some Warriors teammates participated in a protest march in Oakland in June. Last week, Curry, with wife Ayesha and two of their children, appeared via video at the Democratic National Convention.
Voting is becoming a key focus of the protesting athletes. In Gabe Kapler’s pregame Zoom news conference Thursday, I asked the Giants’ manager about the importance of voting.
“One of the things that we continually told our players and our staff, and anybody that will listen, is the most important thing we can do right now is to use voices,” Kapler said. “I think voting is absolutely the most powerful way we can use our voice.”
Bay Area sports people will take a lead role in that rocking of the vote.
Kapler continues to advocate for change. Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, who can come off bland and quiet when talking about baseball, Thursday spoke passionately about his concern and the need for reform.
Count on Curry to continue using his huge platform to influence voters. Richard Sherman, the 49ers’ cornerback, is a potentially powerful voice. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will not be silent. Sports sociologist Harry Edwards will contribute his passion and wisdom to the struggle.
Right now, the conductor in the rockthevote movement is James. He helped start an organization called More Than A Vote to encourage registration and turnout, and to fight voter suppression.
“Because of everything that’s going on, people are finally starting to listen to us, we feel like we’re finally getting a foot in the door,” James told the New York Times. He added, “We feel like we’re getting some ears and some attention, and this is the time for us to finally make a difference.”
Skeptics say voting makes little or no difference. New faces, same old problems. But many athletes are paying attention, and they notice major changes in the wake of the last presidential election.
These athletes watched a systematic reversal of federal policereform measures started under the previous administration.
These athletes heard the president urge police officers, “Please don’t be so nice,” when detaining suspects.
These athletes watched the president demand that NFL team owners — many of them his donors and supporters — fire peacefully protesting players, labeling them SOBs.
These athletes watched violent attacks by law enforcement officers against peaceful protesters.
These athletes are seeing increased attempts to limit and suppress voting, especially by minorities and students.
These athletes see that these actions were made possible by a vote, so maybe it will take a vote to swing things back the other way.
The athletes have an audience. James has more than 136 million followers on social media. That’s about the same number of people as voted in the last presidential election.
It will take more than words. Chris Webber, in an emotional speech Wednesday on “Inside the NBA” after colleague Kenny Smith walked off the set in solidarity with protesting players, said of people in marginalized neighborhoods, “We keep hearing ‘Vote, everybody vote,’ (but) ... we preach and tell ’em to vote, and walk away.”
Instead of walking away from the issues, the sports world can maintain this movement by walking out. Athletes, coaches, managers, men and women, boys and girls, college, amateur and pro — take a day off. Announce that on election day, Nov. 3, there will be no ballgames and no practices. A nationwide oneday sports shutdown, to focus attention and energy on The Vote.
The big guys, the Currys and Jameses, have the leadership, they have the megaphone and the audience. They have a responsibility that goes beyond economics and race. As Yastrzemski said, “I think it’s important to see that this isn’t just affecting one community. It’s affecting our country, and I think that shows the importance of this.”
Clippers head coach Doc Rivers has been an eloquent voice in the protest, but he knows actions speak louder than words. He wears a mask that says simply, “VOTE.”
“We feel like we’re getting some ears and some attention, and this is the time for us to finally make a difference.”
LeBron James, Lakers forward