In the past couple of years, we have seen a drastic increase in professional athletes using their platforms and voices to enact social justice and change. From Lebron James to Colin Kaepernick, we have seen a variety of players do different things to try to spark change in our society. Sports are something that our country, and the world for that matter, look to for times of relaxation and free-time. Many people are in favor of athletes using their voice for social justice. Some fans, however, are not as keen to have our favorite athletes stand out.
In the past, I have witnessed great things from Lebron James with social activism. Lebron is a cultural icon and has donated billions of dollars in philanthropic deeds like his I Promise school in Akron, OH. Most people I know have little issue with this. The issue has come, in recent times, because of athletes objecting to racism and police brutality. Many individuals do not like this because it disrupts the audience from watching their favorite athletes compete. Some dislike it because they think that athletes are contaminating their relaxation.
What are some scenarios for athletes and social justice. One would be to simply try to stop and keep social outreach and sports separate from each other. One would be to keep it at an individual level and let athletes pursue their goals in their free time. The other option would be to increase social justice and community outreach at all levels for professional sports.
Where do I think athletes and teams should go in this matter? I think that players and teams should absolutely increase their efforts for social justice and community outreach. Most people on the planet don’t have access to the resources that professional athletes do, so they can make a bigger difference. Kids, teens, and adults look up to these athletes to set examples, and they need to do so to inspire others. While yes, it is their job as an athlete to compete in their sport, it is their job as a good human to make the world a better place. I am in full support of professional athletes fighting for social justice and activism.
What athlete does the most outreach? Do you like seeing athletes speak out? What does the future hold for sports and society? Let me know in the comment section.
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