ReelUrbanNews.com Sports: “From Athletes to Activist”
The athletic field of battle has long served as prototype for both the struggle in sport and subsequent life. As it relates to the African American experience, it is not only a microcosm but a rite of passage for those of us who dare challenge America’s original subplot for an entire people. Most knowledgeable sports fans are familiar with the stories of Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Wilma Rudolph, Jack Johnson, Hank Aaron, Bill Russell, John Carlos and Tommie Smith. In most of our minds the golden age of sport and protest died with a generation of athlete that worked much harder to gain every inch of progress they enjoyed. The present generation of athletes led by Lebron James are so far removed from activism right? I think we’re wrong. We’ve heard respected and revered legends like Jim Brown call out Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and other prominent black athletes for not doing enough.
This changing of the guard in the hearts and minds of the modern sports fan never happened with the 21st century athlete or did it? The recent stand of Michael Strahan, Steve Nash, Michael Irvin and the NBA tell a much different story. The 21st century athlete has transcended many expectations. The 21st century athlete has given millions of dollars to charities both anonymously and publicly but yet the stigma of athletes being selfish is the pervasive image that we want to define them by. If you’re reading this article I’m going to challenge you to shed the mainstream media’s definition of today’s spoiled athletes. Michael Irvin’s recent interview in Out Magazine stirred not only some controversy but further fueled a raging debate about gay marriage being a civil right in this country. For the record I’m now on board with saying that it is.
Considering the divorce rate amongst heterosexual couples, the dominant narrative about marriage can no longer fool people of goodwill. Many Americans have become intellectuals by educating themselves on the contradictions of American history and marriage itself. Some Americans have learned to take their own moral and spiritual beliefs out of someone else’s personal choice. The essence of true civility is about people finding ways to co-exist when they have fundamental differences in how they see life. All Nash, Irvin and Strahan want us to all see is that despite society’s hang ups about homosexuality, these men and women have rights to flourish in life as they see fit.
That’s a detachment from the moral code that I grew up with. Trust me it took me sometime to arrive to this point. In fairness I questioned the motives of some of these guys. My speculation was aimed more at Irvin than any of the three athletes I named. The million dollar questioned I asked was why did he have to be on a Gay Magazine posing in a provocative way. Isn’t there another way to get me to read the article? Probably not!!! The truth is that shock value is more news worthy than the story itself. So I don’t see Irvin’s stance as heroic but I do see his willingness to share with us apart of his life that he’s kept a secret thought provoking. Just like there are athletes for gay marriage, we have some who are against it.
David Tyree, former wide receiver of the New York Giants recently countered with his support of traditional marriage. If the late Reggie White were alive he’d probably side with traditional marriage. As a “Kritik” of sports and society I’ve learned to see this issue for what it is. I applaud today’s modern athlete of seeing this issue in civil terms and not only through the eyes of “spirituality”. Most Christian Americans are grossly uninformed on the true essence of America’s freedom. EVERY religion is free to worship as they see fit. So if you’re of the belief that athletes should just shut up and play the game then you’re sadly mistaken. If you thought that Tiger Woods and Lebron James could never measure up to Muhammad Ali and Jackie Robinson then maybe you’re right. But that doesn’t mean others aren’t willing to put their thoughts out there for the world to compare and contrast. The tradition of the socially conscience athletes never died. WE just pronounced it dead. Boy were we wrong.
By: The Sports Kritik@ http://tobtr.com/s/2110719
