Sport and Politics - Do They Mix?

This week, we discussed the relationship between sport and politics. As we discussed, there is a prevailing belief amongst some that sport and politics "do not mix." That could not be further from the truth. Sports and politics mix all the time in various ways. In Chapter 8 of the textbook, sportswriter Dave Zirin is quoted as saying, "However you slice and dice it, politics are an enduring, constant, and historic presence in sports."

A recent example of sport and politics intertwining was a few years ago with Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem. This causes a national uproar, and while Kaepernick's methods are still argued to this day, he certainly sparked meaningful conversation in the NFL community. People have the right to argue whether kneeling during the anthem is appropriate or not, but the point is that players can use their platform to ignite conversation.

There will always be purists who want politics to stay far away from sports, but that's just not going to happen anytime soon. With players getting bigger and bigger platforms, many are inclined to speak on what they believe in. I am on the side that players SHOULD feel empowered to speak up, and should not be minimized simply because they are professional athletes. Laura Ingraham's line of  "shut up and dribble" is demeaning, patronizing, and borderline hateful to pro athletes who speak their mind on political/human rights issues.

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