Toronto Raptors Play Meaningful Role in Walk-Out For Social Justice
“We’re the ones with the microphones in our face, we’re the ones who have to make a stand,” said Fred VanVleet just a few days ago in a press conference.
NBA players have been very vocal in the last few months with regards to social justice.
Specifically about police brutality and the systemic racism that is taking place in America and around the world.
On Wednesday NBA players decided collectively to not take the court for games.
Sending a message loud and clear that they are fed up with asking for change.
They are now demanding it.
This is in response to yet another incident with police and an unarmed black man.
Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back while dealing with the police in Wisconsin.
In front of his children and a video camera no less.
This has sparked outrage around the world and has really acted as the last straw for professional athletes.
Many of whom spoke out before sports leagues reopened.
They spoke out about not being in favour of returning due to the fear of attention being taken away from the social justice fight that is raging in the U.S. right now.
Time To Put Up or Shut Up
The NBA players have taken the first course of action.
There is a sense that unless the league can come up with a plan to show players that continuing the playoffs can be a positive thing for their fight that the playoffs and season will be cancelled.
The Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics met on Tuesday to discuss a possible boycott of their game on Thursday and that idea spread through the league like wild fire.
The NBA has started something here… and this is just the beginning.
Multiple MLB games were postponed on Wednesday night and the NHL will have to respond in kind as well.
Colin Kapernick took a knee in 2016 to bring light to the same issues NBA players are sitting out for today.
It has taken four years to get to this point.
These players, these citizens of a country and a world they deem to be unjust are just getting started.
2020 will go down in the history books as a year that changed everything…
And if professional athletes have their way it will be a year that changes the world for the better.
