Athletes make too much money to be activists?
Candance Owens is right. We should never worship celebrities and athletes or any human being. Yet, Being a celebrity is a top priority in the black community, and people are willing to do anything to achieve it. However, these are often the same communities that the “pea-brained” athletes she speaks of come from. What are the criteria for one to become an activist, and does being rich disqualify you.?? Do athletes make too much money to be activists?
Candance Owens called Lebron James pea-brained for speaking out on injustices. Yet the same Candance Owens wants the black community to have more positive black fathers, which James is. Like a real politician, Candance Owens is deceitful to appeal to her base of supporters. Unfortunately, saying things for shock value to trigger those you deem to think differently from you is fast way to the top.
It could be safe to assume then that Candance wants to become a celebrity similar to those she despises. Otherwise, why would you use half-truths and shock value? The real debate is: Should and where is there a boundary for athletes to voice their opinions on politics and social issues?
Black people only make up 7.7% of the population in America, yet our “culture” influences the world. The black experience here is unlike anything the world has seen. . This experience includes 400 years of systematic oppression that a lot of black athletes have endured. This makes them more than qualified to speak on, at the very least, injustices against people of color.
Although Owens feels that Lebron James hasn’t experienced real racism because of his income, it doesn’t mean he never has. As a child from Akron’s inner-city living in poverty and the projects, Lebron understands the struggle. Therefore if Athletes have experienced and witnessed racism firsthand, why would they remain silent about it if the world is seeing it today? Especially if they have a platform.
This is where things get tricky; athletes are more influential than ever before due to social media. This influence can be used for good or bad. Owens and all of us should be cautious about the influence athletes have over children and society. Is there anywhere else in the world where athletes have so much power?
Probably not, as much as influence is an issue, the more profound paradox is credibility. Athletes are credible in this context because of their experience, but what about policies and government? Which is what Owens is insinuating. Could James make a speech to Congress or the U.N. on our behalf? is that even necessary?. No, it isn’t.
The need to overcomplicate racism and oppression is the same as denying its existence. Conservatives like using sports jock stereotypes like athletes are dumb says nothing about the reality of racism. It’s more triggering, so it gets more attention and views. How many books do you have to read to know that police killing unarmed citizens is wrong? Zero.
Politics is no different than any other terrible reality show on t.v.. It insults the intelligence of its viewers that you lose more common sense the more you watch it.. Practically, the more you’re attached to it, the further away you become from reality.
When Candance makes a mockery of black athletes’ intelligence, she is indirectly supporting the same stereotype of black people being less intelligent than whites.
Candance wants to attack the liberal fan base of the NBA. Also, it’s commissioner Adam Silver has been vocal about his support of police injustice by allowing players to protest on the back of their jerseys.
The black pea-brained athletes are only the ones who disagree with Candance Owens. When football players say they support the flag, and police are they not pea-brained as well.? Would you ever call Kareem Abdul Jabar pea-brained? He has authored several books and is known to speak up for injustice before you were even born.
Recently, former WNBA player Maya Moore quit her career to free a man she felt was wrongly convicted, later they would marry. Is she a pea brain athlete, or is she someone who fought the prison industrial complex and won? Owens will not speak on this because it won’t generate the same attention as attacking Lebron James.
In conclusion, Athletes only make too much money to become activists when their ideology is different from yours. Athletes shouldn’t be idolized but shouldn’t remain silent on injustices either. After all, their humans just like us. If they were to remain silent, we would say money changed them. If they were to speak, we would say they have too much money to speak on things they don’t currently experience. Perhaps this is a game no professional athlete can win…
Is there a financial limit on a person’s credibility for their activism? Let us know your thoughts below?