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| The St. Louis "Five's" Protest Over the Michael Brown-Darren Wilson Incident in Ferguson, Missouri (Image: nbcnews.com) |
NFL headquarters wisely dodged the issue when quizzed for its response. For a league that has fined players for wearing accessories the NFL did not sanction, its matador PR move was highly unusual. Alas, a spokesperson for St. Louis police officers reacted in ways long on anger and desperately short on brains.
Major pro sports arguably have the highest profile for race relations in the United States. In the 1980s, many NBA fans were divided along racial lines in the Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird debate. Some Caucasian baseball players openly expressed their displeasure about an Obama presidency, including a few who repeated the lie about BO "not being one of us." NFL players have traditionally been condemned to political silence via restrictive contracts and reactionary owners; the St. Louis "Five's" actions should be considered in that context.
The majority of pro athletes come from less than prosperous backgrounds. In the case of African-American players, it's safe to say most are making more money and have achieved more prominence than anyone in their family, among their friends, or in their original neighborhoods. Their material success is often fleeting, while hard times and mean streets stubbornly endure. The black athlete also viscerally understands how young African-American males are viewed by police officers.
It's a wonder that more NFL and NBA players didn't express their opinion about the Ferguson incident during their most recent games. However, one should not interpret their silence as acquiescence to a society that once imagined itself "post-racial".
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