Source: Coursera (Sports & Society course)
The world changes . . . sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. Luckily, sports have been there to help guide the changes. Sports has been our medicine . . . a guiding light . . . a ray of hope. Our sports heroes remind us that they face the same issues off the field and lead us to our better humanity beyond our pain.
In the past, we have seen folks lynched, bitten by dogs, and forced into concentration, or internment, camps. We have seen segregated schools, restrooms, and restaurants. We have seen women denied the right to equal access to sports, jobs, and pay. Now, we have Black men gunned down in the streets by police. Women are still fighting for equal pay and to destroy stereotypes. Today at times, we have to fight the fear of leaving our houses because we may not return due to a terrorist or gunman attack.
In the past, we had Jackie Robinson, Willie O’Ree, Muhammad Ali, Pat Tillman, Billie Jean King, The Hurricane, and so many more to guide us to the light. Today, we have Hope Solo, Serena Williams, Colin Kaepernick, Eric Reid, Devante Smith-Pelly, PK Subban, JT Watt, Russell Wilson, Petra Kvitová, U.S. Women’s Soccer Team, Malcolm Jenkins, and many more taking the fears we fight in the street and protesting on the field and in the courts. We have organizations like You Can Play and Right To Play also leading the way.
Source: CTV News
There is a hope that we can learn from each other about life inside and outside of sports. They taught us that we can take a stand for what is right . . . that women aren’t inferior to men . . . that Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Arabs, Jews and Native Americans have and will continue to contribute to this world . . . that individuals with physical and mental disabilities are not helpless . . . that everyone is equal and fighting for one’s happiness and freedom is fighting the good fight.
Today, we celebrate the birth of our Nation. So, thank you to every veteran, first responder, civil rights fighter, resister, former slave, and immigrant. You help build, shape, and protect this nation, and sometimes you had to protect us from ourselves. Let us always remember our history as to not repeat it but to grow better. Whether Arab, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Jew, Native American, or White, this nation belongs to all of us. Here’s to sports and the hope it always guides us to our better selves.
Source: Gospel’s Goodies