There is a large portion of Americans who believe athletes and activism should not mix. They believe that professional athletes should show up for work, do their job, and go home without making political statements.
Well, Celtics forward Jaylen Brown disagrees.
“I’ve seen and heard this conversation topic, that because of political activism and players playing a role [in that], there’s been a decline in ratings,” Brown said on Tiki & Tierney. “But a lot of this isn’t true. What we’re seeing now is an overdue call to action and one that’s bringing fans into the fold. We’re all coming together to use our voices to make a difference.”
According to a Marist poll Brown cited, activism in sports has not led to a decline in ratings. Rather, the decline has more to do with COVID-19, other entertainment options, and election coverage, among other variables.
“To people who think that athletes should not speak on certain things [and] they should just stay in their lane, I think those people are participating in exactly the conversations of oppression that we mention,” said Brown, who has shown a willingness to speak up. “I’m allowed to have an opinion. I’m allowed to speak on injustices. If my family is experiencing it, I should be able to speak about it on whatever platform. People believe because I’m a millionaire or I’m an athlete that I should just keep my mouth shut, that I shouldn’t have anything to say about anything. I disagree with those people wholeheartedly.”