Tag: systemic racism

Jaylen Brown is into Westbrook’s off-list racial justice slogan shirts

Boston Celtics star guard Jaylen Brown has already chosen a shirt designed by Russell Westbrook for players unhappy with the list of racial justice slogan jerseys.

Boston Celtics star shooting guard Jaylen Brown has made it known he would rather have had more of a say in the pro- racial justice slogans the NBA has allowed players to wear on the nameplate area of their jerseys as part of their commitment to racial justice in the restarted 2019-20 season.

The Cal-Berkeley product is one of a number of such players who — while supportive of the concept in a more abstract sense — felt frustrated by the limits the list of approved slogans created.

Brown, who is also a Vice President within the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) that worked with the league to secure the commitment, related at Sunday’s team media availability that he was considering going with no name at all on his jersey to remember those who slip through the cracks when facing systemic racism.

“What I thought was clever with that is it potential [is] to play for the people that we don’t get to see every single day, or we don’t hear [their] names,” said Brown.

“We hear Brionna Taylor, we hear Philando Castile, we hear Ahmad Arbaury, Trayvon Martin. We hear all those names that we hear in the media because somebody was lucky enough to have a cell phone. But what about the people who didn’t have cell phone available at the time and experienced police brutality, they experience social stratification in education or not getting help in healthcare?”

And while it might disappoint Brown to learn he will not be allowed to go nameless on his jersey per the Athletic’s Jared Weiss, he will have options to express some of the sentiments he might prefer.

Another player of a similar mind regarding the jersey statements, Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook, partnered with the NBPA per The Athletic’s Shams Charania to put out shirts with slogans that reflect a wider array of sentiments and messages than those on the pre-approved list of slogans.

Brown retweeted Russell’s announcement of the initiative in Twitter Monday, saying “Let me get that strange fruit [shirt]!”

No reference to durian or some other exotic tropical snack, it is instead a somber reference to the mass lynching of Black bodies suffered by people of color — especially blacks — in U.S. history right up to the present, famously immortalized by Billie Holiday.

“Southern trees bearing strange fruit/ Blood on the leaves and blood at the roots/ Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze/ Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees,” begins the saddest of songs written to remind us why these players have demanded racial justice as a key tenet of the restart.

Russell’s shirts, which feature messages such as “Am I next?”, “Systemic Racism”, “By Any Means”, “No Justice, No Peace” and “I Can’t Breathe” among several others, are by no means inflammatory or at all more contentious than those offered by the NBA and NBPA’s original list.

However, the expanded universe of ideas available to players ought to be at least a start to keeping those all-important conversations and actions in the front of people’s minds as the league begins play again at the end of the month of July.

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Jaylen Brown delivers powerful message on racial justice, John Lewis

Boston Celtics starting shooting guard Jaylen Brown delivered a powerful message in favor of racial justice, Brianna Taylor, and the memory of John Lewis.

Boston Celtics star shooting guard Jaylen Brown has made a name for himself as one of the most stalwart advocates for human rights in the NBA in his four-year career to date.

And, as a native of Georgia, it made sense to ask the Cal-Berkeley product if he’d ever met the recently-passed civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis.

Brown, after all, has been one of the most vocal and involved faces behind the push for a racial justice platform in the restarted 2019-20 season at the Disney NBA campus, and his native Marietta is just outside of Lewis’ home district in the state of Georgia.

“We never crossed paths directly, but indirectly we’ve crossed paths many times,” explained the outspoken young leader at Sunday’s media availability session, Brown quickly growing into a contemporary champion of civil rights himself.

“Just as a civil rights leader and a humanity leader his contributions not to just people of color but our society in general are appreciated and welcomed,” he said.

“[It] definitely was a tremendous loss hearing that he passed away yesterday. But, one of my favorite quotes is … “Don’t get lost in a sea of despair; be optimistic, be hopeful. The journey — or the struggle is not the struggle of a week or a month or a year, it’s a struggle of a lifetime. So don’t be afraid to be loud, to make noise, and to get in good trouble or unnecessary trouble.'”

“That that phrase speaks to me more than I can even explain with words,” Brown added.

“But to speak to John Lewis, to the legacies he left behind, is amazing. I don’t think words can be able to do justice, but Rest in Peace to John Lewis,”

The conversation soon drifted to the Georgian’s displeasure over the limits placed on pro-racial justice messages Brown had previously voiced being irked by.

“Pretty much was was the list is the list,” he explained. “I’m still contemplating on how I necessarily feel about what I should put on the back of my jersey.

“It’s kind of tough to epitomize like all the feelings and emotions and everything that you’re passionate about,” Brown offered.

“I’m still in the works, trying to figure things out,” he said.

“One thing that I thought I was clever, that I kind of gravitated towards was I saw … Jimmy Butler said he didn’t want to put anything on his jersey.”

“What I thought was clever with that is it potential, not having anything, [is] to play for the people that we don’t get to see every single day, or we don’t hear [their] names. We hear Brianna Taylor, we hear Philando Castile, we hear Ahmad Arbaury, Trayvon Martin. We hear all those names that we hear in the media because somebody was lucky enough to have a cell phone.

“But what about the people who didn’t have cell phone available at the time and experienced police brutality, they experience social stratification in education or not getting help in healthcare, there’s so many different things that go unnoticed, and it’s just bigger than what we see now. I think just police brutality is the tip of the iceberg.

“So being able to have an empty space and plan for some of those people that we don’t know their names, and we may not ever know their names, just because of … et cetera — I think that’s powerful too,” he explained.

Soon after, the presser seemed to end, and Brown appeared ready to get up and walk away.

He stopped himself, sat back down, and started again.

“I want to speak on Breanna Taylor,” began Brown. “I know it’s a it’s a hot topic in conversation I know a lot of people have chimed in and had their thoughts about it.”

“I guess where the line is drawn, or where the outrage of comes from it’s just, — you look at the case, you look at, since things have been settled down, Louisville has abolished the “no-knock” warrant, where now you have to knock if you have a warrant instead of just breaking into somebody’s home — and it happened to be the wrong home with Brianna Taylor.”

“I understand the protocol in officers that they have to follow, but I think a lot of people’s problems is not just with the officers; it’s with the establishment, the higher-ups … the problem is not just with the officers, it’s with what they’re being told to do.”

“For someone to have their home broken into and it not necessarily be the right home … we understand what the protocol is, but I feel like the protocols need to change, things need to improve. We see improvements being made, but I feel like continuing to have people speak on these things and continue to talk about them is going to be important.

“So equality is demanded and Black Lives Matter — and Brianna Taylor is an example of a Black life who was taken because of how the system has been laid out. We’re going to continue to protest, and going to continue to feel some kind of way about it. It’s unfortunate but now I think these conversations need to continue to be had, for sure.”

“Thank you guys,” he finished.

A powerful message for a moment in history in need of them.

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CLAB 12: Examining the NBA’s racial justice plans with N. Jeremi Duru

In this episode of Celtics Lab, we talk with of American University’s Professor N. Jeremi Duru on the NBA’s racial justice commitment.

In this podcast, Celtics Lab hosts Cam Tabatabaie (Celtics Hub / Off the Glass) and Justin Quinn (Celtic Wire) speak with special guest Professor of Law N. Jeremi Duru of American University’s Washington College of Law.

The author of “Sports Law and Regulation: Cases and Materials”, “The Business of Sports Agents” and “Advancing the Ball: Race, Reformation, and the Quest for Equal Coaching Opportunity in the NFL,” Professor Duru joins us to talk about the NBA’s commitment to racial justice in the Disney restart.

With players unhappy with the degree of control they have over pro-racial justice slogans to be printed on jerseys but also excited to have an expansive platform to address the injustice that sparked the issue in the first place, we examine the various ways the league plans to tackle racism.

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We talk everything from Black Lives Matter, anthem protests, and Len Bias to symbolic and structural anti-racism and general strikes, so be sure to bring a snorkel, because this episode goes DEEP.

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Jersey slogan concerns opens wider debate on limit of symbolic support

Debate over the limits over symbolic gestures like racial justice slogans on jerseys in the NBA restart grows among Celtics, and around the league.

While the NBA should be commended for their commitment to furthering racial justice with the Disney restart, not everyone on the Boston Celtics and the other 29 teams in the league feel it goes far enough.

The most visible moves made by the league include having the words “Black Lives Matter” on the court and pre-approved slogans supporting racial justice on jersey nameplates in place of player names — a move that would be virtually unthinkable in any of the other three major North American pro sports.

Still, there are legitimate gripes to be had about the plan; namely,  that the pre-approved message process itself is itself a problem to some players, such as the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown.

“I would like to see — because I think it can still happen — more options available to put on the back of our jerseys,” related the Marietta native in a recent conference call with reporters (via NBC Sports Bostons’ Darren Hartwell).

“We understand anything vulgar our league doesn’t necessarily represent, but for histories and causes such as now, I think that that list is an example of a form of limitation. I think we should be able to express our struggle just a little bit more.”

This was echoed by his teammate Marcus Smart in a media availability session over the weekend at the Disney restart.

“I definitely would have liked to have been able to choose,” he began.

“A lot of guys are upset with the list because we didn’t have much input, if any at all on what gets to go on that list … at the same time the ability to be able to put something on there still is something that will help this cause and get the message out.”

That recognition that while perhaps still only a symbolic gesture and not structural change it is still a valuable tool is shared by former Celtic center Kendrick Perkins, who recently discussed this very topic on ESPN with fellow analyst Amin El-Hassan.

“To all the people that’s out there criticizing and they’re saying, ‘Okay, cool. So what [if] they do this?’ Nah, that’s major, right?” began Perkins.

“Because anything that could bring awareness to Black Lives Matter, in my opinion, I applaud it. People want to say, ‘Oh, that’s all you’re doing?’ That’s the light … Millions of people are going to be watching these games and it’s going to be a reminder to the millions of people that are watching the game, so I’m with it 100%.

The former Boston big man went on to note the publicity for the cause won’t just be on the court, noting players will likely want to share images and discussing them before and after the games.

“That’s a lot to me — that’s a lot,” he added. “That’s a lot; bringing awareness to the millions of people that’s going to be watching these games, and I love it. I love the direction that they’re going. It’s a start.”

El-Hassan made a point of circling back to the structural in response.

The analyst noted that while the symbolic gesture was an important one, it did not  mobilize the considerable power available to the league to effect structural change in support of policies to improve racial justice in U.S. and Canadian society — or internally within the league.

“I’m one of the people that you’re talking about right there,” explained El-Hassan.

“To me, protesting, making signs using our voices,” he added, “these are all tools of the people, because the people often don’t have resources ,don’t have money and don’t have connections, right?”

“When you talk about the NBA, and specifically NBA owners in the NBA as a league office, they have resources, they’ve got money. And most importantly, they have direct lines to every lawmaker in this country, at least the ones that operate in NBA municipalities … I’m not saying this is all they’re doing. But if all they’re doing is putting Black Lives Matter on the court, that’s not good enough … because you have power and opportunity available for you to do so much more.”

The ESPN analyst went on to give a concrete example of the difference between symbolic change and structural change — and a poignant one at that, given the inaction of the league to weigh in on structural changes (at least yet) in ways they have for other minorities.

“In the NBA, it’s not just money. It’s the influence. It’s the the connections that they have as owners and as an entity to get real change done. As I said last week, when there was a discriminatory law in North Carolina, they [didn’t get] pink LGBTQ Lives Matter on the floor, they went and got stuff done.”

It’s an excellent example, really, of the difference between the two. In one case, consciousness is raised, and that is undeniably important. But it also does little if anything to prevent those same tragedies requiring the raising of consciousness about them in the first place from happening again.

In the case of the discriminatory law against transgender folk in North Carolina, the league acted swiftly and decisively to withhold potential revenue while publicly shaming the state for their prejudicial legislation.

Action which ultimately helped lead to the repeal of that policy.

And while it certainly won’t make anti-transgender discrimination end any more than a similar strategy will make racism disappear, it will help end racially discriminatory policy that has a bona fide impact on the lives we want people to affirm matter.

And that is a much better way to do it, in terms of results.

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Former Boston Celtic center Aron Baynes pens open letter on racism

Former Boston Celtics center Aron Baynes penned a deeply personal response to the civil unrest over the killing of George Floyd.

Former Boston Celtics big man Aron Baynes penned an open letter posted on the Phoenix Suns’ website about racism, and his experience with it in light of the now-global protests over the killing of George Floyd.

Floyd was a black man killed by a white police officer who kneeled on his neck and choked him for nearly nine minutes.

His death sparked widespread civil unrest that spread from the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota (where the incident occurred) to almost every major city in the U.S. and several others around the world.

A number of Baynes’ former Celtics teammates have joined in those demonstrations in recent days — including Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart — and Wednesday, Baynes joined the struggle with an open letter.

The now-Suns big man wrote:

They say ignorance is bliss. I say [expletive]. Ignorance is an excuse and a crutch my friends, and it is what will drag this world under if we’re not careful.

Trust me, I know what I’m talking about.

I grew up ignorant. I grew up uneducated. I grew up as part of the problem – part of the white majority in a small Australian town.

Don’t mistake me. I didn’t dislike any certain individual because of their race or culture. But I didn’t support them either, which was just as bad. I was a silent bystander. I did not have the knowledge or the will to stand up for those who were oppressed or marginalized.

I do not understand firsthand how a lifetime or generations of being oppressed feels. What I do know is it breaks my heart that people would judge my children, or any other child based purely on the colour of their skin. I now understand some of the fear, the anger, the helplessness and the resilience that is the fight for equality.

As a father I care more about my children and their happiness than life itself. So Instead of just bottling it up and working towards a goal in my silent way as I have for most of my life. I want to let it out, breathe life into my beliefs through my words and speak on this issue.

It was around the age of 16 that I was old enough to understand that racism came in all shapes and sizes. It could be loud and proud, but worse yet it could run as silent as the cool waters of a river quietly swallowing people up.

No matter what form it took or how clearly it presented itself, I realized the problem was systemic throughout society, and ignorance was not only part of the problem but also an excuse.

As I’ve grown older and I’ve earned great opportunity in life, I’ve worked to educate myself and become a better citizen to all people of the world.

As a father and as a man, I now know that I have a voice to be heard when I see injustice and I will not stand for it. Ignorance is not a crutch.

I’m usually a private person. Most people don’t know that my wife is black, and we have mixed race children. I am grateful for them as they have taught me as much about myself as I have taught them about the world.

I am instilling in them a love for people from all backgrounds and ethnicities. And when they are old enough to understand, it is my duty to educate them on the injustices and inequalities of the world.

Remember what I said about ignorance? Education starts at home and it can’t begin early enough. Our children must learn through words and action not to pass judgement on people based on their colour or background. Judge a man or woman on their character — integrity is afforded to all cultures but not everyone chooses to take it up.

As my four year old son told me yesterday, ‘Dad, I don’t always like you sometimes, but I love you forever in my heart.’ People can change for the greater good, just as their dad has and continues to do.

There are many people much smarter, more poetic and more impactful than me who are speaking up. I appreciate the time you’ve given me to listen to my words in hopes that my lessons can be passed onto others to learn at an even younger age to push ignorance to the side and grab education by the horns.

The pursuit for equality is a global issue, a fight for our human race, our country, our community, our colleagues, our friends. I will do all I can within my own sphere of influence to make sure love, acceptance and understanding are paramount and that ignorance has no place.

My family – my wife and my children – they are my world and I will not let the ignorant drag us under.

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WATCH: Enes Kanter addresses crowd at Boston Floyd protest

Celtics center Enes Kanter addressed a crowd of protesters demonstrating against the death of George Floyd in Boston Sunday.

Boston Celtics big man Enes Kanter followed teammate Jaylen Brown’s lead by joining protests sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minnesota this week, addressing a protest taking place in Boston.

Brown had driven 15 hours from the greater Boston area to his home state of Georgia to help lead a peaceful protest against the death of Floyd, while Kanter himself had just driven nearly as long from Chicago to arrive in Massachusetts.

The outspoken center made a point of protesting with locals once he arrived in Boston, at one point even taking the mic to address the crowd of protesters while wearing his Celtics jersey.

“Listen everybody, my name is Enes Kanter and I play for the Boston Celtics. First of all, I want to thank you all for what you are doing. I really, really appreciate it. The second thing I want to say, man, is we need change. And change cannot wait!

“I get emotional, but we are on the right side of history, man,” he added. “You know what? Black lives matter, right? Let’s go!”

Kanter, Brown, Karl-Anthony Towns and all the other players joining citizens in demanding equal treatment before the law are doing so at great personal risk.

Let’s hope it sparks a political will to solve this age-old problem once and for all.

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Celtics past, present continue to share feelings on Floyd protests

Boston Celtics past and present continue to take to social media to share their feelings on the protests spreading across the US in response to the death of George Floyd.

Boston Celtics present and past continued to voice their feelings about the George Floyd death on Saturday, as protests engulfed much of the United States.

The protests, found in dozens of cities across the country, were held as people demonstrated against the fact that several of the officers involved in George Floyd’s death remained free.

Several Minneapolis police officers looked on as one strangled then kneeled on the neck of Floyd until after he stopped moving, that officer now in police custody and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter charges.

Boston’s fourth-year shooting guard Jaylen Brown made a 15-hour trip back to his home state of Georgia to help direct protests in Atlanta, posting much of the events he witnessed online.

He also retweeted several posts from NBA peers on the death of Floyd:

All-Star shooting guard Jayson Tatum retweeted some commentary on an earlier post of a graphic arrest video shared to raise awareness of what some people of color experience in their interactions with police:

Center Enes Kanter continued to support his peers and people more generally protesting and fighting for racial equality:

While two way fan favorite Tacko Fall shared a message of peace:

Rookie center Vincent Poirier shared a strong anti-racism message as well:

Reserve guard Brad Wanamaker shared a few retweets on the Floyd protests too.

Team president Danny Ainge shared the same message from Barack Obama Tatum retweeted earlier:

And former head coach Doc Rivers shared an opinion piece by noted civil rights activist and ex-Los Angeles Laker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:

While now-Charlotte Hornet Terry Rozier took a more somber if direct tone:

One-time Celtics center Jason Collins offered some contrasting views:

While a retweet from Dominique Wilkins, a 1990s Celtics short-timer, called on all to speak out against injustice:

Isaiah Thomas didn’t like what he was seeing in his Pacific northwest stomping grounds:

And usually-upbeat ex-Celtic Evan Turner shared an image questioning the framing of African Americans in the eyes of the public:

One-time Boston big man Jared Sullinger retweeted a question in a simlar vein:

While Celics champion center Kendrick Perkins and fellow broadcaster Rashad Phillips shared a short video of their feelings on recent events:

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Celtics continue to voice concerns over unrest sparked by Floyd death

Several Boston Celtics continued to voice their concerns on social media over the death of George Floyd and the protests spreading across the country.

Several Boston Celtics continued to take to social media to voice their concerns over the unrest sparked by the death of George Floyd Friday, from two way players all the way up to the front office.

The unrest, over the killing of Floyd by an officer who used unapproved chokeholds and knelt on the neck of the man as he was taken into custody over an alleged counterfeit $20 bill, has sparked protests across the U.S.

The demonstrations have been punctuated by sporadic if intense violence, especially in Minnesota where the arrest occurred, and in the nation’s capital.

This all in a pandemic, and in some cities where quarantine has not necessarily been lifted, or even relaxed.

Celtics assistant general manager and team counsel Mike Zarren was largely at a loss for words, but shared a song invoking the names of several others who met their end while interacting with police in an effort to show solidarity.

Reserve guard Brad Wanamaker shared a photo of his children hoisting signs saying “No justice, no peace,” and “the police can’t kill our people,” with a message stating, “Imagine having to have ANOTHER talk with your kids, that they will ALWAYS BE A TARGET BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN.”

And on Twitter, the Philly native shared a moment of silence at a protest happening in Atlanta.

Center Enes Kanter continued to be vocal in his show of solidarity:

And evidently plans to be at local protests — or at least the city of Boston — this coming Sunday, driving East from Chicago over the weekend to be able to avail himself of using the now-opened practice facilities at Auerbach Center.

The outspoken big man also shared footage of protests from several other cities across the U.S.

His good friend and fellow center Tacko Fall even posted about the events transpiring in Minnesota, retweeting a video of former NBA champ and friend to Floyd Stephen Jackson and Karl-Anthony Towns protesting Floyd’s death in Minneapolis:

>He also retweeted some choice words from teammate Jaylen Brown.

Fellow wing denizen Jayson Tatum retweeted a post by former President Barack Obama on the Floyd incident:

As well as a post from Brown announcing his plans to protest the death himself.

Speaking of, Brown made that announcement the night prior:

And the NBPA supported him in response.

The Cal-Berkeley product encouraged others to join him in the effort.

And retweeted a post about what white protestors can do to help de-escalate confrontations with police during demonstrations:

Finally, he retweeted a video by ESPN’s Jalen Rose retweeted by many of his peers, including LeBron James, that sums up the mood of many African Americans in recent days — if not much longer.

If nothing else, an open mind, heart and ears is in order.

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Jaylen Brown, Celtics react to death of George Floyd on social media

Jaylen Brown and several other Boston Celtics posted about the controversial death of George Floyd on social media Tuesday.

Several members of the Boston Celtics joined other athletes and celebrities to weigh in on their feelings about the death of security guard George Floyd, who died after being placed in a chokehold and having his neck kneeled upon by an arresting officer in Minnesota.

Video shows the 46-year-old pleading for his life while being kneeled on, which continued after the man ceased moving.

The incident has sparked protests in the city of Minneapolis where the arrest occurred — for alleged charges of forgery — and considerable anger in the African American community and beyond.

Celtics reserve point guard Brad Wanamaker retweeted an article relating the officers involved in the arrest had been fired:

And veteran center Enes Kanter responded by posting anti-racism messages on his Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAsscdhlX9s/

Grant Williams retweeted Philadelphia 76ers wing Tobias Harris:

And forward Semi Ojeleye shared a prayer:

Fourth-year shooting guard Jaylen Brown responded at length on both his Instagram and Twitter.

On the latter, he retweeted a Black Lives Matter tweet admonishing people to seek justice for Floyd’s death.

and he also posted an image of Floyd calling for the same on Instagram:

while saying “If I was in attendance I would have been arrested for sure,” in a retweet of a graphic video showing the arresting officer putting his knee on the neck of the deceased.

He also had a discussion on the term “Karen”

in reference to a separate incident where a woman threatened to call the police on a black man in Manhattan’s Central Park after the man asked her to put her dog on a leash in a part of the park where pets are not allowed to roam without being on a leash.

Brown also retweeted a post suggesting the woman in question ought to be jailed for her actions.

Many other NBA players and alumi, athletes and media figures in other pro sports and other public figures also weighed in on both racially-charged incidents.

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