Book Review of We Matter: Athletes and Activism, by Etan Thomas
From the killing of Trayvon Martin to the election of Donald Trump, a confluence of events have led to an awakening among a new generation of African-American professional athletes. With We Matter: Athletes and Activism (Akashic Books, 2018), Etan Thomas writes an insightful book about the role that professional athletes play in advocating for racial equality in America. The book is a call to action for African-American athletes and youth, but unfortunately, it falls short of challenging white athletes and fans to speak up.
We Matter is a collection of more than 50 interviews about activism in sports with athletes, journalists, as well as family members of individuals killed as a result of racial injustice. Thomas, a retired Washington Wizard, is both an informed guide and role model. He frames each interview with his own experiences as a professional athlete, activist, father, and victim of racial profiling. He offers young people bite-your-tongue advice on how to navigate situations of discrimination so to achieve the all-important goal of getting home safely. He also puts forward a context of resilient heroes for African-American youth to associate themselves with, from Muhammed Ali to Swin Cash to Colin Kaepernick.
The collection of these interviews highlight the legacy of athlete-activism in a way that almost creates a “Social Justice Hall of Fame” that any athlete should strive to join. Words of wisdom from Hall of Famer Bill Russell and Golden State Warriors Coach Steve Kerr about getting involved and being prepared once you are involved are both motivating and practical. Similarly, insights from Torrey Smith of the Philadelphia Eagles and Carmelo Anthony of the Oklahoma City Thunder about the need for programs that engage the police or empower youth are equally valuable.
Missing from the book, though, is an explicit call to action for white readers. Many of Thomas’ interviewees implicitly express, without malice, that they don’t have expectations of white Americans. The unstated assumption is that most white Americans don’t want to know about racial injustice, don’t care about police brutality, or won’t act for change. For example, notions of white apathy run through journalist Bomani Jones’ speculation on why more white athletes don’t protest racial injustice as well as retired basketball player Kenny Smith’s surprise at the passion behind Stan Van Gundy and Steve Kerr’s advocacy (both are white coaches). That same sentiment runs through Thomas’ own questions about whether (mostly white) ownership and management will punish players who speak out or how Tamika Catchings and Swin Cash convinced all the members of their respective WNBA teams to join team protests.
To be clear, this world of low or no expectations is born from experience and current events. It is impossible to read Anquan Boldin’s description of his cousin’s death, James Blake or Thabo Sefolosha recounting of their own assaults by the police, or Thomas’ recounting of his own traffic-stops and not feel outrage. Colin Kaepernick remains unsigned, the US President called for NFL owners to fire protesting players, and Houston Texans owner Bob McNair said of the same protesting players, “We can’t have the inmates running the prison.”
Still, if every African-American athlete heeded Thomas’ call, but no white athlete joined the movement, sports would simply become another example of “Divided America.” Not since the 1960s has there been such a precious opportunity for white athletes to join with African-American teammates to form advocacy coalitions that are transcendent in the breadth of people – i.e. white fans – they reach. While there are some noteworthy outliers, it is fair to ask why more white professional athletes do not step up for the rights of all Americans, including their teammates.
Despite the depths of racism that run through America today, a clear majority of Americans share in the idea that we want our country to be a place where “all men are created equal.” If we don’t expect all Americans to reject the current situation as a threat to our country, then we resign ourselves to the status quo indefinitely. Social change happens through persuasion and the evolution of culture, and as Thomas points out successfully, (all) professional athletes have a leading role to play in these efforts.