Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Athletes Should Not "Shut Up and Dribble"

No, professional athletes should not "shut up and dribble" or "stick to sports."

Using that logic, plumbers should shut up and tighten pipes, truckers should stick to driving, lawyers should shut up and sue, and the only people that should ever talk politics is politicians and political science professors. Does that sound like the kind of world you want to live in?

You may not agree with LeBron James' views on guns or Chris Long's view on Donald Trump, but they have just as much right as anyone else to express their opinions.

I didn't hear any conservatives telling Benjamin Watson to stick to football when he spoke at the March for Life last year. Or Matt Birk, when he chose not to visit the White House because of President Obama's support of abortion. So don't be a hypocrite, just because you disagree with these athletes.

The beautiful thing about America is that every single person has a say in how this country is run. Telling someone to "stick to sports" or "stay in their lane" is really the antithesis of this idea, and an acknowledgement that certain individuals views do not matter.

I am glad to see athletes speaking up on issues that matter to them. In fact, I wish even more athletes would do so. It's a sight better than the typical reasons athletes make the news. We should encourage more athletes to get involved in their communities and start becoming a positive force for good in the world, whether we agree with their political views or not.

Instead of criticizing LeBron for speaking out, why not respect him for being a great role model his entire career? Instead of bashing Chris Long for boycotting the White House, why not praise him for donating his entire salary this year to charity.

Conservatives, we can do better.