Multiple WNBA team and players were fined this week for speaking out on social injustice. Sure, the league hid behind the fact that the players violated the uniform code by wearing black shirts that showed support for both the Black Lives Matter movement as well as the police officers in Dallas who lost their lives after being ambushed by a gunman. The league fined teams $5,000 each and fined players who wore the black shirts $500 each but the money wasn’t the point. Even Carmelo Anthony spoke out about the fines and said he did not agree with how they were trying to quiet the players. The league is trying to control what causes players can support because they made all players wear shirts in support of Orlando, when a domestic terrorist opened fire inside a gay nightclub, killing 49 people. Many players have spoken out this week and even in the face of being threatened with more fines, players like Sue Bird and her Seattle Storm teammates are still standing up for their beliefs.
@IamJoeSports
Before their game last night, Bird and her teammates posed for a picture with all black shirts on and she purposely included the WNBA twitter handle in her tweet with the picture to let them know the players will not be silenced!
“There comes a time when silence is betrayal” – MLK @wnba #WewillNOTbesilenced #Blacklivesmatter”
It’s a powerful image and all the players involved should be saluted for not being phased by weak threats. Among the many players who posted the photo of the Storm were Bird, former rookie of the year Jewell Loyd, and rookie Breanna Stewart. They too, specifically tagged the WNBA in their tweet and included the hashtags #Wewillnotbesilenced and #blacklivesmatter.
“The fact of the matter in this world is that sports figures have a voice, and 100 percent have a platform. That’s the reality of it. When celebrities or sports figures speak, people listen. They can be very influential. I understand that the knock on the WNBA is, ‘oh, nobody watches you guys anyway.’ People watch us. Trust me. I don’t care what those trolls say. If we can ignite change in one person, then that’s enough… You can’t tell me that athletes don’t have voices that are strong,” Bird said.
Let’s hope more people in positions of influence and power take after the WNBA players and other athletes like Melo & Lebron.
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