The Warriors should follow Kaepernick
By Connor Green
The Golden State Warriors should be leaders and follow in Colin Kaepernick’s stance against injustices.
Editor’s note: The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect and/or represent the views of FanSided as a whole.
The Golden State Warriors should aspire to be like the San Francisco 49ers. Not because the 49ers are a successful, winning franchise, but because several of their players are standing up to racial inequality. This is a topic that isn’t talked about enough and often overlooked in this country and it is great that athletes seem to care about standing up for what is right again.
Whether it was the great Muhammad Ali protesting the Vietnam War or the US Olympic team boycotting the 1980 Olympics because of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan it is great to see athletes taking a stand. This time Colin Kaepernick led by taking a knee during the national anthem, which he has received both harsh criticism and high praise for. Many other players in the NFL (and on the 49ers) have followed Kaepernick’s lead and so should the Golden State Warriors.
It’s not like the Warriors team have been silent about these protests. Warriors’ stars Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr have all commended Kaepernick for his decision. However we, as fans, should also expect (or at least hope) that the Warriors are just as dedicated to fighting discrimination as their football counterparts in the great state of California.
In light of the recent tragedies in both Charlotte and Oklahoma it is clear that there is still much to be done about racial inequalities in our country. Two reportedly unarmed African-American men, one a father and the other a pastor, were both shot and killed by police officers in recent weeks. This is certainly not the first time something like this has dominated the news cycle–Micheal Brown, Trayvon Martin, and Eric Garner just to name a few)–but it is clear that something needs to be done. These people are dying, leaving behind loved ones, and nobody is being held responsible, that is unacceptable.
It is also important to realize, however that these police officers are also human beings and they are being asked to do a very difficult job. This is something that is important to understand not all police officers are bad and the vilification that is going on from both sides is not the appropriate response to these tragedies.
With all this being said it is important that athletes once again stand up to injustice as they have time and time again and in this instance the Golden State Warriors should follow Colin Kaepernick and the 49er’s and stand against all forms of racial inequality. It is equally important that athletes give back to their communities to help make the world, and this country a better place with more opportunities for all.
The Golden State Warriors team should all, with solidarity, follow Kaepernick’s lead and “take a knee” to stand up to racial injustice in all forms.