NFL ‘Appeasement’ of Minority Groups Not Enough – Josephine Wright
A leading academic has called on the NFL to invest in the marginalised communities from which its’ minority players come.
In recent weeks, Roger Goodell has said that the NFL is behind black communities. Social justice messages will be inscribed on endzones this year, among other initiatives.
The black national anthem, ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’, will be sung before every Week 1 game later this month.
However, Josephine Wright of Wooster College, Ohio says that these measures are meant only to appease black or brown players.
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The professor of Music and Black Studies cites the fact that several NFL owners have close ties to President Trump, and that the league has been inconsistent on racial issues.
Wright also highlights the fact that when players began to peacefully protest in 2016, they were told to ‘shut up’.
“People feel that it’s very empty for the following reasons. The NFL has been very inconsistent in how it deals with diversity, equality and inclusion in its league,†said Wright.
“Its players are majority black and brown people who come from communities that have experienced social injustice and harassment.
“The management and owners are majority white and many of them are supporters of the present occupant of the White House.
“So there is not a coming-together of minds. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said the owners have to listen to the players.
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“In terms of the importance of it’s over 100 years old…I don’t think the audiences they are attempting to reach know anything about it.
I think what they are trying to do is issue some statement of appeasement to their workers, the players.
“They have been inconsistent in how they have dealt with the protests of the players and they have been violating the constitutional rights of the players by telling them to shut up.”
