2B — Monday, October 2, 2017
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SportsMonday

A love-hate relationship

I

’ve loved sports since 
before I can remember, and 
the one sport I’ve always 

loved most is soccer. 

When I was one, my parents 

took me to a professional 
photographer for family 
portraits. 
They sat 
me down in 
front of the 
camera for 
an individual 
shot, but 
I started 
crying as 
soon as they 
walked away. 
No matter 
what toys 
they tried to give me, I just 
wouldn’t stop.

Then my dad, who played 

soccer in his youth back in 
Ethiopia, handed me a soccer 
ball. It worked like a charm. 
From the smile spread wide 
across my face to the ball held 
softly between my hands, the 
photo captured the pure joy of a 
child falling in love. I still have 
it framed in my bedroom.

With the current climate 

surrounding sports, every time 
I look at it, it feels like a double-
edged sword.

After last Sunday’s show of 

solidarity among NFL players, 
the president tweeted that the 
issue of kneeling has “nothing 
to do with race.” But the outrage 
expressed toward those who 
chose to take a knee showed 
that isn’t the case.

The people voicing their 

opposition on Twitter claimed 
that they would stop watching 
the NFL and listening to sports 
radio because, when faced 
with a choice between their 
country and their favorite 
sport, they chose their country 
automatically.

The country they are 

referring to — the one that 
frequently claims to be the 

greatest nation in the world — 
makes that case based on its 
position as a global bastion of 
democracy. The U.S. may have 
been founded on the ideals of 
liberty, equality and justice for 
all, but these protests highlight 
the fact that those ideals have 
remained more idealized than 
actualized.

A democracy requires that 

the human rights of all citizens 
are protected. When certain 
minority groups face systematic 
oppression as part of their daily 
life — within the realm of sports 
and far beyond — that simply 
isn’t the case.

A democracy also requires its 

citizens to be active participants 
in civic life. The argument that 
there should be a separation of 
sports and politics doesn’t fit 

within the fabric of our country.

Sports are a luxury for some, 

but they are a harsh reality for 
others. For those who think 
sports are only a product 
put out by a league filled to 
the brim with owners who 
have more money than they 
could ever need, sports are 
easily dispensable from their 
daily routine. But for those 
whose lives depend upon the 
paychecks they earn playing 
a game, they are worth much 
more than money could convey.

No one can deny that the 

adoration of sports has created 
a dangerous culture in our 
society. But these NFL fans 
have turned a blind eye to 
concussions, domestic abuse 
and sexual assault, and yet, 
kneeling during the national 

anthem is what made them give 
up their fanhood.

After playing organized 

soccer from the ages of four to 
nine, I transitioned to watching 
sports. It all began with the 
World Cup, a shining example of 
the communal power of sports. 
The World Cup brings athletes 
from across the globe together 
to represent their countries on 
the field of play, and ultimately, 
crowns a single country the 
champion of the world.

On the surface, it would 

seem to be a match of division 
waiting to be lit. But in reality, 
the World Cup carries a torch 
of unity. 

After soccer, basketball and 

football became my favorite 
sports, and I started to follow 
them regularly. The other two 

major U.S. sports, baseball 
and hockey, didn’t capture my 
interest nearly as much.

For a child growing up 

in the Metro Detroit area, 
that might seem somewhat 
counterintuitive. The Red 
Wings and Tigers were the class 
of the city during my youth. In 
2006, the Tigers made it to the 
World Series for the first time 
since 1984, and I didn’t watch 
a single game. In 2008, the Red 
Wings won the Stanley Cup for 
the fourth time in 12 seasons, 
and I never even stepped foot 
inside Joe Louis Arena. 

When you’re a child, you 

don’t think much of it. But then 
you grow up and you start to 
see the flaws that permeate 
the sports landscape. You start 
to understand the underlying 

differences between the sports 
you love and the ones you don’t 
love as much.

Out of the four major leagues, 

the NBA and NFL are majority 
Black, while the MLB and 
NHL are majority White. I now 
realize that I gravitated toward 
the first two as a child because 
when I saw those players, I saw 
a piece of myself. That extends 
to their actions outside the field 
of play as well.

When I saw NBA players don 

all-black hoodies in memory of 
Trayvon Martin and ‘I Can’t 
Breathe’ shirts in memory of 
Eric Garner, I understood that 
they had a personal stake in 
the fight for justice. When I 
heard the Pittsburgh Penguins 
announce their decision to 
visit the White House in 
commemoration of their 
championship, I understood 
that they didn’t feel the need to 
play a role in that fight.

Making a stand against 

social inequality shouldn’t be 
a burden left to those who face 
the consequences. Silence is a 
luxury afforded to those whose 
lives are not in the line of fire. 
Our society has tried to ignore 
that reality, but these times are 
too important to remain silent.

When I look at the picture of 

myself holding a soccer ball, I 
realize the beauty of sports that 
people talk about. I didn’t know 
anything yet about camaraderie, 
competition, or community — 
the buzzwords people often use 
to describe the purity of their 
passion. When you’re a child, 
you don’t need a reason; you just 
need a feeling.

I’ve loved sports since 

before I can remember, but it is 
growing harder to accept the 
realities that come with the 
territory.

Ashame can be reached at 

ashabete@umich.edu or on 

Twitter @betelhem_ashame.

SPORTSMONDAY COLUMN

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Sports fans come from all walks of life, but their specific backgrounds significantly affect the lens through which they enjoy sports, especially in the current climate.

BETELHEM 
ASHAME

