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