>> Or as someone once said, shut up and dribble. >> Athlete empowerment is something right-wingers
despise, because when they use their voices to make a positive change-
>> Raphael Warnock will unseat Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler.
>> Racists lose their power. After Derek Chauvin, an ex-Minneapolis Police officer
was found guilty of murdering George Floyd, a fact we all witnessed on video-
>> The sports world had a lot to do with what happened yesterday.
>> Absolutely. >> Skip Bayless
credited athlete activism, because although we knew it, the decision was still a, well,
you never know in this country. >> All the powerful voices,
starting with LeBron James in the sports world, had impact on that jury yesterday.
>> And Skip gave a nod to King James. >> I'm gonna continue to stand with
the people that are being oppressed.
To me, this is something that has to change. >> Foremost, Colin Kaepernick had impact on
that jury. He professionally died for this cause. He gave up his-
>> Yep. >> His chosen profession. His dream come true
of playing quarterback in the National Football League. He gave it up to protest just this.
>> Correct. >> Along with the man who
sparked an entire movement for this generation. >> I am not going to stand up to show pride in
a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.
>> Colin Rand Kaepernick. >> The ripples from that are going
to be felt for years and years. >> Mm-hm.
>> And I wanted to thank him publicly for what he sacrificed. For that to happen,
because you know it started right there. >> We have discussed on this show time and
time again how athletes speaking out moves mountains for change.
Even when white America continually pushes back, like in the case of Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. In the
Olympics, the most notable protest came in 1968 at the Mexico games, where Tommie
Smith and John Carlos, protesting the racial injustices black people face in this country.
Third place medalist Peter Norman of Australia supported them and asked how he could help,
which makes the IOC or International Olympic Committee's latest decision flat out infuriating.
They announced that athletes will continue to face punishment for protesting or demonstrating while
on the metal podium at official ceremonies or on the field of play. The IOC said that it surveyed
more than 3,500 athletes over the past year, and that 70% said it was not appropriate to
demonstrate or express their views on the field of play or at the opening or closing ceremony.
This means raising a fist or taking a knee is banned. Making note of the injustices
minorities face, banned. Bringing awareness to the unfair shake folks have because of
the color of their skin, banned. The IOC has not said what consequences athletes might face
for protesting, but a proportionate range of punishments will be drafted before the games,
said Kiersty Coventry, who represents athletes on the IOC Executive Board.
The thing is, Carron J Phillips of Deadspin put it rather, well, in plain and simple terms.
If you were ever dumb enough to believe that racism was just an American problem,
then this is proof that people all across this globe hate black people.
>> Hammer throw gold medalist Gwen Berry raised her fist, reminiscent of John Carlos.
>> Gwen Berry, who protested at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru,
told USA Today last summer for Olympic athletes, we literally only get one chance every four years,
Berry said. People work their tails off for years to get to that moment. So it's important to them.
If they wanna speak in that moment, they should have the right to, because they worked for that.
Kneeling and fist-raising will lead to punishment, which is,
I guess, the equivalent to when Heisman winners, coaches, and programs get their trophy/wins
vacated in college, as if we didn't watch them win, Phillips wrote. The United States Olympic and
Paralympic Committee told their athletes, while we support your right to demonstrate peacefully
in support of racial and social justice, we can't control the actions others may take in response.
What the IOC doesn't realize is that this decision will just fuel the athletes that we're considering
taking part in a demonstration. History has proven that it will be on their side. At worst,
they could be stripped of their medals that they won.
And at best, they'll be immortalized like the pioneers that came before.
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