After George Floyd was murdered by the police in Minneapolis, athletes from all over the world of professional sports released statements and spoke about the issue of systematic racism.
Evander Kane, a black man, and a winger for the San Jose Sharks said, "We need so many more athletes that don’t look like me speaking out about this, having the same amount of outrage that I have inside, and using that to voice their opinions, voice their frustration."
How can I, a white man from the suburbs of Pittsburgh, tell him that he's wrong about this? Personally, I am outraged over the killing of George Floyd and the continued issue of police brutality, particularly against people of color, that we have in this country.
How can I help? I don't think pandering for likes and retweets on social media is the answer. When I shoot off a wordy tweet that appeals to the masses it feels like I've done my job.
I think a lot of people opine on Twitter, Facebook, and other social sites, and feel like they've done enough to further the cause.
I think lending our voice, specifically the white voice, is important. Duh. How about action? How about something, even small, that can help tip the scales in the right direction? Something tangible.
My wife is a rock star. She's one of the kindest people I've ever met. Together, we're raising a seven month-old. It's our responsibility to teach her right from wrong.
After George Floyd was murdered by a police officer, my wife went online and bought our daughter a couple of children's books.
I can scream about how bad racism is until I'm blue in the face and it will only go so far. If we as a society want to nip racism in the bud, it starts with education.
How many people reading this post right now were taught about the Tulsa Race Massacre? I know that I was not given that lesson in high school.
When protesters take to the streets it's not because one black man was murdered. It's because another black man was murdered.
Evander Kane, trust me when I say that I will continue speak out. The most important thing we can do, though, is take action.
I'm going to educate my daughter about the oppression that has taken place in this country since it's start. I'm going to teach her that while we may look different, we're all people.
How are you going to take action?