“Stand On What You Believe In”: Former NBA Champion Urges Athletes to Stand Up and Voice Support for the Ongoing Protests

As protests around the country are turn more intense as the days pass, it is the unspoken duty of celebrities or athletes to use their influence and curb the violence practiced by the citizens. People are looting shops and setting cars ablaze, demanding justice for George Floyd. Kendrick Perkins, a former NBA champion, thinks it is the moral obligation of athletes to raise their voice against any form of injustice controlling the society.

Perkins joined NBC Sports Boston on Monday to discuss how athletes can be the key to stopping violence among people. Perkins feels that the immediate arrest of the police officers might have never caused such an eruption. “You’re guilty until proven innocent,” he said. “I think you could nip a  lot of this in the book and we wouldn’t have had a weekend of what we just had, which was really sad.”

However, it would have been just a part of the solution to the problem. Apart from the arrest of the concerned police officers, it largely pertains to a human rights issue. Protestors feel it is a human rights violation, race discrimination, and manslaughter. According to them, the punishment should fit the crime. 

How NBA players and other athletes can help put an end to violence in the country

While the President of the country is receiving widespread criticism for failing to contain the situation, Perkins is showering the athletes with praise for stepping up and taking over the job. “First things first, I wanted to say thank you to all the players and the entertainers and all the media people.”

Furthermore, the NBA veteran informed that change can’t happen overnight. People need to stay together and stay strong for better things to happen in the future. “We’ve just got to continue to use our voices. Like I said before, we can’t change racism overnight. But we can change the system and our voices need to be heard.”

“It doesn’t matter what race you come from. Speak what’s right and stand on what you believe in.” Perkins believes the commanding act of veterans will be successful in instilling the belief in young athletes to voice out. “You look at a guy like Stephen Jackson, who I think set the bar. And then all of a sudden, Jaylen Brown, who is a younger guy in this league, says ‘Oh, if Stephen Jackson is out here, a retired player and he’s standing on the front line, then let me do it.’”

“Then all of a sudden, guess what? Jaylen Brown, he influenced Enes Kanter. So it is a chain reaction. Whether you’re a veteran or a young guy, it doesn’t matter. It is just about taking a stand and setting the trend.”

Perkins believes it is all about setting a good example and people will follow. Athletes have the power in their hands to influence people with their stand. If NBA players take a stand together and fight against violence and injustice, there is a greater chance of obtaining victory. Standing together and engaging peacefully is what it is all about. And Perkins feels that the athletes are doing a tremendous job at the moment.