Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner didn't need to get out of his hotel room for his first dunk of the day, slamming a fierce response to a Pacers fan who thought it was cool to put him on blast on social media.
The Pacers center condemned the fan's bigotry after he claimed that “nobody cares what your political beliefs are except for those who agree with you.”
Ouch sorry you feel that way So let me delve Into your clearly feeble mind Im just a “product” not a human being? who has no other use in this world but to entertain? my views opinions and thoughts on things that effect my people and i dont matter? I encourage you to come correct https://t.co/jX5rQqg5uI
— Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) July 22, 2020
Sadly, there are a number of fans who think like this, viewing players only as a “product” of their entertainment and not as living, breathing human beings.
The Pacers big man has chosen to wear “Respect Us” on the back of his jersey during the restart, claiming exactly the opposite of what this bigoted fan claimed:
“We're not just entertainment pieces, we're more than athletes. We're out here, we're doing what we love, but it's not who we are as people.”
https://twitter.com/JeremyWMiller3/status/1285800909486923778
Another Pacers fan claimed the former represents “a very small portion of fans,” and noted the majority of fans supported his cause. That, of course, gets harder to believe once Turner runs across messages like the aforementioned every now and again:
Myles I have nothing but respect for you. I want you to know that this guy represents a very small portion of "fans". Keep killing it on/off the court and standing up for your beliefs, the majority of us have your back and I hope you know that! pic.twitter.com/Jz1uzvoNfn
— David O'Bryant (@davidokywdcts) July 22, 2020
The vast majority of NBA players will choose to wear a message on the back of their jersey to combat systemic racism and social injustice. The Pacers center's unique message addresses exactly this type of issue, one that Jalen Rose eloquently described in the wake of the killing of George Floyd:
“I wish America loved black people as much as they love black culture,” said Ros. “There's so many times that it gets cherry-picked, and it gets piggy-backed, but only when it's convenient. And sometimes it happens in entertainment and athletics.
“We're not here designed only to entertain. We're actually living and breathing human beings that have a multitude of intelligence, work ethic, discipline and talent… We need people who aren't black. We need people who aren't brown. When you know these things are happening in your society to have a voice, a legitimate one, lock and step with us. Protest with us. Post with us. Not just when it's convenient, [but] when it can be uncomfortable.”
By the looks of it, the NBA and other leagues still have a long way to go before that mindset is in place, let alone actions themselves.
Follow Us
Subscribe