If the NBA (and the players, and the owners) would really want to enact change, they would get everyone together to start a multi city support program for African American youth, where a combination of the owners, NBA and the players create programs to help those communities.
Instead they put lettering on jersey's, and logos on the court and walk out in hopes that something will change.
That is the problem right now. Everyone is trying to outdo someone else to get more media attention. It is clearly not working, and the viscous news cycle will forget about this in a day or so.
If 'change' is about getting media attention, that isn't change.
Yet around and around we go.
You know, you really look foolish when you assume these kinds of things without looking into these people further. I have lots of respect for LeBron James and others who are vocal on these issues, mostly because they put their money where their mouth is.
Quote:
LeBron James' new nonprofit commits to pay fines for former felons looking to vote in Florida
I have no doubts about LeBron’s sincerity in all of this. I’d bet he is well aware of the risks involved and would be willing to sacrifice his pay checks and his last few opportunities at another championship if that’s what it took to make change happen. He’s proving that with his actions by being a leader in boycotting the season.
The Following User Says Thank You to The Big Chill For This Useful Post:
You know, you really look foolish when you assume these kinds of things without looking into these people further. I have lots of respect for LeBron James and others who are vocal on these issues, mostly because they put their money where their mouth is.
I won't go into all the things that James does, but that's just one recent example of him walking the walk.
Try again.
Quote:
LeBron James embarrassed himself Monday night, saying Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey was “misinformed” and “not educated” when he recently supported Hong Kong protesters on social media.
It was the biggest gaffe in James’ carefully managed career. (Yes, even bigger than the ill-fated “taking his talents to South Beach” announcement.)
Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong accused LeBron James of hypocrisy after the NBA superstar moved to form a group supporting black voting rights in the U.S.
Wong, the former student protester who has testified before the U.S. Congress on behalf of Hong Kong democracy activists, said in a tweet Thursday that James’s position clashes with his past comments on the protests in the former British colony. James was widely criticized in Hong Kong last year for calling basketball executive Daryl Morey’s support for the city’s protesters “misinformed.”
“Defending democracy is vital, but @KingJames only talks loud in the US,” Wong said. “All he cares about is money, not human rights. Hypocritical.”
On Oct. 9, while in China for a series of exhibition games and in the midst of the crisis for the league created by Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey's Oct. 4 tweet of support for protesters in Hong Kong, James reportedly told NBA commissioner Adam Silver that he saw little upside in speaking up about the situation when the league wouldn't.
"Morey wasn't there to answer questions," he countered. Silver hadn't spoken to the media in China, either. Why would this fall on the players to address?" ESPN reported, in paraphrase, that he said. "James told the room that it was too much for the players to take on in that moment — to explain a complicated issue with racial, socioeconomic and geopolitical layers while visitors in China," he is said to have added.
Like many other high-profile players in the league, James has faced scrutiny from Hong Kong’s most zealous basketball fans for most of his two-decade long career. His US$1 billion lifetime endorsement deal with Nike requires him to travel to China to market his brand and improve sales. He must maintain good relations with Beijing for Nike to stay on Chinese shelves.
Most recently, James caught heat from Hongkongers on Twitter after he issued a simple 10-character tweet that read “#freeWOJ!!”
James, one of the world’s most influential athletes, made the post in defence of Adrian Wojnarowski, a popular ESPN basketball insider known as “Woj,” who was suspended last week after he emailed “#### you” in response to United States Senator Josh Hawley’s criticism of the NBA’s relations with China.
“There’s issues all over the world, and I think the best thing we can do is, if you feel passionate about it, talk about it. If you don’t have a lot of knowledge about it or you don’t quite understand it, I don’t think you should talk about it. I think it just puts you in a tough position.”
James finished his media session by saying he won’t discuss the subject moving forward, with hopes of avoiding distractions around the team.
“I won’t talk about it again, because I’ll be cheating my teammates by continuing to harp on something that won’t benefit us,” James said.
James made his comments after the fallout between the NBA and China over the anti-government protests in Hong Kong. The lucrative relationship between the league and China has been damaged since the Houston Rockets general manager, Daryl Morey, tweeted in support of the protestors earlier this month. Morey subsequently deleted the tweet but China has threatened to cut ties with the NBA, and some Chinese companies have backed out of broadcasts and sponsorship deals.
On Monday, James was asked about the strained relationship between the NBA and China. “I don’t want to get into a ... feud with Daryl but I believe he wasn’t educated about the situation at hand and he spoke,” James said. “Just be careful what we tweet ... even though, yes, we do have freedom of speech. But there can be a lot of negative that comes with that too.” James later said he meant Morey wasn’t educated on the repercussions of the tweet rather than the situation in Hong Kong. Law enforcement have used live ammunition on civilians after months of demonstrations in Hong Kong.
Lo said James’s comments had infuriated many in Hong Kong. “Students, they come out like every weekend,” said Lo. “They’ve got tear gassed and then they got gun-shot, like every weekend. Police beating students and then innocent people, like every day. And then he just comes up with something [like] that. We just can’t accept that.”
Mr. James gets by on $35 million from the LA Lakers, and $32 million from Nike (part of an alleged $1 billion lifetime deal), but the post-NBA money will come from his SpringHill Entertainment which is collaborating with Warner Brothers on "Space Jam 2" that James will produce and star in. The movie will make a lot of money in China — if Beijing’s censors allow it in — which is probably what occupied his mind on that long flight back from China.
And Nike’s shoe sales in China doubled in the last five years, and the company has 110 factories and over 145,000 workers in China. After all, those $110 #23 jerseys don’t stitch themselves.
In fact, who does stitch them?
Nike doesn’t say. But according to the Citizen Power Institute (CPI), much of China’s apparel production is done by up to 1 million of China’s Uighurs and other Muslim ethnic groups detained in so-called re-education camps or vocational training centers, intended to cleanse them of their ethnic and religious identity and make them loyal to the Communist Party of China.
"NBA players in meeting today agreed to continue playing this postseason - but want to find new and improved ways to develop outreach programs that will directly help impoverished, under privileged in communities across the US."
This isn't about a 'social justice statement.' It is about enacting real, generational change by reaching out and making a difference in people's lives. If all they want to do is just make a statement for media attention they should bugger off.
I think the near-term objective is for police to stop killing black people. So how do they apply pressure so substantive changes against that goal are made? That's what I think this is more about. And why is it only on them to solve this by developing outreach programs. A lot of that already does happen.
I don't think you are understanding what this is about.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Jiri Hrdina For This Useful Post:
If I was the NBAPA, I'd start calling on NBA cities to adopt concrete resolutions regarding police reform, and say that the NBAPA will boycott cities that failed to adopt such resolutions beginning with the 2021 season. It's up to owners in those cities to use their connections and influence to work to make that happen. And I'd call on other PAs, concerts, tourists, events and conventions to do the same, not just for NBA cities but for all cities. And there's an incredibly convenient pressure point right now. Cities looking at coming out of the pandemic only to have their entire entertainment industries still on lock down due to boycotts could find the will to start the ball rolling on police reform pretty quickly.
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to octothorp For This Useful Post:
If I was the NBAPA, I'd start calling on NBA cities to adopt concrete resolutions regarding police reform, and say that the NBAPA will boycott cities that failed to adopt such resolutions beginning with the 2021 season. It's up to owners in those cities to use their connections and influence to work to make that happen. And I'd call on other PAs, concerts, tourists, events and conventions to do the same, not just for NBA cities but for all cities. And there's an incredibly convenient pressure point right now. Cities looking at coming out of the pandemic only to have their entire entertainment industries still on lock down due to boycotts could find the will to start the ball rolling on police reform pretty quickly.
I like this but again its risky. What happens when those cities say no? What does the league do?
__________________
Watching the Oilers defend is like watching fire engines frantically rushing to the wrong fire
I like this but again its risky. What happens when those cities say no? What does the league do?
Move the team if necessary. There are other markets begging for a franchise.
Obviously, if change doesn't happen in a dozen cities, or in LA and NY, that is a different situation. But I think it's a great way to use their leverage to push for change.
Move the team if necessary. There are other markets begging for a franchise.
Obviously, if change doesn't happen in a dozen cities, or in LA and NY, that is a different situation. But I think it's a great way to use their leverage to push for change.
Right, I think it's up to the league... as the players, you're simply saying you're not playing in those cities. Moving the teams would be the last resort. Short term, either the NBA can cancel the season, or play a limited number of teams, or have some teams play in neutral locations that have passed such resolutions. None of those are ideal solutions, obviously, which is exactly the point, because it forces the league and the owners and the cities to try to avoid that.
For what it's worth I don't think the NBAPA could succeed with a push like that if they were the only major PA involved. But let's say the city of New York is looking at losing out on full seasons from the Nets, Knicks, Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Rangers? And Hamilton and some other high-profile broadway productions? And some major conventions and concerts? That's the sort of pressure that can make even a massive city bend.
If I was the NBAPA, I'd start calling on NBA cities to adopt concrete resolutions regarding police reform, and say that the NBAPA will boycott cities that failed to adopt such resolutions beginning with the 2021 season. It's up to owners in those cities to use their connections and influence to work to make that happen. And I'd call on other PAs, concerts, tourists, events and conventions to do the same, not just for NBA cities but for all cities. And there's an incredibly convenient pressure point right now. Cities looking at coming out of the pandemic only to have their entire entertainment industries still on lock down due to boycotts could find the will to start the ball rolling on police reform pretty quickly.
That’s exactly the type of action that should’ve been taken before the boycott. It certainly would have led to some changes in a short period of time where you’re voicing more than just awareness, but leading some some type of change. Changing outdated mindsets and peoples beliefs is a longer term change realistically. But enacting and enforcing laws is definitely something that can be done within a year.
On another topic, why aren’t police held to higher standards for anything compared to regular citizens? It’s probably a legal question but if you are in such a position of power you should be held to a higher standard.
Move the team if necessary. There are other markets begging for a franchise.
Obviously, if change doesn't happen in a dozen cities, or in LA and NY, that is a different situation. But I think it's a great way to use their leverage to push for change.
Its not that simple though, and I doubt the owners and the league would take it that far. The costs of lawsuits for things like breaking leasing or financing deals of newer buildings and municipalities suing the teams would be a massive cost risk for the teams and they won't do it, and really can't do it.
__________________
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
The Following User Says Thank You to CaptainCrunch For This Useful Post:
I have no doubts about LeBron’s sincerity in all of this. I’d bet he is well aware of the risks involved and would be willing to sacrifice his pay checks and his last few opportunities at another championship if that’s what it took to make change happen. He’s proving that with his actions by being a leader in boycotting the season.
LeBron hasn't missed a single game let alone paycheck
Right, I think it's up to the league... as the players, you're simply saying you're not playing in those cities. Moving the teams would be the last resort. Short term, either the NBA can cancel the season, or play a limited number of teams, or have some teams play in neutral locations that have passed such resolutions. None of those are ideal solutions, obviously, which is exactly the point, because it forces the league and the owners and the cities to try to avoid that.
For what it's worth I don't think the NBAPA could succeed with a push like that if they were the only major PA involved. But let's say the city of New York is looking at losing out on full seasons from the Nets, Knicks, Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Rangers? And Hamilton and some other high-profile broadway productions? And some major conventions and concerts? That's the sort of pressure that can make even a massive city bend.
You realize that more arenas and public venues were built with taxpayer money, right?
At the end of the day because the NBA (like most other major sport leagues) have been mooching off of taxpayer money, there will be some massive legal repercussions to just up and leave. Most times teams leave because they can't get a new building. Once they have it, they are locked in for 30 years.
LeBron hasn't missed a single game let alone paycheck
The problem is you can't come in here and put Lebron up on a pedestal because it means you are ignorant of world events.
At the end of the day, Lebron like most stars is happy to accept endorsement money that comes at the cost of child labour and labour camps. Even worse, these days it comes at the cost of genocide.
He is the ultimate hypocrite when he speaks out about human rights.
It doesn't mean what he says is wrong, it just means it makes him look even more like the money-hungry greedy person that he is.
Especially when it starts whining that we shouldn't expect players to speak out about the China deal because of the political fallout. Okay then.
You can't pick which human rights are important, and which aren't.
But don't we all? Canadians will pay taxes so all Canadians have access to healthcare, but we don't extend that globally. A gay rights advocate is unlikely to also be a religious rights activist. Generally upstanding people still buy things from companies with exploitative labour practices. We all only have so many resources, be they time, money, or influence to allocate, and will do so according to our priorities.
I will accept accept that Lebron is a particularly egregious example of inconsistency, but in a way, he's also a victim of Chinese power. A gilded cage is still a cage.
But don't we all? Canadians will pay taxes so all Canadians have access to healthcare, but we don't extend that globally. A gay rights advocate is unlikely to also be a religious rights activist. Generally upstanding people still buy things from companies with exploitative labour practices. We all only have so many resources, be they time, money, or influence to allocate, and will do so according to our priorities.
I will accept accept that Lebron is a particularly egregious example of inconsistency, but in a way, he's also a victim of Chinese power. A gilded cage is still a cage.
Is that what we're calling it? Inconsistency? You know he could easily boycott anything China to take a stand, right?
He does not need Nike endorsement deals. Does not need to travel to China, nothing. He could sign an endorsement deal with a company that doesn't exploit labor camps and supports genocide. It really isn't that hard to do.
The common Canadian does not have the resources to make a difference the way someone like Lebron does. But we can make a conscious effort to not buy Chinese made products. It is hard to do, but not impossible.
The Following User Says Thank You to Azure For This Useful Post:
You know he could easily boycott anything China to take a stand, right?
I would not call throwing away half your income easy, regardless of what it's half of. In terms of absolute value, LeBron has far more to lose than you or I do.
