Don't say we have a voice and then fine us because we use it. #notpuppets #cutthestrings
— Mistie Bass (@APhoenixBorn) July 21, 2016
In response to the deadly shootings of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and five Dallas police officers, members of the New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, and Indiana Fever have been wearing black warmup shirts as a form of protest against the recent acts of violence…. the WNBA fined them for doing so.The trend was started last week by players on the Minnesota Lynx, who wore black warmup shirts that read “Change Starts With Us: Justice & Accountability” on the front, and had the names of Castile and Sterling alongside a Dallas PD emblem and Black Lives Matter logo on the back. The New York Liberty followed suit, donning black warmups that had #BlackLivesMatter and #Dallas5 printed on them. This prompted the WNBA to send a memo to teams, warning them that violations of the official uniform policy could result in fines.
It seems like a good candidate for today’s “WTF???” moment- players taking a social stand on an issue that impacts them- and all of us, really- directly. They didn’t scream Black Panther slogans, they didn’t lounge on a medal stand and thrust one black-gloved hand into the air, and they didn’t scream, “KILL WHITEY!!!” during warmups. They wore black shirts to protest the deaths of innocent African-Americans who died as a result of police violence.
Except for a few thick-headed Minneapolis cops, the protests, understated as they were, created little in the way of controversy. You’d think the WNBA home office would be proud of their players for showing a collective social conscience in an appropriate and respectful manner…and they were, except for the actual protest.
In a statement issued to the Associated Press, WNBA president Lisa Borders said, “We are proud of WNBA players’ engagement and passionate advocacy for non-violent solutions to difficult social issues but expect them to comply with the league’s uniform guidelines.”
So…”We’re proud of their protest, but we’re going to fine them because they protested.”
And people wonder why, after two decades, the WNBA still hasn’t caught the interest of American sports fans? Perhaps because the league office is more concerned with their uniform guidelines than with recognizing that their players conducted a dignified and non-disruptive protest. A bush league reaction by the league, to be certain, but to the players credit, they’re not about to be silenced. As New York Liberty forward Tina Charles posted on her Instagram account:
Today, I decided to not be silent in the wake of the @wnba fines against @nyliberty, @indianafever & @phoenixmercury due to our support in the #BlackLivesMatter movement . Seventy percent of the @wnba players are African-American women and as a league collectively impacted. My teammates and I will continue to use our platform and raise awareness for the #BlackLivesMatter movement until the @wnba gives its support as it does for Breast Cancer Awareness, Pride and other subject matters.
There are things that transcend basketball- human life chief among them. Players aren’t being disrespectful or inflammatory…they’re using their visibility as a platform for raising awareness about the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.
(If you’re not familiar with what the movement stands for, check out BLM’s website with an open mind. I think you’ll be favorably impressed.)
After a game between the Indiana Fever and the New York Liberty, both teams respectfully declined to answer basketball questions, wanting instead to focus on the much larger issues they’re attempting to draw attention to.
When media members entered the Liberty locker room, the team addressed reporters as a unit and informed them that they would not be answering any basketball questions, but would be happy to talk about the issues they’ve been protesting. Charles, Tanisha Wright, and Swin Cash spoke on behalf of the team, and presented a clear-eyed explanation of their actions. Their full statements, which can be seen here, are well worth your time.
“We feel like America has a problem with the police brutality that’s going on with black lives around here, and we just want to use our voices and use our platform to advocate for that,” said Wright. “Just because someone says ‘Black Lives Matter’ doesn’t mean that other lives don’t matter. People put out this imaginary ‘black lives only matter’ whenever people say, ‘Black lives matter.’ What we’re saying is, ‘Black lives matter, too.’ Period.”
Too often, we expect athletes and entertainers to do their thing and remain silent. We don’t recognize their humanity and the truth that they’re impacted by the same issues that concern the rest of society. That the WNBA is trying to silence their players for “uniform violations” is a misguided, slavish devotion to the rules at best…and a reprehensible attempt to squash legitimate debate at worst. I’m inclined to give the league office the benefit of the doubt, but I don’t think there’s any question their decision to fine players and teams was misguided. How about working with the players to finding a mutually agreeable solution?
I admire the players for speaking out on an issue that should be of concern to everyone…and for making it clear that “Black lives matter, too. Period.” Respecting human life- ALL human life need not be a matter with any potential for conflict. It’s just too bad the WNBA is more concerned about their uniform rules.
