Detroit Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy praised the work of Colin Kaepernick and other athletes who have protested racial injustice in an op-ed for Time magazine Tues., Nov. 14, complete with a list of specific policy proposals on the subject.
Van Gundy takes the space to be thorough here—acknowledging that, as a white guy, he’s hardly an expert on race, but noting he takes the topic seriously as a coach in a league that’s 75 percent black. He writes about how he’s broached the subject of racial justice with his team and touches on the historical context of protest as a catalyst for change in America, not despite the fact that it often makes people uncomfortable but because it does so.
He ends with a call to action:
I stand with these athletes — in support of both these causes and their patriotism. I hope others will join me in supporting them. These athletes could take the easy route and not placed their livelihoods at risk by standing up for what they believe in. They’ve put in their hard work. They could accept their paychecks and live lives of luxury. Instead, they are risking their jobs to speak up for those who have no voice. They are working to make America live up to its stated ideals. We should all join them in ensuring their collective voice is heard.
