There is hope.
Race in sports is a hot-button topic, easily the most uncomfortable issue for a nation with a shameful and tattered past. Yet, we often take great strides to avoid the race conversation. To right that wrong, we can look to sports, love, and the promise of a better tomorrow through our youth.
I believe that today’s young men and women will not only knock down the race wall but will demolish it.
But let’s face another reality: adults influence children’s thoughts and opinions about race. If elders are not pure in heart and people with good values, it is a good bet that they convey misinformation, show indifference, and possibly manifest hate. Furthermore, when interactions across races are minimal and relationships are never built, judging others based on what we do not know or understand becomes all too easy.
We are easily divided by simple differences that genuine conversations could undo and lead to common ground. Acceptance, tolerance, understanding, empathy, and love lead to honesty and forgiveness when needed.
The good news is that I firmly believe that today’s young people will not stand for it. In the past, parents could easily sway children one way or the other, but access to social media and other information sources has opened the floodgates of understanding. It is more likely younger people will better understand differences and that diverse people and perspectives will be accepted and even loved.
Sports help us put our worries aside. When I was in Iraq in 2003, soccer was being played like basketball in the United States. Youth and adults played pickup soccer in every village. While we were patrolling around with automatic rifles, they played soccer. Soccer gave people hope and a sense of solidarity and normalcy. So, you can see why my faith in humanity is intertwined with sports, love, and, more importantly, the love of sports.
Here are several things you can do–today, next week, and all the time.
–Reach your hand to someone who does not look like you.
–Hold the door open when you enter a building.
–Tell the person with three items at the grocery checkout to go ahead of you in line.
–Say I hope you have a good day or smile when you see someone needs to be lifted up.
–Ask questions so you will know. Do not assume or speculate.
–Remember the Golden Rule, “Treat people how you want to be treated.”
I think we all were taught those things at some point in our lives, but we all need to be reminded from time to time.
