[ad_1]
Korver described two incidents involving black players in the NBA that led him to reflect on racism and his own privilege.
Korver said that when he had heard of the incident for the first time, he was "embarrbaded" by his response.
"My first thought was: What was Thabo doing in a back-to-back club?" Korver wrote referring to the games of consecutive days. "Before, I knew the whole story and even before I could talk to Thabo … I sort of blamed Thabo."
Korver also said that he was afraid to put himself in Sefolosha's place at the club that night.
"The police would not stop me unless I did something wrong," he said, summing up what he felt when he realized "Cringe."
The next day, at an in camera meeting with the president of the Jazz, "my teammates shared similar experiences – feeling degraded in a way that went beyond the acceptable heckling."
"It was almost like … disappointment, mixed with exhaustion. The guys were just tired of it all, "wrote Korver.
"This was not the first time that they were taking part in race discussions in their NBA careers, and this was not the first time that they had to deal with hateful actions of others … it was not just about Russ and some rowdies, it was about more than that … it was racism in America, "Korver wrote. .
Later in the article, Korver wrote, "Let's face it: I probably would have been safe on the street that night in New York." Thabo either, and I was safe on the court that night in Utah, Russell was not. "
Korver added that whites are not "guilty of the sins of our ancestors", but are, in his opinion, "responsible for their actions".
"It's not guilt, it's not a matter of blaming, it's a question of responsibility," wrote Korver.
"It's important to understand at a fundamental level that blacks and whites still have the same thing in America, and that these differences come from an ugly story … not from a break-up. random."
Korver has highlighted some of his own "efforts that are starting to resonate" to counteract racism, including:
- "I must continue to educate myself about the history of racism in America."
- "I have to listen, I'll say it again, because it's so important, I have to listen."
- "I have to support leaders who see racial justice as fundamental – at the heart of almost every major problem in our country today."
- "I have to do my best to know when to get out of the way, to amplify the voices of marginalized groups that get lost so often."
"It sounds like a moment to draw a line in the sand," he writes.
"I believe that what happens to people of color in this country – right now, in 2019 – is wrong."
Source link
