Title: NFL Players Protest Eric Garner Decision with "I Can't Breath Message"
Author: Joseph White -Huffington Post
Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/07/nfl-i-cant-breathe_n_6285526.html
In response to the death of Eric Garner, a 43 year old man who was choked to death in New York City, many professional athletes have responded by writing the “I can’t breath slogan” on their shirts, cleats, etc. This slogan has gained national attention as more and more professional athletes, actors, actresses, and rappers have promoted it. The slogan symbolizes the fact that the New York Police Department and other departments nationwide have killed innocent African American men, dating back to the Trayvon Martin case. Data has shown that the NYPD’s “stop and frisk” policy has increased more than ever. Many African Americans have been the subject of racial profiling and discrimination. In the Eric Garner case, Garner never attacked an officer and somehow was thrown to the group and choked for merely selling untaxed cigarettes. In the video, Garner said multiple times that he could not breath, and officers surrounding him ignored his fatal attempts for air.
Another instance where NFL players responded to the killing of Michael Brown was actually a skit conducted by the St.Louis Rams before a home game. Five members of the St.Louis Rams took to the field with the “Hands up, Don’t Shoot” gesture, that Brown made before he was killed. This gesture was highly criticized by the St.Louis Police Department, and the department asked the NFL to discipline their players. The NFL declined, but the more important message is that these professional athletes are actually doing something about the situation. By writing “I can’t breathe” on their shirts before warm-ups, or on the sides of their cleats or basketball shoes, it shows the public and the people of Ferguson and New York that they care and believe something should be done.
Author: Joseph White -Huffington Post
Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/07/nfl-i-cant-breathe_n_6285526.html
In response to the death of Eric Garner, a 43 year old man who was choked to death in New York City, many professional athletes have responded by writing the “I can’t breath slogan” on their shirts, cleats, etc. This slogan has gained national attention as more and more professional athletes, actors, actresses, and rappers have promoted it. The slogan symbolizes the fact that the New York Police Department and other departments nationwide have killed innocent African American men, dating back to the Trayvon Martin case. Data has shown that the NYPD’s “stop and frisk” policy has increased more than ever. Many African Americans have been the subject of racial profiling and discrimination. In the Eric Garner case, Garner never attacked an officer and somehow was thrown to the group and choked for merely selling untaxed cigarettes. In the video, Garner said multiple times that he could not breath, and officers surrounding him ignored his fatal attempts for air.
Another instance where NFL players responded to the killing of Michael Brown was actually a skit conducted by the St.Louis Rams before a home game. Five members of the St.Louis Rams took to the field with the “Hands up, Don’t Shoot” gesture, that Brown made before he was killed. This gesture was highly criticized by the St.Louis Police Department, and the department asked the NFL to discipline their players. The NFL declined, but the more important message is that these professional athletes are actually doing something about the situation. By writing “I can’t breathe” on their shirts before warm-ups, or on the sides of their cleats or basketball shoes, it shows the public and the people of Ferguson and New York that they care and believe something should be done.