Adam Jones is an outfielder for the Baltimore Orioles. Earlier in May, Jones was berated by racist taunts at Fenway Park in Boston against the Red Sox. Reports of the incident spread like wildfire across the media landscape. In Boston, Red Sox players, management, and fans were quick to denounce the acts of a few fans than made such overt displays of racial intolerance.
We've grown up in an environment where discourse about race is a prominent news story. The Millennial generation came of age after the Civil Rights movement that made major strides for racial reconciliation. As a result, many in this generation may be insulated from more overt forms of racism that existed in the 1950s and 60s. However, when events like what happened to Adam Jones at Fenway occur, we're shocked that this kind of behavior still exists.
Kevin Blackistone's (you make recognize the name from his appearances on ESPN) piece offers a compelling reflection on the incident and sports' past racial tension as well as athletes' power to call it out and seek social justice.
After reading his article, and having read the assigned articles for this week, respond to the following prompt which is grounded in Blackistone's article:
Which group yields the most power to call out racism as it manifests in sports: athletes, fans, front office officials, or the media? Why?
Sports are not a sanctuary from racism. They are a reflection of society. by Kevin B. Blackistone