Running from the Hate
By: Rhianna Dozier
It was the end of the Civil Rights Movement, and African Americans were still facing prejudice and discrimination. Martin Luther King Jr. had been shot earlier that year, and African Americans were feeling disheartened. It was the 1968 summer Olympics in Mexico City. Tommie Smith and John Carlos had just placed in the top three for the 200-meter dash. They walked up to the podium to receive their medals, and once they were receiving their awards and the National Anthem came on, they stuck their fist in the air to signify human rights and equality. Smith and Carlos kept their hands in the air until the Anthem was finished. Although no words were spoken, Smith and Carlos used their wins to advocate for the disgruntled social issues at the time.
The silent protest by expression is a prime example of how athletes use their First Amendment rights to relay a powerful message without using words. Smith and Carlos wanted to express their dissatisfaction with the limited number of African American coaches. Smith and Carlos hoped that their gesture would ignite the start of similar protests and a change in the social issues dealing with African Americans. In addition, the silver medalist, Peter Norman, continued to stand on the podium while Smith and Carlos made their gesture. Although Norman did not raise his arm with Smith and Carlos, he was still part of the message because he stood tall with the two African American runners. Norman's career was tarnished because he was a part of the protest. The Australian sports establishment punished Norman for using his First Amendment right, and they kicked him off the team in 1972.
For years, the NFL has been trying to keep politics and opinions of players out of the press. When players use their platform to speak out on issues, it highlights all the problems in the NFL. When the NFL retaliates, they suspend players or ban them from the organization. The NFL cannot take away players' rights to speak because it is their right to use the NFL and their fame to advocate for or against controversial issues.
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