Portside

Rights in free fall

We’re affected by bias and racism, just like everyone else. Musicians sing and write about social movements all the time. Actors voice their opinions. Yet when it comes to athletes, we are often met with criticism for expressing our opinions.

The great Indian writer Arundhati Roy once said, “…in the midst of putative peace, you could, like me, be unfortunate enough to stumble on a silent war. The trouble is that once you see it, you can’t unsee it. And once you’ve seen it, keeping quiet, saying nothing, becomes as political an act as speaking out. There’s no innocence. Either way, you’re accountable.”