Late in 2019, Hong Kong erupted in civil unrest as residents there fought hard to maintain their autonomy in the face of growing oppression, mostly driven by Mainland China and their push to exert control over the isolated enclave of freedom. While they’re bound by an agreement with England to leave Hong Kong well enough alone in many ways, they don’t actually like it.
Meanwhile, the NBA was playing games there and remaining awfully silent about the oppression taking place there.
Now, don’t get me wrong, not everyone needs to voice an opinion. Many players just wanted to play basketball, which is fine. That’s what they’re paid to do and they’re the best in the world at it. I have no issue with someone wanting to focus on just that.
Yet others have shown they have no issue voicing their opinions on other political issues.
More politics for Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry and the outspoken Warriors?
Not Friday, although Kerr, Curry and Klay Thompson participated in Oakland in a celebratory and educational event spotlighting the city’s progress in combating gun violence.
The purpose of the symposium and brief march was to focus attention on the city of Oakland’s successful attempts in recent years to curb gun violence. Kerr is an outspoken advocate of gun control, but that wasn’t what this event was about.
“What I love about (the Oakland program) is it’s apolitical,” Kerr said before Saturday’s Warriors-76ers game at Chase Center. “This is about humanity, it’s about people trying to figure out a source of a really serious issue. It’s something other cities can adopt. Really powerful day to be part of.”
Kerr added, “I do some work with the Giffords Center. Gabby Giffords was there, the former congresswoman from Arizona, who has become a friend. We put together the event with the Giffords Center. It was really a chance for us to learn what Oakland is doing to reduce gun violence, and it’s remarkable. They’re doing work that is groundbreaking, they’ve reduced gun violence by 50 percent over the last five years.
Giffords put together the event, but it’s apolitical?
Sure.
Meanwhile, Kerr was a prime example of someone in the NBA who was more than fine spouting off about politics yet who remained remarkably silent about what was going on in China.
Why is that?
The answer seems pretty damn simple. Kerr, LeBron James, and others in the NBA don’t really have an issue with totalitarianism. They just want to be the authoritarians in charge.
Think about it. While they lash out about whatever political issue they want, they remained silent about human rights abuses in China, a country that has such a hold on its population that they’re using medieval weaponry to try and fight back. Kerr, in particular, fights to take away our means of resisting a tyrannical government while giving tacit support to totalitarianism elsewhere.
If there is a saving grace in this, it’s that people like Steve Kerr aren’t in a position to really do all that much. He’s a loudmouth who coaches a sport and nothing more, thankfully.
Yet don’t believe for one moment that Kerr wouldn’t do to you have the Chinese-aligned government of Hong Kong has been doing to its citizens if given half the chance.
