Max McAuliff, Staff Writer
Athletes around the world have different levels of influence on the people that follow them. Whether it’s casual fans of the sport or die-hard supporters, athletes’ influence extends to millions of people.
Sometimes the ability for athletes to reach millions of people can be a bad thing. A few weeks ago, Paul Pierce went on Instagram Live with erotic dancers that he had at his house and was subsequently fired by ESPN. While his video only reached a couple hundred people, social media was eventually flooded with the news about Pierce.
This doesn’t deter from the fact that athletes who have a lot of influence should use their voice to make the world a better place.
Lebron James is a perfect example of an athlete who uses his platform to fight for what he believes in. Lebron frequently posts content fighting for equal rights for his 82.2 million Instagram followers to see.
It’s ridiculous when Lebron is met with criticism for using his platform to stand up for what he believes in and what is right. Being told to “shut up and dribble” by Fox News host Laura Ingraham only motivated Lebron to fight for what he believes in more ferociously.
Lebron is one of the most active people on social media and shouldn’t be criticized for using his platform to fight for what he believes.
Megan Rapinoe, a American professional soccer player, is another example of an athlete that uses their platform to fight for what they believe in.
After the United States Women’s National Team won the FIFA World Cup in 2019, Rapinoe and the rest of the team went on every sport show that would have them and advocated for equal pay.
Rapinoe has also voiced her opinion over similar social issues to Lebron, and both use their large platforms to fight for political and justice rights.
Athletes shouldn’t be criticized for fighting for what they believe in. Anyone with influence on social media, as long as their opinion is educated, should voice that opinion and fight for what they believe is right.
Some athletes refuse to voice their opinions on politics. Michael Jordan is an example of someone who was constantly in the public eye but rarely talked about politics. He chose to stick to playing basketball and elected to not share his opinion.
Athletes shouldn’t be forced to share their opinion if they choose not to, but they also shouldn’t be criticized if they choose to voice it.
mcaulimr18@bonaventure.edu
