Smith said NFLers are focused on being positive in their activism and not providing a distraction to fansTORREY SMITH
Several NFLers yesterday came to training camp practices "wearing matching black T-shirts with the message '#SchoolsNotPrisons' printed across the front, with a drawing of three children behind bars," according to Lindsay Jones of USA TODAY. Consider it the next phase in how members of the Players Coalition are "choosing to push for social justice reforms, and one that could be a litmus test for how much team owners and the NFL support their causes." Coalition organizers "sent boxes of the T-Shirts, with stats about youth incarceration printed on the back, to players across the league last week, with the plan to wear them under their practice uniforms." Former NFLer and Players Coalition co-leader Anquan Boldin said that the "visibility of training camp, and the chance to do media interviews and interact with fans while wearing the shirts, would allow players to address an issue without having to say anything else, and to do so separately from the national anthem." Eagles S Malcolm Jenkins, Panthers WR Torrey Smith and seven Patriots players, including DBs Jason and Devin McCourty and WR Matthew Slater, were "among the players wearing the shirts." Players chose to "focus on the issue of youth incarceration, because they believed it would be a unifying issue within locker rooms, where many players are also parents." Boldin said that Coalition leaders had been "inspired by tactics employed by LeBron James and other NBA players, who have used their pregame wardrobe to speak out on issues they care about" (USA TODAY, 8/2).
PUSHING THE AGENDA: In Massachusetts, Andrew Callahan noted the #SchoolsNotPrisons cause is one of many the Coalition has "pushed in recent months after national conversation surrounding Colin Kaepernick's original protest over inequality was pulled apart into discussions over the national anthem, patriotism and free speech." Yesterday's efforts "purposefully steered clear of any controversy, yet still echoed the peaceful, silent tones of Kaepernick's kneeling" (MASSLIVE.com, 8/1). Smith said, "You'd rather spread a message without it being conflicting. It's not controversial. So you're spreading a message without having people take their words and run with it in another direction. We're trying to figure out ways to be positive, not to be a distraction, not to do anything that's going to be conflicting. We didn't do anything but wear a shirt" (PANTHERS.com, 8/1). Patriots S Duron Harmon, who also wore the T-shirt, said that it is "important to remind people that the players are focused on making positive changes to their communities, and not on protesting the issues during the national anthem" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/2).
