There’s nothing extra infuriating than a pretend ally. And nobody is a greater mannequin of that than the NFL.
If this league had been an individual, they’d be probably the most untrustworthy human beings on Earth. The NFL swings from one finish of the spectrum to the opposite. As an illustration, The league has “finish racism” sketched into its endzone. However, that didn’t cease it from asserting that it’ll be holding the 2024 Professional Bowl in a state that has a governor who believes that some Black folks benefited from slavery.
“Constructing off the success from final yr’s reinvented format that elevated flag soccer and launched enjoyable types of competitors and leisure, we’re thrilled to deliver The 2024 Professional Bowl Video games to Orlando,” mentioned Peter O’Reilly, NFL govt vice chairman, Membership Enterprise and League Occasions, in an announcement. “Internet hosting a number of Professional Bowls in years previous, Orlando is a world-class vacation spot and a favourite getaway for our gamers and their households, and we sit up for working with the town of Orlando and Florida Citrus Sports activities to create the final word all-star celebration for gamers, their households and our followers.”
You’d suppose {that a} league that’s majority Black wouldn’t contemplate any metropolis in Florida as a “world-class vacation spot,” however that is what occurs when a Black league doesn’t have correct illustration within the room the place these selections are made.
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis is decided to return Florida to the times of the antebellum South. Simply final yr, he signed a invoice that restricted discussions of race in faculties and companies. “We won’t use your tax {dollars} to show our youngsters to hate this nation or hate one another,” he mentioned. That’s the type of quote an individual who absolutely understands America’s hateful previous, and current, provides.
Earlier this yr, DeSantis — who stands in opposition to vital race idea — found out a approach to mandate Asian-American historical past in faculties whereas additionally banning programs on systemic racism.
“If you advance a invoice that uplifts AAPI communities, however don’t need to acknowledge the truth that in the identical state, there are actual intentional efforts to invisiblize or erase Black historical past, or [critical race theory], you might be on the fallacious facet of historical past,” mentioned Gregg Orton, nationwide director of Nationwide Council of Asian Pacific Individuals, concerning the scenario. “With Florida, it’s laborious to attract some other conclusion than they’re actively attempting to make use of the Asian American Pacific Islander neighborhood as a wedge right here.”
Additionally in Could, DeSantis signed a invoice banning DEI initiatives in public schools, as Florida will not spend cash on DEI at its public institutes of upper studying except the packages have been federally mandated.
Depart it to the NFL to be satisfied that Florida is the state for its Black gamers and their associates and households ought to come and “rejoice” — and spend their cash. This “say one factor, however do the opposite” ideology that the league operates by is how they’ve gone about issues for a very long time.
In 2020, the league dedicated $250M over a 10-year interval to fight systemic racism. Three years later, the NFL’s “Encourage Change” contributions had reached $300M within the development of social justice. And simply final week, the league introduced the 31 medical college students — 14 from HBCUs — who can be taking part within the second yr of the NFL Range in Sports activities Medication Pipeline Initiative.
Don’t be fooled by the donations. The NFL loves to chop a test however hates to do the work.
The league continues to be being investigated by New York and California Attorneys Basic for hostile office discrimination for racial and sexual harassment and age bias. In March, NFL Media removed veteran NFL reporter Jim Trotter for repeatedly asking NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell concerning the league’s lack of variety within the newsroom and throughout the league. And the NFL continues to be coping with Brian Flores’ class-action swimsuit in opposition to them for its alleged racist hiring in opposition to Black coaches. Earlier this week, the choose within the case doubled down on her ruling that the case is headed to trial, not arbitration — which is what the league hoped for.
Regardless of all of the issues the NFL has been accused of, and all of the issues Ron DeSantis has carried out, the league nonetheless thought selecting a metropolis in Florida that doesn’t have a franchise was the perfect place for the Professional Bowl. There isn’t something about this resolution that is sensible. That’s till you understand that regardless of the propaganda and numerous donations, the NFL is extra aligned with contributing to racism than ending it.
