This thread is an insufferable reach. Blasting a guy for having “Education Reform” printed across his back (alongside other POC athletes) is insane, and kinda proves his point.
Yet the fact remains that it would've been really easy to avoid this reaction if he'd just put "BLM" on the back of his jersey. Or even something innocuous like "Freedom" or "Love Us."
That's the definition of cancel culture, PhoSita. "Just agree with us and we won't condemn your views."
First off, there is no accepted definition of cancel culture, which I think is pretty clear any time that term comes up.
Second, it seems to me that what we as fans want from Hayward is to be a good teammate and help the team win a championship.
I am suggesting that he either made an oblivious or deliberately obstinate choice in selecting what to put on his jersey, when you consider the context of what he's previously put forward publicly about his / his family's views and what the rest of the team chose to put on their jerseys. Either way, I think it's dumb and it seems likely to distract from the team goal or possibly even create some division with his teammates.
My biggest concern would be that it's actually demonstrative of an existing rift between him and other teammates about this, but I dont' think we have any reason to think that's the case, as yet.
For me personally, it's also annoying any time that an athlete whose game I really appreciate on a team I love to follow and rep in my personal life does anything to suggest his allegiance with views I find distasteful or repugnant.
I appreciate that some people might feel that way about athletes who speak out for Black Lives Matter. A lot of people voiced similar things about Colin Kaepernick. I'll cop to that bit of cognitive dissonance. When it comes down to it I appreciate when athletes speak up about racism and systemic oppression. To the extent athletes I like are Trump supporters or express solidarity with what I personally view as problematic viewpoints, I resent that and wish they'd keep a lid on it.
Speaking more broadly, I'd love it if being a fan of the Celtics or Patriots were not synonymous to a lot of people with being a racist white guy. Some people will think that no matter what happens; I get that. However things like this, it seems to me, incrementally inch the meter in the direction of that perception sticking and growing stronger, instead of fading over time.
In other news, Jaylen Brown continues to speak out very eloquently on subjects of social justice and sounds like a guy who will one day run for public office. I hope he continues to be a very vocal face / voice of the Celtics for years to come.