When a Fox News talking head told a superstar athlete (not to his face, of course) to “shut up and dribble” instead of offering his opinions on politics, it was merely one more example of those who drive the conversation trying to silence others who are merely voters.
Though I’ve heard her name, I couldn’t pick Laura Ingraham out of a lineup. LeBron James, on the other hand, I know quite a bit about, even though I’m not an NBA fan. That fact (illustrated by her having 2.11 million Twitter followers and LeBron have 40.8 million) might eat at her as much as the athlete championing an opinion that is shared by a majority of Americans.
This is not about what LeBron said. It’s about how people such as Ingraham try to hush up others. It’s immensely popular to discount the opinions of athletes, singers, actors, etc.
Recently, the voices from the right have been busily undermining the opinions of another block, those represented by the suddenly active and incredibly loud teens from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.
They’re organized and motivated, empowered by the memories of lost friends.
Another basketball star, Dwyane Wade, cemented the right of the students to protest and the responsibility of “stars” to speak up with a tweet he put out Monday afternoon, seen above.
If you have an opinion, share it. If a cable network actor doesn’t want to hear it, if your Facebook friends don’t want to hear it, if your family doesn’t want to hear it … they can rightfully tune you out. However, there’s someone else out there who needs and desires your input.
Steve Martaindale 