Can the Milwaukee Bucks be the Catalyst for Real Action?

In the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin the Milwaukee Bucks have boycotted Game 5 of the NBA Playoffs. 

The temperature of our society has been steadily raising.

Turmoil between the supposed protectors of our people and our citizens escalates daily.

Words have been written.

Statements have been added to jerseys.

Yet it continues.

This “Civil unrest advisory” just went out to people in the Kenosha area. pic.twitter.com/R3ZRcJGUS9

— Natasha Korecki (@natashakorecki) August 26, 2020

The systemic racial divide in this nation has reached the point where talking and writing come up empty.

Where symbolic gestures are just that, a quickly forgotten acknowledgement of the situation.

The Milwaukee Bucks have actually taken a tangible and measured step.

Players around the league showed support after the Bucks boycotted Game 5. pic.twitter.com/Ak588zSbL1

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) August 26, 2020

With a platform that gives them a domestic and international audience, the Bucks seized a unique opportunity to take a stand.

Folks are fed up.

NBA players made their strongest statement yet against racial injustice Wednesday when the Milwaukee Bucks didn’t take the floor for their playoff game against the Orlando Magic.https://t.co/kgltjtdMY3?

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) August 26, 2020

The NBA followed suit, and soon all games that were scheduled on Wednesday were cancelled.

BREAKING: The NBA has postponed all three scheduled playoff games on Wednesday after Milwaukee Bucks players boycotted Game 5 of their series against the Orlando Magic in protest over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 26, 2020

Milwaukee is one organization in the world of professional sports that would have been a candidate for this stand even before today.

Bucks player Sterling Brown had a knee to his neck and was punched by Milwaukee PD for parking incorrectly.

Former Buck John Henson had the cops called on him while shopping for jewelry, just for being black.

This is personal to them.

— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) August 26, 2020

The question remains if this will merely be a footnote in the struggle for equality in the “land of the free”.

Or a springboard to real dialogue, and actual progress towards true equality and freedom.

Question is no longer if players are prepared to boycott one game — that’s happened. It’s how many they will. There have been discussions amongst several teams, notably Toronto, about going home.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) August 26, 2020

Either way, it shows that people with influence and a platform care.

We have to start somewhere.