(via theyoungradical)
wealthy Americans who benefit hugely from a system rigged in their favor react with hysteria to anyone who points out just how rigged the system is.
The NBA lockout
We’re in the midst of one of the worst financial crises this country has ever faced. Millions of people are struggling to get by everyday. They’re losing their homes, can’t afford health insurance and, no matter how hard they look, can’t find a job. The political landscape doesn’t paint a picture of promise. Our country is neck deep in debt, involved in unjust occupations overseas and our two main political parties are gridlocked in disagreement, seemingly too busy playing the political game to effectively advocate for the betterment of the American people. To sum it up, these are trying times.
How is one supposed to escape from all of that? Well, my preferred way of doing that is by watching the Celtics. I’ve been a diehard fan my whole life, and every offseason, I’m counting down the days until the season tips off in November. Only this year, it’s different. This year there might not be an NBA season. And why not? Greed. The owners and players are too busy arguing about how to split up the money to play basketball. There is no sympathetic party here. I don’t sympathize with millionaire owners who had the money to spare to buy an NBA team, and I don’t sympathize with players paid millions of dollars a year to play a game that they love. Both of these parties are in amazing positions, and for that, they should be eternally grateful.
This lockout is upsetting to me on many levels. One, as was aforementioned, this is not a time of affluence. The NBA is a multimillion dollar business, and that the two sides are so focused on their own wallets that they can’t come to an agreement in a situation where there is an abundance of money is reprehensible. Owners and players alike are displaying not only a disconnect from reality, but an insensitivity to the plight of millions of Americans struggling to keep the lights on and food on their tables. For that, both sides should be ashamed. Yes, I love my Celtics and Paul Pierce has been a role model of mine for years- but my sister is also a role model of mine. She’s a teacher. The money she brings in pales in comparison to the lowest NBA contract, and I’ve never heard her complain. She’s certainly never refused to work because she wanted more money and it should also be added that she puts in long hours that go uncompensated.
I’m also upset because, along with stadium workers and sports journalists, the fans are among the victims here. I’d like to take a second to point out that there would be no money to squabble over were it not for the fans. It’s the fans who spend their hard earned money on tickets and jerseys, and it’s fans who tune in at home, making multimillion dollar TV contracts a possibility. And you know what? I’ve invested far more than my money in the NBA. I’ve invested my time and my heart. I’ve been a Celtics fan my whole life, and frankly, they sucked for my entire life until 4 years ago. So not only did I put my money towards supporting a bad team, but I put in my time. When Paul Pierce was stabbed, I left school in tears, worried sick to my stomach. And you know what? In 2009, when Kevin Garnett injured his knee and nobody knew if he was going to come back? My whole family was worried sick. And it wasn’t just that we were worried that he wasn’t going to be able to play in the playoffs. No, we actually care about Kevin Garnett. We see the blood, sweat and tears that he puts in to this team, and we see his fierce loyalty and dedication. For that, we love him, and to see him sidelined and in pain, hurt us. We were worried about Kevin Garnett the person, not Kevin Garnett, number 5.
It seems that owners and players alike have forgotten that there would be no NBA without the fans. Ever since I was old enough to realize the ridiculous amount of money that players make and that owners invest, I’ve had to compartmentalize in my mind and shove the money aside to justify supporting the league. I just want to watch basketball, and I’d appreciate it if the NBA could let me do that, without the greed of both sides completely staining the experience.
White racist notions are so deep-rooted
within capitalist society that the failure of
African agriculture to advance was put down
to the inherent inferiority of the African. It
would be much truer to say that it was due to
the white intruders, although the basic explanation
is to be found not in the personal ill-will
of the colonialists or in their racial origin, but
rather in the organized viciousness of the capitalist/
colonialist system.
—
Walter Rodney, How Europe Undeveloped Africa (via wisdomforthemasses)
(via fuckyeahmarxismleninism)
The joke is on us.
(Source: dreamhampton1)
(Source: pushthemovement)
I went to a protest to fight against corporate greed on Wall Street. It was nice to see the spirit of resistance and awareness first hand.
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