Chad Ochoncinco gave a homeless kid a gift that he will never forget. Ruben St. Hilaire Jr., who lives in a homeless shelter with his mother in New York, initially reached out to Ochocinco by writing the NFL star a letter. After Ochocinco sent St. Hilaire a signed jersey, he surprised the 9-year-old by visiting him on his birthday and paying for him to attend a football camp.
Although Ochocinco’s philanthropy should be commended, are other pro athletes doing enough to tackle social issues? During the 1960s, black pro athletes such as Muhammad Ali and Jim Brown were vocal about problems in society and used their prestige to influence change.
But since the 1980s, the majority of black pro athletes have remained silent about problems that exist outside of the realm of sports. President Barack Obama even made a statement about how today’s black pro athletes are reluctant to react to controversial issues.
“You know, when I was growing up, you had figures like Arthur Ashe and Bill Russell who routinely would talk about the world around them,” President Obama said. “You wouldn’t always agree with them, but that sense that people are engaged in the big issues of the day, I think, is a positive thing. I don’t think that either players or franchises need to always steer away from controversy. I happen to personally think that the Arizona Law is a bad idea, I’ve said so publicly, and I see no reason why these guys can’t make the same statement.”
Should black pro athletes do more to speak out against social issues, or are they only obligated to be great at sports? –a.r.
