Jaylen Brown says sports are a “mechanism of control” which allow people to be less “disappointed with their role in society.”
In a story by The Guardian‘s Donald McRae, Brown spoke about sports’ role in society, and the “racist undertones” of being labeled “too smart” for the League.
Jaylen Brown, aka @FCHWPO of the Boston Celtics, is the most intelligent young athlete I've interviewed in years. He talks here about race in America, Trump, @Kaepernick7, education, the loss of his best friend, the Celtics, London, Arsenal & @ThierryHenry https://t.co/dILTQVzU4S
— Donald McRae (@donaldgmcrae) January 9, 2018
“That’s the reality because sports is a mechanism of control. If people didn’t have sports they would be a lot more disappointed with their role in society. There would be a lot more anger or stress about the injustice of poverty and hunger.
“Sports is a way to channel our energy into something positive. Without sports who knows what half of these kids would be doing?” […]
“I disagree that an athlete can’t be intelligent. Some people think that, in basketball, we have a bunch of masculine adults who don’t know how to control themselves. They’re feeble-minded and can’t engage or articulate ideas.
“That’s a narrative they keep trying to paint. We’re trying to change it because that statement definitely has a racist undertone.”
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