The idea of the NFL playing what’s been described as a black national anthem is a concept that’s angered Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.
Curry responded dismissively to a news report about how each first-week NFL game will play the song, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” prior to the playing of the traditional national anthem.
Stephen Curry comments on the NFL announcing it will play black national anthem before games. pic.twitter.com/wGmV1ZBsFo
— TheWarriorsTalk (@TheWarriorsTalk) July 5, 2020
The song was written more than a century ago and holds a great deal of reverence within the African-American community because of the connection to the civil rights movement.
Making a decision to play the song during the league’s opening week is one way the NFL is acknowledging the problem of systemic racism.
A heightened focus on racial issues in recent months was sparked by a string of African-Americans dying in confrontations with police across the country.
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick had previously focused on the issue of police brutality. Kaepernick sparked widespread controversy by leading a push to kneel during the national anthem as a way to protest the issue.
The opinion of Curry, who had a close-up look at the turmoil surrounding Kaepernick, is presumably based on the guard’s belief that such symbolic gestures are meaningless.
The 16 NFL games where the song will be played between Sept. 10 and Sept. 14 will have few, if any, fans in attendance to offer their own opinions on the idea. However, there will likely be plenty of discussion both before and after the song is played about the success of the decision.
