ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit became visibly emotional while addressing the systemic racial injustices faced by the Black community in the United States.
“When you are a white player in these locker rooms, it becomes crucial for you to actively contribute to creating change. Players like Trevor Lawrence have taken steps to be involved. It goes beyond attending rallies or missing practices to make a statement. The crucial question we must ask is, what comes next? What will bring about real change? During a conversation with David Shaw, the head coach of Stanford, he shared a quote with me that resonated deeply, sourced from Benjamin Franklin: ‘Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.’
“The Black community is in pain. How can you hear these stories and not feel moved to help? Simply wearing a hoodie or driving with your hands at 10 and 2 on the steering wheel prompts a sense of alertness because of the color of your skin. How is this acceptable? It’s not. As white individuals, you may not directly relate, but you can listen and strive to support because this is unacceptable. We must do better. We must stand united and work together. The camaraderie found in a football locker room, we need that unity. We need to strive for better,” Herbstreit expressed.
In recent times, college football teams across the nation have taken a stand against racial injustice and police brutality in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake and the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
Several college football players who have been leading these efforts participated in a pre-recorded roundtable discussion with ESPN’s Maria Taylor.
Twitter users shared their reactions to Herbstreit’s emotional message:
