May ipaglalaban ang mga NBA players

MANILA, Philippines — Huwag magtaka kung may makikitang mga social justice statement messages sa likod ng mga jersey ng mga players sa NBA season restart sa Disney Resort sa Orlando, Florida simula sa July 30.

Ito ay napagkasunduan ng NBA at ng Players Union alinsunod sa ipinaglalaban ng mga black race players ukol sa laganap na racial injustice sa US.

Maaaring lagyan ng mga players ng mga mensahe ang likod ng kanilang jersey imbes na ang kanilang pangalan sa unang apat na araw ng NBA season restart.

Pagkatapos ng apat na araw, puwedeng manatili ang mga messages sa kanilang jerseys at sa ilalim nito ang kanilang mga pangalan at numero o puwede na nilang alisin ang mensahe.

Ngunit may mga aprubadong messages lamang ang kanilang puwedeng ilagay. Ito ay ang “Black Lives Matter,” “I Can’t Breathe,” “Vote,” “Justice,” “Stand Up,” “Listen,” “Listen to Us,” “Say Their Names,” “Peace,” “How Many More,” “Education Reform,” “Libe-ration,” “Equality,” “Freedom,” “Enough,” Si Se Puede,” “Say Her Name,” “Mentor,” “I Am A Man,” “Speak Up,” “Ally,” “Anti-Racist,” “Justice Now,” “Power to the People,” “See Us,” “Hear Us,” “Respect Us,” “Love Us,” at “Group Economics.”

May ilang players na hindi masaya sa sistemang pipili lamang sila ng puwedeng ilagay na social justice statement dahil hindi nila masasabi ang mga personal na mensaheng nais nilang iparating.

“They gave us some names and phrases to put on the back of jerseys. That was terrible. It was just a bad miss, a bad choice,” ani Philadelphia 76ers forward Mike Scott sa  conference call sa mga reporters. “They didn’t give players a chance to voice our opinions on it; they just gave us a list to pick from. So that was bad, that was terrible.”