Hockey Player on Protest: 'I'm Done Raising My Fist'

Nick Kangadis | October 20, 2017
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The lone National Hockey League player who protested during the national anthem by raising his fist in the air says he made his point, and now he’s done.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward J.T. Brown released a statement on Twitter claiming that because of a dialogue he’s opened with the Tampa Police Department to actually do something about what most athletes have been protesting about — “police brutality, racial injustice and inequalities” — he’s “done” raising his fist during the national anthem.

Here’s Brown’s Twitter post:

JTBrownTweet

The Minnesota native wrote about his “getting involved” with different organizations and law enforcement to try and help “make a difference in their community.”

“I am done raising my fist during the national anthem,” Brown wrote. “I am now using this support, opportunity and platform to call out everyone who agree or disagreed with me to help by sharing suggestions, continuing respectful conversations and looking for ways they too can help make a difference in their community.”

While it’s this writer’s opinion that you should stand for the anthem, Brown’s protest and reversal of his protest in order to actually foment some of the change he was calling for by raising his fist during the anthem is a step in the right direction.

More people would take these protests seriously if, instead of just protesting, more athletes would put actual action towards their political stances.

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