Is it fair to judge someone for making a business decision that could help the way certain situations dealing with injustice is handled in the future? No, I don’t believe that we can say someone is a sellout just because of a business decision. When dealing with things such as injustice sometimes you must act instead of just voicing an opinion. Negativity is something that can destroy one’s positive intuition. Most see this as a steppingstone to something positive, but many also see this collaboration negatively. Individuals that do not have all the information about the deal see this whole situation negatively. One’s belief of another person is just that however I see the possibility of the positives that could come from this deal.
The partnership with Jay-Z’s company Roc Nation and the National Football League could positively affect social change is many ways, but many people perceive the deal as a bad deal due to Jay-Z’s participation in activism. “This pollster-speak wouldn’t sting as badly as it does had Jay-Z not recently aligned himself with so many social causes” (Peters, 2019, para. 9). This statement speaks volumes in so many ways. This is a way that you perceive a man that has done many things for different people and different communities. Many people get stuck thinking inside the box instead of outside the box. The way the message in the article is perceived is that since his company makes the deal with the National Football League that everything, he has done is considered washed down the drain.
The response of Jay-Z at the press conference when the deal was announced is something that speaks the truth in many ways. Jay-Z response to the deal “We’ve moved past kneeling and I think it’s time to go into actionable items” (Peters, 2019, para. 8). Jay-Z is correct in saying this because if nobody doesn’t take a stand and act instead of just trying to be heard. Life is about choices and anytime you can do something positive to try to make a change you should take that opportunity. Kaepernick’s situation is something that cannot be resolved in the present, but this deal could make a change so that something of that nature doesn’t happen again in the future. This deal didn’t go against what he was kneeling for, but more must be done for social injustice that just kneeling.
Many civil rights leaders made deals and worked with people that many opposed, but more things got done rather than just voicing an opinion action was taken. “Jay did not write off protest when he said we are “past kneeling.” He simply cast Kaepernick as a runner in a relay race rather than a boxer fighting alone in the ring” (Dyson, 2019, para. 8). Simply saying that something more than kneeling needs to happen for social injustice to be addressed the way it should be in the present, and the future.
The “Inspire Change” program that is talked about could be something positive once it’s launched. Depending on how the program is used few details was given except that Roc Nation would also have a part in the program. Inspiring change is a great thing especially if they connect with the right people to carry out the goals that they in the beginning. “Jay’s deal with the NFL represents a valid and potentially viable attempt to raise awareness of injustice to black folk, and to inspire the league to embrace just action for the black masses” (Dyson, 2019, para. 13). Even if the deal goes horribly wrong an attempt to make a change against social injustice was made.
Just because many different people have different ways of handling situations does not mean that we are sellouts. As individuals the ability to be better people must start from the inside. If one plans on doing something about social injustice, they must act on that understanding of what needs to be done. One thing is for sure and that is you cannot stand still thinking that something will get done. You must make something happen with the ability that was given to you. Working with people to get goals carried out such as combating social injustice is something that one should be applauded for not just automatically become a sellout for trying to make things better in our country.
References
- Peters, M. (2019, August 21). The Gift and the Grift: What’s Jay-Z’s NFL Deal Really
- About? The Ringer. Retrieved from https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2019/8/21/20827140/jay-z-football-partnership-buying-team-colin-kaepernick
- Dyson, M. E. (2019, August 23). Perspective | Jay-Z didn’t ‘sell out’ by dealing with the
- NFL. This is just how activism works. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/jay-z-didnt-sell-out-by-dealing-with-the-nfl-this-is-just-how-activism-works/2019/08/23/17178210-c520-11e9-9986-1fb3e4397be4_story.html
