Carmelo Anthony Should Be Commended For Using His Voice

Anthony marches in Baltimore during Freddie Gray protests

You can say what you want about Carmelo Anthony as a basketball player. He is a ball hog, he won't ever lead a team to a title, he took too much money to stay in New York, he acted like a baby when he demanded a trade from Denver, etc. However, whatever your opinions are of Anthony the player, his words this past week deserve respect for Anthony the man.

After a tumultuous week in America, marred by violence between African American men and white police officers in three different cities, Anthony took to Instagram to make sure his voice was heard.

“The system is Broken. Point blank period. It has been this way forever. Martin Luther King marched. Malcolm X rebelled. Muhammad Ali literally fought of US. Our anger should be towards the system. If the system doesn’t change we will continue to turn on the TVs and see the same thing. We have to put the pressure on the people in charge in order to get this thing we call JUSTICE right. A march doesn’t work. We tried that. I’ve tried that. A couple social media post/tweet doesn’t work. We’ve all tried that. That didn’t work. Shooting 11 cops and killing 5 WILL NOT work. While I don’t have a solution, and I’m pretty sure a lot of people don’t have a solution, we need to come together more than anything at this time. We need each other. These politicians have to step up and fight for change. Go to your local officials, leaders, congressman, assemblymen/assemblywoman and demand change. There’s NO more sitting back and being afraid of tackling and addressing political issues anymore. Those days are long gone. We have to step up and take charge. We can’t worry about what endorsements we gonna lose or whose going to look at us crazy. I need your voices to be heard. We can demand change. We just have to be willing to. THE TIME IS NOW. I’M all in. Take Charge. Take Action. DEMAND CHANGE. Carmelo Anthony.”

Anthony is not obligated to speak up and as Charles Barkley so eloquently put it years ago: athletes don't have to be role models. Barkley was right that they don't have to act like it, but the reality is that athletes are. Anthony's voice will be heard by many and, regardless of whether or not his play is well-liked, it will be respected by many. There's a certain section of society that Anthony's voice can go where President Obama's and other suited political figures just won't. Quite frankly, the world needs everyone to step up at a time like this because everybody could be better and do better.

Anthony's post is just words, but he is a man who has shown he's more than that in the past. He marched in Baltimore with protesters after Freddie Gray's death. And his post this time asks those who have remained silent to step up to the plate. Speaking up is not for every athlete, but we do live in a generation where some of the biggest names (Anthony, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul) are not afraid to go beyond the court. Just because they can drop 25 points whenever they want does not mean they have to step out in times of tragedy, but it is refreshing to me that they do. It shows they understand that they can make a positive difference.

A positive change is needed in this country and any athlete who will have the ears of millions, and wants to use their voice in a positive manner, will earn my respect. Anthony, despite his flaws on the court, is a role model for everyone, including his peers in the NBA. His platform can be used for good and that's exactly what he's doing. Bravo.