A broad coalition of national racial and social justice organizations, led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, recently sent a letter to National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell requesting a meeting to address how the League can meaningfully respond to the police shooting crisis and other racial disparities infecting the criminal justice system.
The request for a meeting came days after U.S. President Donald J. Trump continued to attack NFL players who have peacefully chosen to ‘Take a Knee’ to sustain public awareness around the police shooting crisis, and days after the NFL has announced plans to support social justice organizations, in partnership with NFL players.
Seeking to “discuss a set of comprehensive actions the NFL can take to address the issues that lie at the heart of the players’ longstanding protests,” seven human rights advocates are leading the charge to end “systemic racism.”
National organizations that have partnered in this effort, in support of the players’ efforts, include the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the NAACP, Campaign Zero, National Urban League, National Action Network, Advancement Project, Gathering for Justice, and the Women’s March.
Deeming the current climate, and period in American history, to be “a critical moment for the NFL to meaningfully contribute to the effort to secure equality for all,” the collective stated it knows “that the NFL has the capacity to address social justice issues in a meaningful way as demonstrated by its work on issues concerning veterans and breast cancer awareness.”
The coalition recognized the NFL’s recent endorsement of the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2017; a bill that aims to reduce mandatory minimum sentences, one of the primary drivers of mass incarceration. The bill also aims to eliminate “three-strike” provisions and give judges the discretion to reduce sentences for low-level crimes.
“While this is an important piece of proposed legislation, this bill neither addresses the police shooting crisis nor gets to the heart of the racial inequalities that infect our criminal justice system at virtually every stage. We also understand that the NFL has more recently announced plans to engage social justice organizations.”
Giving the NFL a week to respond to its letter, the group is clear about its agenda: The Extrajudicial Killings of Unarmed African Americans by Police Officers; Systemic Racism in the Criminal Justice System; and NFL Advocacy Policies.
The organizations seek to ensure that the NFL outlines a plan that includes comprehensive and robust action that meaningfully responds to the nation’s police shooting crisis. Hundreds of NFL players this year have taken to the field to protest and raise awareness around the need for policing reform.
“This season, players on almost every NFL roster have participated in demonstrations during the national anthem to raise awareness around police brutality and systemic racism faced by African-Americans in the criminal justice system.”
“Inspired, in large part, by Colin Kaepernick during the 2016 NFL season, the demonstrations have been continued by players like Malcolm Jenkins of the Philadelphia Eagles and Russell Okung of the Los Angeles Chargers.“
“Others, like Philadelphia’s Chris Long, have consistently supported the advocacy of their teammates, even though they have not participated in the protests themselves. We stand in solidarity with these players and recognize the courage it takes to use an athletic platform to call for justice.“
COALITION LEADERSHIP
Kristen Clarke | Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law ||| Judith Browne Dianis | Advancement Project ||| Derrick Johnson | NAACP ||| Tamika D. Mallory | The Gathering for Justice | Women’s March ||| Marc Morial | National Urban League ||| Deray McKesson | Campaign Zero ||| Rev. Al Sharpton | National Action Network ||| Melanie Campbell | Black Women’s Roundtable
