“It’s a Stance for Human Rights… It’s a Stance for Just Love”: NBA’s Watson Speaks Out

By POPSspotted On March 25, 2012

Along with the Trayvon Martin tragedy has come All-Star leadership from Chris Webber, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Amare Soudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Steve Nash, and The NBA Players Association. The big names should not drown out the poignant words of lesser known players like Earl Watson of the Utah Jazz. Says Watson:

“I heard an audio tape — it was sad — of the shot and the shooting and being on the phone with the police. You could hear the kid in the background screaming for help. ‘He’s going to kill me, I’m about to die. Help, help.’ You hear that one shot. [Pop.] And then it was silence.”… “The audio tape is what really gets you. The kid, hearing his last words. That kid is only 17 years old. I just remember when I was 17. You never what he could’ve become and it’s just sad that nothing has been done…”

“It’s just very disappointing. It’s 2012. You know? It’s 2012. “

Sadly, Watson also lost his younger brother in a car accident at age 17, and also took a picture in a hoodie to support Trayvon and his family. Watson framed the tragedy and response to it in a historical perspective:

“This is not even a controversial stance.

It’s a stance for human rights.

It’s a stance for civil rights.

It’s a stance for just love.”

“…Change came from the people really taking a stand and being extreme at times. From not riding the bus to protesting together, showing unity.

Somewhere along, that stopped. … You’ll see more protests in Europe now, so they’ve learned from us.

True leadership really doesn’t care [about] the mass thing, because what’s right is right.

You have to have a voice. You have to stand.

I believe if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.”