Find an excuse not to kneel. Because who knows what theUefa, because the gesture must not be exploited (by whom?), because each player must remain free to think and do as he wants (and who denies it?), because sport must remain sport and that’s it. Imagine, let’s not dirty it, and get those rainbow lights out of the stadiums. Do we play football or do we care about the rights of blacks and gays?
If I don’t want to join the “Take a Knee“, gesture of support for the movement “Black Live Matters” which brings respect for human rights to world attention and in particular fights against racism – and whose symbol is a black man suffocated and killed by the brutality of a white policeman kneeling on his throat – I can find a thousand excuses. In reality it is a Pilates response, and in my turn I will have an easy game against those who reproach me: no one can question my commitment against racism. And I don’t kneel because I know …
Not even UEFA itself, which, moreover, has forbidden the rainbow lights of theAllianz Arena, all in all for years ago “No to racism” campaigns in football. Meanwhile, the “Take a Knee”, that is the gesture of getting on your knees at the beginning of the game, has remained suspended there, there are national teams that do it – especially the Anglo-Saxons – and others that do not. And there are nationals, like Italy, where five do it (Toloi, Emerson Palmieri, Pessina, Bernardeschi and Belotti) and others who don’t. Which is also a form of compromise, half are for the visual gesture that enters homes all over the world, half not. Now it seems that in the blue group the logic of all or none prevails. Or better than none …
Football in Italy has always been afraid of everything, it is deeply Christian Democrat, afraid of playing the sympathy of who knows which fans, it has a thousand taboos. But can you think otherwise on such a subject? How do you deny such a little bit of commitment? Unfortunately, football is a heap of paranoia and nonsense. Put in the beautiful path that there National is doing atEuropean, three out of three wins, sky-high happiness and enthusiasm, and so no one wants to touch anything. Not even granting this small but very evident gesture that in any case tells the world where sport is on. Nothing comparable to what they did Smith e Carlos on the Olympic podium of Mexico ’68.
Human rights are everyone’s rights, there is no ranking of importance, respect or hierarchy. The “Take a Knee” or the stadiums illuminated with the rainbow are compatible and respectful manifestations of the event. They are not a noisy demonstration, a procession with drums and megaphones, it is just a gesture that calls for a moment of reflection before universal events such as football matches. In some cases it is a duty to take a stand, take sides, let everyone know which side to be on and where to go. The Italian nationals can do it very well, it costs them absolutely nothing, rest assured that all this will not disturb the game, there must not and cannot be a connection, they will only be more appreciated and respected for their commitment.
For a moment I even dreamed that kneeling the blues also extended their hands forward, joining the wrists and thus also underlining the inhuman detention to which he is subjected in Egypt. Patrick Zaki. Student of the University of Bologna, human rights activist, jailed for a year and a half without trial. In a place where they also have the torture and murder of Jules Regeni on the conscience. Even the right of one alone counts. And it would be right to remind the world, not to wash your hands of it.
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