Black Lives Matter
The fascist language of Trumpism includes terms like “anarchists,” “criminals,” “sick and twisted” and “thugs'' to describe the Black Lives Matter protests that erupted in mid-2020.
While the BLM movement has been active in this fight since 2013, the constant string of brutal, preventable, unchecked murders of Black Americans — which the public can increasingly witness on video recordings — reached a boiling point.
The collected editorials in this section address the divide between the languages of resistance and oppression. Athletes, celebrities and influencers leveraged their platforms in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and were both criticized and celebrated for it.
“Perfect”
“Leo”“Executive Order”This editorial, depicting former Attorney General Bill Bar, was a direct response to President Trump’s executive order calling for a database of repeat offender police officers who are accused of using excessive force or abuse of power.
“Gentlemen's Agreement”The relationship between sports and politics has a long and potent history, with the BLM movement sparking a resurgence of the union between the two in the public eye. Modern athletes are increasingly using their platforms to make their voices heard, following a tradition established by some of these landmark political sports moments:
Katherine Switzer snuck into the Boston Marathon before women were allowed to participate.
In 1947 Jackie Robinson broke through the “gentlemen’s agreement” among franchise owners not to hire Black athletes.
Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised a Black Panther salute after winning gold and bronze at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games.
The United States versus the USSR “Miracle on Ice” hockey match at the Winter Olympics symbolized an ideological victory for the US in the Cold War.
Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes,” an exhibition match intended to challenge sexism in sports.
