After months of not writing anything, I’m back.
I’ve got the itch.
The bug.
The feeva!
… to write.
Too long have I neglected this space. Too long have I not espoused my opinion. Too long have I gone without typing “fuck.” I’ll wait no longer. And here is why I’ve returned:
FUCK INTOLERANCE, BIGOTRY AND OPPRESSION!
This week current and former NHL players came together to form the Hockey Diversity Alliance. Akim Aliu, Evander Kane, Trevor Daley, Matt Dumba, Wayne Simmonds, Chris Stewart, and Joel Ward affixed their signatures to the one-page press release announcing the formation of the organization. In short, the HDA is an independent entity who’s mission is to eliminate racism and intolerance in sport of hockey. This is a tall task, say, a year ago. Now, with a ground swell for wholesale change in society and a lack oversight from the organization that’s perpetuated intolerance (I’m talking about your organization Gary) I think they have a real shot at succeeding. I’m not insinuating that Mr. Bettman has been nefarious in his his running of the league, more so that he and the owners have neglected to address racism.
For their part, in 2017 the NHL appointed Kim Davis as their Executive Vice President of Social Impact, Growth Initiatives & Legislative Affairs. The problem… her paycheck comes from the people (almost exclusively old white men) that have perpetuated the systemic issues we face. So how much can she actually rock the boat before she’s fired? How hard can she push for wholesale change? This is why the independence of the HDA is critical; they can publicly say, and lobby for, the things that Davis might not have been able to.
My hope is that these two entities, Davis’ group and the Hockey Diversity Alliance, are able to work together. I also hope, that other players, coaches and executives are willing to step forward and offer their support to this cause. So far, we’ve seen some do so.
Some is not enough.
This is a human issue, not a special interest issue. If you cannot understand that, I implore you to read about the rise of the Nazi Party and fascism.
We need all those that play a prominent role, not only in the sport of hockey but in all facets of life, to challenge their preconceived notions. To open their ears, eyes and minds to the plight of their fellow human. And, to have some empathy and compassion in how they approach life. If we all do these things, genuinely, and lean into the un-comfortableness that will inevitably come with these necessary conversations, we may yet see a brighter future for hockey and, most importantly humanity.