The Voices of the People

There is no doubt that as the United States has changed over the last four years, public attentiveness to politics has grown. More and more people cannot sit idly by and watch the US encounter disaster after disaster without doing the very least they could do to help solve the problem: vote.

Or at the very least, talk about it.

But that in itself is a great start. There was a time when talking about politics was taboo, and for an athlete come come out and publicly support a candidate was enough substance for him to to be ridiculed. Even though the politics surrounding the Beijing Olympics was completely different than the issues that encompass the presidential campaigns, the basic sentiment was that the athletes were there to compete and not to express their political views; it wasn't their place. And that's how system has operated for so many years. Athletes were expected to stick to what they did best and not stick their heads into politics. Now, however, the political landscape has changed and as more and more people have deep rooted interests in politics, more and more of them are speaking out about it, and athletes are among them.

From all over the sports world, athletes are coming out and talking about the issues that are important to them in the upcoming election. In the NFL, economics is the driving force behind so many players opinions, some of which have changed with increased incomes. The young Blazers center Greg Oden did his homework and decided to throw his support behind Obama due to his stance on "education, civil rights, and health care." And mega stars LeBron James and Tiger Woods have shown their support for Obama through some handsome donations to his campaign fund. Even Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard threw in his support of Obama, albeit at the end of an embarrassing rant about not honoring the national anthem.

No matter which candidate they endorse, it is good to see people of prominence coming out and speaking about politics. Athletes are constantly in the spotlight for their performances but are too quickly dismissed when they step outside the lines of the game they are paid to play. They are recognized for their physical prowess but their capacity for anything other than sports is overlooked. Although they are athletes, they are first and foremost people; citizens with concerns about numerous subjects that need to be met. They are also in the unique position to be in the spotlight every day of the week, which is a responsibility that some, unfortunately, don't take too seriously. But for those that recognize the expectation to be a role model and who take responsible steps to bolster that image, it is admirable for them to speak up about politics.

What is said is not as important as the fact that they are saying something. The mere mention of the subject brings it to the forefront of the attention of their fans which has the potential to inspire others to look into the issues and form their own opinions (even if the fans are just adopting what the athletes are saying). Even though athletes are not elected officials or have years of experience in politics, their views and opinions are important. Athletes are closer to the common person than most politicians are as most athletes are better representatives of what the common person is.

In an environment where everyone seems to be talking, the athletes are truly the voices of the people.