Last Sunday, several Rams players entered their home game with a “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” gesture, as a show of support for those protesting the decision not to indict the officer who shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. This Sunday, Lions running back Reggie Bush showed support for those protesting the decision not to indict the officer who applied a choke hold to Eric Garner in Staten Island, resulting in Garner’s death.
Bush wore a T-shirt during pregame warmups with the message, “I can’t breathe.” Those were Garner’s last words.
That same message was written by Rams guard Davin Joseph on his shoes.
Via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com, Bush recently expressed frustration regarding the Michael Brown situation.
“Just something seemed flawed about the system and about the way that situation was handled,” Bush said. “I don’t know all the facts of what happened during when Michael Brown was killed, but I just know that a young man lost his life. [He] was shot how many times? Six? Ten times? Ten times. That’s a little excessive.
“So it goes back to the way the situation was handled, from there to the grand jury. It just seems like, it just turned my stomach. I felt embarrassed because of how it was handled and people rioting -- obviously that’s not the answer.”
It’s unclear whether the NFL will conclude that messages on T-shirts and shoes from players are part of the answer. But it would likely be unwise for the NFL to fine players for expressing their views in non-disruptive ways.
