Milwaukee Bucks did not come out of their locker room when their game was supposed to begin. George Hill started out as inactive then it snowballed from there. All Bucks players boycotted yesterday’s game due to the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha. Soon after, the entire league would protest Wednesday’s games, and now, the league is trying to decide if they’re going to play the rest of the playoffs. Brewers joined the Bucks as Milwaukee united and shut down their game as well. It sent a message to the state and easily the biggest sports story in America. This is step one of a several step process to see some real change in Wisconsin and the United States.

Unfortunately, this is not a quick fix. We are not immediately going to solve all the problems based on the boycotts of each team. We live in an entirely divisive time where both political parties hate each other and refuse to compromise. They throw shots at each other and try to associate blame for wrongdoings. Yesterday encapsulates this culture of distrust perfectly here locally. No one wants to give an inch. If they compromise with the other side, it is seen as a scarlet letter versus trying to appease all people.

Overnight, two Kenosha protesters died due to a young rifleman. When that happened, State Speaker of the Assembly blamed Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and said the ‘blood was on his hands.’ Post Bucks boycott, the Wisconsin DOJ came out with their findings and Josh Kaul blamed Vos, and Scott Fitzgerald for their inactiveness. Instead of coming together as men and women who want good in this world, it is a shouting match of who fucked up. That’s wrong. Maybe, just maybe, they will listen to Bucks and Brewers and start coming to the table.

Without question, this is the most effective way to protest. This makes more of an impact than kneeling for the national anthem or anything else that has been done in the past. Protesting playing the sport to raise up the idea that they’re bigger things in the world going on that sports can take a backseat for a day or two. This will not be the first time this happens, and it may shine a larger lens on the need for sports at all times. Let’s hope nothing like this happens again where a boycott is needed.
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While I am ultimately proud of Milwaukee sports teams for leading this charge, there needs to be an understanding by everyone that this will take time. Due to the nature of politics today. Due to the hundreds of things people have to think about making changes to laws. It is going to be a process. And honestly, in an election year, the real work will not start until February 2021. I know that stings to read but it is reality.

We’ll see where things go from here.

Charlie.