Talk of the Tide: Alabama Athletes' Rally Against Racial Injustices Historic on Many Levels

Crimson Tide athletes showed just how powerful their voices can be when they stood up for racial inequality in a peaceful protest on Monday

Whether you agree or not, University of Alabama athletes did something pretty historic yesterday afternoon, when they marched from the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility to Foster Auditorium.

On the same steps that former state governor George Wallace attempted to bar two African-American students from being integrated into the school, 57 years later, Najee Harris, Chris Owens, Jahrez Parks, coach Nick Saban, athletic director Greg Byrne and others offered up speeches directly from the heart on the matter of racial issues facing our country. 

The historic nature of it all comes in a time, when college-athletes feel the power and the ability to speak whatever is on their mind, not worrying about the consequences, more than ever before. 

Think about this. We are going to have athletes all over the nation, especially in three Power Five conferences that are playing football, wear patches and slogans on their helmets and jerseys supporting social justice movements. 

That is unprecedented in college athletics. The idea that these players should just stick to sports is dead and gone. As it should be. 

Crimson Tide junior wide receiver Jaylen Waddle tweeted over the weekend, 'Are we ball players or we humans?' 

ARE WE BALL PLAYERS OR WE HUMAN ?

— JW (@D1__JW) August 28, 2020

Regardless of any fan's or anyone in the media's opinion, shouldn't we all have empathy when an African-American player has to ask that question? 

Waddle asks an important one because if you can cheer for him on Saturdays, but believe he needs to shut up, when he speaks on issues important to him, then he is just a football player to you and that's a shame.

Maybe, if you were one of the fans quick to critique, it is time for your to listen because what we witnessed on Monday was emotional, powerful, raw, and, most of all, unifying.

For all Alabama teams to rally together on the issue of Black lives mattering in this country, is remarkable. These players and coaches understand the moment. They understand their power to enact change or bring awareness to hard topics.

It was refreshing to see white brothers and sisters lending their ear to fellow African-American teammates, saying, 'I hear you and I stand with you.' 

Redshirt senior tight end Miller Forristall spoke to the media on Tuesday afternoon via Zoom, praising how the program handled the structure of the protest and the unity that went into the decision to march.

"One thing that I’m proud of is the action our players have taken," Forristall said. "Not only the players, but the coaches. To believe in something, and to believe in something so wholeheartedly, to go out of their way, to make a message, to make a statement, to use their platform. And I couldn’t be prouder of our guys. To believe is something so strong, to go out of their way to produce not only a message in a video but now to march for it. And the support from the coaches had been more than anyone could ask. I’m really proud of our guys."

One snippet of Harris' speech is still on my mind.

"Not everyone comes from a good background," Harris stated. "It is our duty to always be a helping hand to our families and communities. We have to give back and be there for the kids in need, many of whom are just like we are. We need change in the system of our law enforcement, in our communities, and in our hearts."

Don't miss that last thing he said needed changing, as it might very well be the key to it all: our hearts.

This country has come a long way since the Civil Rights Movement, which Harris acknowledged, but it could still go lots further and it starts with empathy, compassion, and looking out for everyone around us. 

We got a glimpse of what this country could be, through the eyes of Alabama athletes, and I hope those pictures of unity last a very long time, and resonate with us all through the coming weeks and months, as we work to put our differences aside and strive to live in a more perfect union.