Democracy Dies in Darkness
NFL

NFL’s Charlie Kirk tributes show that sticking to sports never made sense

Our games are played, watched and run by people. Stop pretending their beliefs go away when they enter a stadium.

6 min
Charlie Kirk is recognized in a moment of silence before a game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
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Goodbye to the delusion of sticking to sports. That fantasy has died.

We are freshly being reminded what a fallacy that always has been. Years ago, when athletes protested injustice that hit close to home, they couldn’t just shut up and play. And it happened again this past week as the powerful people in charge of sports franchises and leagues could no longer keep up the lie and mourned a tragedy that resonated within their deepest convictions.

What readers are saying

The comments reflect a strong sentiment that sports and politics are inherently intertwined, as evidenced by the controversy surrounding the memorialization of Charlie Kirk at sporting events. Many commenters express disapproval of the NFL and other sports organizations for... Show more
This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.
By
Candace Buckner is a sports columnist and critic. She previously covered sports and society from 2020 to 2021, and the Washington Wizards from 2016 until 2020. She joined The Post in August 2016.@CandaceDBuckner
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