NFL
By: Zachary Draves
It didn’t take long for NFL hall of famer Emmitt Smith to make his feelings known after hearing that his alma mater, the University of Florida, decided to dismantle its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) department and the positions of its 13 faculty members.
(Courtesy: Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
On Sunday, Smith took to X/formerly twitter and put out a lengthy statement in which he said that he was “utterly disgusted”.
“We cannot continue to believe and trust that a team of leaders all made up of the same background will make the right decision when it comes to equality and diversity,” he said. “History has already proven that is not the case.”
(Courtesy: Emmitt Smith/X)
This all comes at a time when the state of Florida has become a hotbed for culture wars facilitated in large part by the state’s governor and former GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. Most notably, the states Board of Education decided to permanently prohibit the teaching of DEI in colleges and universities in January.
Smith, who received All-American and SEC Player of the Year honors in 1989, didn’t hold back in saying in his statement that the university has fallen prey to the current political moment.
(Courtesy: Allen Dean Steele /Allsport)
Instead of showing courage and leadership, we continue to fail based on systemic issues and with this decision,” Smith added. “UF has conformed to the political pressures of today’s time.”
He then concluded his statement with a call to action to athletes of color, especially considering a renewed call for athletes to boycott states that attack DEI.
“To the MANY minority athletes at UF, please be aware and vocal about this decision by the University who is now closing doors on other minorities without any oversight.”
It’s worthy to note that this is not exclusive to the state of Florida.
Other states such as Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Tennessee, and North Carolina have been aggressively targeting DEI programs and initiatives in education and in workplace. There isn’t any hint that this will stop anytime soon and because of that, Smith’s words need to be uttered by all who possess a strong social conscious and actually embrace the beauty of America.
When people say “diversity is our strength” it is not some cheap politically correct slogan to prove one’s commitment to inclusivity, it is a known fact, particularly in higher education.
(Courtesy: Christine Vo)
A 2021 study by the Columbia University Law Review found that diversity embedded in the fabric of college life leads to better outcomes in areas of classroom discussion and fostering connections. There is also evidence that says diversity in higher education can lead down the path of economic opportunity.
As it relates to athletics, DEI has been proven effective at using sport to create and sustain strong social ties across various backgrounds.
Plus, there is something to be said about black athletes and other athletes of color thinking long and hard about where they want to go to school. It will be a matter of deciding if that school and state will value them as a person and not solely because of their athletic ability that will generate billions of dollars while they receive little to no compensation.
(Courtesy: Tim DiPace/Associated Press)
Who knows if anyone will heed the call of Smith and others, but if something does come about and black athletes and other athletes of color are not going to schools in certain states because of these types of decisions, it shouldn’t be a shock considering that the tone was set.
It is profoundly ironic that those who claim to carry the mantle of patriotism and love country ultimately thumb their noses at one of the things that is supposed to represent the very essence of Americanism and that is our diversity.
How fitting is it that Emmitt Smith, one of the greatest to ever play America’s game, tells it like it is.
