Not every athlete is destined to just "shut up and dribble." Countless entertainers have demonstrated that political activism is really anyone's game. Cheesy as they may be, those little sections in the back of tabloids are right — actors and athletes are people too. They are not simply defined by their occupation. They have social lives, families, and other interests just as anyone else does.
Laura Ingraham and Fox News may not care about the opinion of someone paid "$100 million a year to dribble a ball," sure. But it's foolish to define him simply by what he does for a living. He has done great things for his hometown, which is more than some politicians can say of themselves.
It's clear LeBron is an excellent athlete, his talents have earned him the right to be a household name even among those who don't follow basketball. At least in Ohio, one would be hard-pressed to hear "who?" in response to talk of King James. He seems to have the same sort of popularity nationwide: he nearly rivals Donald Trump in Twitter followers (40 million to 48 million). His athletic skill has provided him the sort of reach that many politicians could only dream of (Ohio governor Kasich comes in at a mere 900k).
He has every right to refuse to just play the game. His reach has allowed him to make great strides for things he really cares about and has stood up for those whom the government may leave behind. This is especially true for children in lower income areas. He donates a significant amount of money to the Boys and Girls Club of America, Children's Defense Fund, and ONEXONE, all of which seek to provide equal opportunity to children from poor backgrounds.
He and the LeBron James Family Foundation also heavily emphasize the importance of education. LeBron has donated $87 million to provide four-year, full-tuition college scholarships to Akron area students. Additionally, he has announced that he intends to make an institution at the University of Akron to ensure those same students succeed in college. The foundation already has programs to help academically struggling students succeed as early as third grade, and this year with the help of Akron public schools, it will open its own grade school to better help students identified as being "at risk."
LeBron has been an outspoken voice for what he believes in. This particular member of Time's Top 100 Most Influential People openly supported Obama and Hillary during their campaigns and spoke out against police brutality following the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and Michael Brown. He uses this influence to candidly speak about being black in America and his hopes for equality.
Despite Ingraham's remarks, LeBron refuses to go down without a fight. He has demonstrated time and time again he is more than just an athlete, and in an interview with USA Today, he addresses her, saying "I do play basketball, but I am a civilian and I am a citizen of the United States, so my voice is just as loud as hers, I think — or even louder." So here's to those who refuse to be defined by what they do for a living.
You don't have to "shut up and dribble." Be loud and stand for what you believe in.
