Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban appears in a player-created video posted to the team’s official social media accounts that promotes the Black Lives Matter message.
“The idea came from a number of conversations in the past few weeks following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis,” AL.com reported. “The football program held video calls with prominent Black voices including Condoleezza Rice, Charles Barkley and Stephen A. Smith and their message was clear: use your platform for positive change.”
“The leadership group of veteran players and other star players filmed their parts on Wednesday, and it was edited for release early Thursday afternoon,” the local paper added. “The message was one of unity, honoring the past and building a better future for race relations. It calls for equality and the end of brutality and ended with a simple message repeated by several players and appeared on the screen.”
The video features numerous players from the team who read different parts of the script, which was written by offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood (transcript below).
“In this moment in history we can’t be silent, we must speak up for our brothers and sisters, for our sons and daughters,” Saban said, later adding, “Until I listen with an open heart and mind, I can’t understand his experience and his pain.”
The video concludes with numerous players saying, “All lives can’t matter until black lives matter.”
WATCH:
“In this moment in history, we can’t be silent.” pic.twitter.com/YF4ndJSpa0
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) June 25, 2020
TRANSCRIPT:
We are a team black, white, brown.
Together we are a family, we are brothers.
We represent ourselves, our families, our hometowns, our university, and our country.
We stand on the shoulders of giants, our grandparents and parents, our ancestors, our heroes, Alabama alumni, and former players who have changed the world.
Beginning on our historic campus we speak as one, acknowledging our history, honoring their legacy, and building a better, more just future.
On the field we are relentless, we are strong, we are conquerors.
But we are human beings first and in this moment in history we can’t be silent, we must speak up for our brothers and sisters, for our sons and daughters.
We speak for justice, for fairness, for equality, for greater understanding.
We stand together against racism.
Against brutality, against violence, for a better world.
When we see our families, our neighbors, our classmates subjected to violence we recognize the fear in their eyes and when we experience racism it hurts.
In the game we are one team.
One heartbeat, one mission.
Yet we are diverse.
We don’t always agree but we learn so much from each other and we are so much better together.
Until I listen with an open heart and mind, I can’t understand his experience and his pain.
The virus has shown us how much we benefit from being together and how much we need each other.
We believe the solutions to our challenges are within us.
We chose to listen, we chose to hear, and understand other’s prospectives.
Let’s listen, let’s unite, because all lives can’t matter until black lives matter.
Until black lives matter.
Until black lives matter.
Until black lives matter.
Until black lives matter.
Because all lives can’t matter until black lives matter.
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