‘NOT SAFE FOR ANYONE’

NAACP Urges Athletes Not to Sign With Texas Teams Over Abortion, Voting, COVID Laws

“If you are a woman, avoid Texas. If you are Black, avoid Texas. If you want to lower your chances of dying from coronavirus, avoid Texas.”

The NAACP is urging professional athletes not to sign with Texas teams, calling the Lone Star State “not safe for anyone.” In an open letter to the players’ associations for the NBA, NFL, WNBA, MLB, and NHL published Thursday, the racial justice organization’s CEO Derrick Johnson said, “When all else fails, we must look within and answer the call to protect the basic human rights and democratic values which are fundamental to this country. Professional athletes serve as some of our country’s greatest role models and we need them to join us to fight for democracy.” The NAACP has taken issue with Texas’ recent enactment of controversial laws: a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, restrictions on voting rights, and an executive order banning face mask and vaccine requirements. “If you are a woman, avoid Texas. If you are Black, avoid Texas. If you want to lower your chances of dying from coronavirus, avoid Texas,” the letter reads.