Guns In Sports Reflect Guns In Society
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By DERON SNYDER
Independence Day undoubtedly stirs sadness in many folks, including loved ones of former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair and former Northwestern University men’s basketball coach Ricky Byrdsong.
McNair, who led the Titans to within one yard of potentially tying or winning Super Bowl XXXIV, was shot and killed by his girlfriend July 4, 2009. Ten years earlier, Byrdsong — who in 1994 took Northwestern to its second postseason appearance in school history — was the initial victim of a white supremacist’s shooting spree during Fourth of July weekend.
Of course, such crimes aren’t limited to early July or sports figures. But the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence released a new report this week that features more than 100 cases of high-profile and no-profile sports figures, in an effort to educate and spark conversation.
“Guns In Sports: How Guns Have Affected the Athletic Community & What It Tells Us About America’s Gun Violence Crisis,” is an expose that highlights cases from high school athletes to icons such as Michael Jordan, Junior Seau and former Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor, among others.
“Looking at how guns affect the sports world provides a window into America’s gun epidemic, in general,” said Jon Lowy, one of the report’s authors. “As a sports fan, I know how much we care about athletes. Unfortunately, when we read about ordinary people who have been injured or killed or lost loved ones to gun violence every day, as a society, we often don’t care enough about those people.”
