Of Course the Warriors Should Accept an Invitation to the White House, Wouldn't You?

Winning a professional sports championship in America is a special accomplishment. The athletes have reached their professional heights, being crowned the best in their profession. Along with that validation comes a champagne filled post game celebration, a victory parade and a big shiny championship ring. Another perk to winning a championship is an invite to the White House from the President of the United States. The Golden State Warriors just wrapped up their 2nd NBA Championship in three years but many are wondering if the Warriors will be answering that call from the White House. Members of the Golden State squad have been critical of the Trump administration in the past and have hinted at the possibility of turning down an offer to celebrate their success with him, I think the NBA champs would be making a big mistake if they pass on the proposition.

Of course the Warriors should accept an invitation to visit the White House. No matter which political party you side with, there is someone worthy of admiration and respect that has graced the halls of the White House. Dr. Martin Luther King once visited with President Johnson at the White House. Muhammad Ali was awarded the prestigious Medal of Freedom at the White House. The White House is where President Obama spent 8 years, where he did everything from break bread with his family to devising a plan to eliminate Osama Bin Laden, the White House is a building with a story like no other. Every time I spend a twenty-dollar bill I hope the clerk doesn’t take that as my staunch support of Andrew Jackson, the man whose face dons the bill. No, he is just the current cog in place that I must deal with in order to accomplish greater good. To allow one man, one administration to keep you from experiencing that great American history would be giving that President too much credit and ultimately too much power. No one man or political party owns that house. That house belongs to the country, it belongs to individuals like you and I.

Many would probably disagree with the statement that the house belongs to the people of the United States. Some believe their voices don’t reverberate all the way up to the steps of the White House. That is more incentive for stars like Draymond Green and Kevin Durant to step through the White House doors. They have the opportunity to be a voice for their community and communities like theirs and help ensure those neglected viewpoints are heard. Even if the Warriors accepted a visit just to travel there to look the President in his eye and let him know they weren’t happy with his politics and the path he has taken to the white house, would be better than not going at all. It’s not only the President in attendance at ceremonies like this but a wide range of current holders of political office. Imagine the outspoken leader of the Golden State Warriors Draymond Green pulling the Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to the side and giving her an earful about the struggles the children from his hometown of Saginaw, Michigan face. Yes, she probably thought she was swooping in for a quick photo op with an NBA champ but no Draymond, make her earn that picture. Individuals cannot continue to complain about their voice not being respected when they turn down an opportunity like this, to champion their cause and meet with decision makers. Another thing, sometimes opposing parties who seem to be unconcerned about the struggles of another are not dismissive because they don’t care but because they are genuinely ignorant to the challenges that party faces. How can an individual who never walked a day in your shoes be understanding of what your day is like? It is incumbent on those who have the platform, to educate those who are oblivious to our side of the tracks. Give the policy makers a piece of your mind for those who wish they had the opportunity to do so.

The Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots visited the White House recently. During the visit, tight end Rob Gronkowski stumbled into a White House press briefing. The clip has since gone viral, aah lovable Gronk, everyone in the room got a good laugh. Kevin Durant should go up there and try to find that same door Gronk stumbled in. Use that platform to let the everyone in that room know your feelings on the current state of the country.

If needling the President is truly a priority for the Warriors, they can still accomplish that by attending. What if during the visit, the players talked to everyone in that building but the President? I am sure freezing him out would be a massive blow to him and his ego. How about when you guys are on stage and he is reading his pre-written jokes and supposed to be having a back and forward with the team, no one on the squad laughs or responds? Leaving him out there on an island alone would send a message as well.

One luxury of this day and age is I am confident the Warriors wouldn’t face much backlash if they went to the White House with an agenda. Outside of Kathy Lee holding Trumps severed head, the current mainstream climate allows for Trump bashing. His supporters are the ones that seem to have to go in hiding. Whatever actions the Warriors took at the White House I believe would be done with

little to no risk. That wasn’t the case for former NBA sharpshooter Craig Hodges. Hodges attended the White House in 1993 as a member the Michael Jordan led champion Chicago Bulls. Craig Hodges attended the White House wearing a dashiki, he also thought he would use his access to give the President a piece of his mind. He left President George H.W. Bush a hand-written letter expressing his discontent at the administration’s treatment of the poor and minorities. Hodges never played another game in the NBA. In that time, an athlete challenging the authority of the highest office in the country was frowned upon. It wasn’t the environment we live in now where a rebellious act is almost a surefire way to gain folklore status. In 2005 during a Hurricane Katrina benefit concert, Kanye West went on screen and said "Bush doesn’t care about black people", his star only grew from that point. Lastly, stars like KD, Curry and Klay Thompson have the world at their fingertips. They can probably find their way back to the White House at some point in their life. What about the younger players who might not have that same luxury or the assistant coach who this may truly be a once in a lifetime opportunity for them? Don’t rob them of that chance, the team can make that trip and still achieve the same goal it would have by not attending.