Hypocritical Major League Athletes Wear Uniforms Made By Slave Labor

Major league athletes who kneel during the National Anthem are wearing Nike uniforms made in Communist China using slave labor.

Uniforms worn by all 30 major league baseball teams are part of a 10-year deal between MLB, Nike, and the sports retailer Fanatics. The deal is valued at more than $1 billion, a Forbes article reported.

These uniforms are made in China by laborers who are virtual slaves. Working conditions in forced labor camps are atrocious and would never be tolerated in the U.S. But Nike and major league baseball teams are mute on the subject.

The NBA also buys their uniforms from Nike. Many NBA players have signed lucrative deals with Nike to create signature shoes, sold for a hefty price. Nike NBA jerseys sell for hundreds of dollars.

My research found that the average worker in China earns between $200 and $300 a month. Nike production plants are located in several cities in China, as well as in Vietnam and Indonesia. But laborers who make products in forced labor camps don’t fare as well, not only in wages, but also in living conditions.

A 2019 State Department report alleged that the Communist Chinese government detained more than one million people of ethnic origin in specially built internments camps. The Chinese government has a long history of human rights violations. It appears, however, that the dollar is mightier than the consciences of wealthy athletes and sports franchises.

Last October, Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey tweeted his support for the protesters in Hong Kong. It drew such ire from the Chinese government that they banned NBA games on Chinese TV. Morey quickly deleted the tweet because of the financial fallout.

Earlier this month, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) called for Nike, the NBA, and other companies to pledge they would not buy products from Communist China that used forced or slave labor.

Hawley is also concerned that the NBA is allowing players to include “social justice” statements on the backs of their jerseys. He sent a letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver asking the NBA to allow comments in support of Hong Kong, the police, and the military.

Adrian Wojnarowski, a top ESPN basketball reporter, responded by emailing “F— you” to Senator Hawley’s office. The reporter apologized and was immediately suspended. Unconfirmed reports say he may be back at work as early as today, just days before the NBA season is set to start.

This highlights the hypocrisy of athletes, teams, upper management, and sports networks. Major league players routinely kneel during our National Anthem to show support for Black Lives Matter and social justice.

But these same players do nothing to show their support for the slave laborers who make the Nike uniforms with the social justice statements printed on their backs.

Where is their call for social justice for the slave laborers who make their jerseys?

The irony has not gone unnoticed. Blacks were the victims of slavery. They have been subjected to racism. Both black and white athletes now show their support for BLM and social justice by kneeling.

However, these rich athletes know that their uniforms are made using slave labor by ethnically oppressed workers. What is their response? Silence!

What a bunch of hypocrites!

Image from: usatoday.com

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