Things That Make White People Uncomfortable

This book is a courageous and compassionate story of a great athlete and grand human being full of deep care for his fellow citizens! Don't miss it! Cornel West It would be easy for Michael Bennett to remain silent, to play in the NFL and make his mark through accomplishments on the field. Instead Michael has chosen to use his voice and his platform to fight injustice. Senator Bernie Sanders There is a tradition of athletes who understand that sports is a way to reach people and change the world. I am proud and humbled to be recognized as part of that tradition. I believe that Michael Bennett's name deserves mention alongside the best of us. This book doesn't only explain the roots of Michael Bennett's courage. It will inspire the people who read it to conquer their fears and fight for what's right. Dr. John Carlos, 1968 Olympic medalist I was going to say this is the most courageous books on race written by an athlete in my lifetime, but I actually think this is one of the most courageous books on race and racism in America that has ever been written by anyone. Its that good and that important. Shaun King, columnist for The Intercept and writer-in-residence for Harvard Law Schools Fair Punishment Project There is a revolution underway inside professional sports and Michael Bennett is at ground zero. In this revelatory book, he puts everything on the line to share the reasons, strategy, pain and deep thought behind this historic uprising. And he invites us into a vision of justice and liberation that is simply irresistible. This book is pure fire. Naomi Klein, author of No Is Not Enough Michael Bennetthusband and father, citizen, NFL Pro Bowl Player and Super Bowl MVPpresents a series of perspectives on cultural, institutional, and political realities within the sports arena and beyond that provokes us to a deeper consideration of athlete political activism, activism that today makes many in white America uncomfortable. His arguments are as persuasively reasoned and analytical as they are passionate and moving, as challenging in their message as they are disarming in their humor. Though appropriately titled, the book at core really urges us all to a better understanding of the current saga of athlete protests, protests that are testament to what we already have become as a society and a warning about where we might be headed as a nation, protests that constitute a cautionary tale that should make us all, irrespective of race, at least a little uncomfortable, perhaps even uncomfortable enough to grow in our own responsiveness to the call to form that more Perfect Union. A must-read for anyone looking to better understand todays political climate in American sports. Harry Edwards, author of The Revolt of the Black Athlete Michael Bennett is one of the most outspoken and progressive voices in the NFL. The Root 100 Most Influential African Americans 2017 With vulnerability, humility, and the courage to tell the truth, Michael Bennett reminds us at the heart of every social awakening are ordinary people who choose justice and resistance over silence and comfort. In a profession where independent thought is punished, Michael Bennett lays it all on the line with this book. Bennetts insights into everything from Black Lives Matter, to college athletics, to intersectional feminism will not only make white people uncomfortable, but it will challenge the status quo of our entire society. Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, author of From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation Michael Bennet is a warrior for justice. His spirit is in line and step with all those freedom fighters who came before him. Craig Hodges, author of Long Shot: The Triumphs and Struggles of An NBA Freedom Fighter In a social media age where professional athletes are regularly criticized by anyon

Michael Bennett is a three-time Pro Bowler, Pro Bowl MVP, Super Bowl Champion, and two-time NFC Champion. He has gained international recognition for his public support for the Black Lives Matter Movement, womens rights, and other social justice causes. In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans by The Root, was the Seattle Seahawks nominee for the NFLs Walter Payton Man of the Year award, and was honored along with his brother Martellus with a BET Shine a Light award for exceptional service. He is the cofounder with Pele Bennett of The Bennett Foundation, which educates underserved children and communities through free, accessible programming. He has held free camps and health clinics in Seattle, in his hometown of Houston, in his current offseason home, Honolulu, and in South Dakota on the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe. He donates all of his endorsement money and the proceeds from his jersey sales to fund health and education projects for poor and underserved youth and minority communities, and recently expanded his reach globally to support STEM programming in Africa. He is the proud father of three daughters, Peyton, Blake, and Ollie. Dave Zirin is the sports editor for the Nation and the author of several books, most recently Brazil's Dance with the Devil. Named one of UTNE Readers Fifty Visionaries Who Are Changing Our World, Zirin is a frequent guest on MSNBC, ESPN, and Democracy Now! He hosts WPFW's The Collision with Etan Thomas and has been called "the best sportswriter in the United States," by Robert Lipsyte.