"Politics has come to be considered not only inappropriate in the sports arena, but actually antithetical to it," says Zirin. "We really want to see sport exclusively as an arena of play, not as seriousness. But here's the thing, this can diminish not only the greatness and importance of sport for us as a society, but also the courage of the athletes" (The Nation). The pursuit of fame, wealth and status can blind the human conscience, which is why it is important for us to encourage athletes to speak their mind. As a nation, we should not silence athletes, because they are the truly courageous athletes who have the audacity to stand up when they are not popular. Sport should be used as a platform for a certain type of politics: militarism, nationalism. There is a rich tradition of resistance to politics in sports, but their actions have been integral to the country's fight for racial and gender equality; sports is a safe place to discuss these difficult topics. Muhammad Ali is an example of an athlete who used politics in sports to support the civil rights movement and protest war. As an Olympic gold medalist, heavyweight titleholder and many other victories, he has used fame for humanitarian efforts. Ali refused to serve in Vietnam due to his religion and was consequently stripped of his title in 1967. He retired in 1981 with an incredible 59 victories and five defeats, but will always be known as a symbol of courage, willpower and strength, not for his career accomplishments, but for breaking racial barriers. The first African American to once play major league baseball said, “a life is not important except for the impact it has on other lives”; this was, of course, Jackie Robinson. Similar to Muhammad Ali, he faced problems head on... middle of paper... these militaristic ideals are just a way to show the utmost respect for our military. At the start of every sporting event all players and fans, regardless of their team/affiliation, come together to sign the national anthem. This is to say that we are all Americans first and players/fans second. For this brief moment, football doesn't matter; not even corporatism or advertising, but right now we are celebrating America and those who fight for our freedom. Works Cited Andrew, David. "Sports and militarism: a symbiotic relationship". www.personal.psu.edu. March 26, 2012. .Stergios, Jim and Joshua Archambault. "Mixing sport with politics". The Washington Times. March 26, 2012. .Zelizer, Julian E. “Sports and Political Oversight Mix.” CNN. March 26. 2012. .