Bubba Wallace steers NASCAR the right way on Confederate flag (opinion)

Editor’s Note: Peniel Joseph is the Barbara Jordan chair in ethics and political values and the founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is also a professor of history. CNN — George Floyd’s death and ongoing racial justice protests continue to roil American democracy, permeating virtually every aspect of American life – including sports. Wallace’s efforts to eliminate NASCAR’s tacit approval of one of the biggest symbols of white supremacy stands in the best tradition of black athletes protesting against racial injustice. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, in a complete about-face from his earlier denunciation of Colin Kaepernick’s peaceful protest of kneeling during the national anthem, released a video statement the next day apologizing for the league’s failure to understand what the protests had been about, vowing to help to defeat systemic racism, and publicly proclaiming that “Black Lives Matter.” Kaepernick’s peaceful demonstration against police brutality and racial injustice was never about disrespecting the American flag. In 2015, NASCAR requested that fans not bring Confederate flags to races and had a flag exchange program; “We are committed to providing a welcoming atmosphere free of offensive symbols,” the body said then.