Hockey Isn't For Everyone: Jagger Joshua Edition
I don’t even know what there is to say. A few weeks ago, I wrote about Mitchell Miller and how the Boston Bruins wanted him despite his unrepentant racism and having had committed a hate crime. Now, we have more racism happening in the hockey world, this time from the NCAA. Jagger Joshua, who plays for the Michigan State Spartans men’s hockey team, was playing against Ohio State University. During that game, Kamil Sadlocha (an OSU player) said a racial slur against Joshua. An official heard him say it, gave him a game misconduct, and was removed from the game. You see, though, apparently that’s not enough proof that Sadlocha said a slur. Referees are infallible, according to sport leagues everywhere, until racism happens. Then all of a sudden, a referee hearing a slur and kicking the player out doesn’t prove anything. Are we sure the ref actually heard a slur? Maybe Sadlocha was actually telling Joshua how much he loved him. The ref could have the “woke mind virus” as our lord and savior, Elon Musk once said, and just wants to cancel a white man. Who could ever know? We’ll never know, clearly.
Seriously, though, how the Big Ten and Ohio State University have dealt with this is disgraceful. Sadlocha will receive literally no punishment. Nothing will happen. This sends a statement to Big Ten players: racism is acceptable, in fact, there’s nothing wrong being racist. You can be a racist and nothing will ever happen to you. The Big Ten does not have a single problem with it. Ohio State University also made it clear that racism is acceptable in their University. They have also decided not to punish Sadlocha. Racism means nothing to either. The Big Ten and OSU have let everyone know this past week this simple message: “hockey isn’t for everyone.”
When I wrote my article on Mitchell Miller, I was angry. I think that much as clear with how sarcastic and the fact that I couldn’t stop cussing. Today, I don’t feel much anger as I do disgust and disappointment. This past week, we saw the NHL double down on “hockey is for everyone” by actually supporting trans people. Unfortunately, another North American hockey league on the same week decided to do nothing about racism, which says to minorities: “hockey isn’t for everyone.” I’m not black, but I am queer and disabled. I’m tired of loving a sport that doesn’t love me back, and I can’t even imagine what black hockey fans and players are feeling. This is a sport that despises black people, and to be honest, I’m not sure what it would even take for hockey to become more friendly towards minorities. Hockey has a serious culture problem, something that has long been discussed, but what will it take to change said culture? It’s still clearly a club for straight, cisgender white men, and others aren’t welcome.
