Politics are debated everyday in different contexts from class rooms to bars and everywhere in between. An athlete that expresses political viewpoints or a position on a controversy may not necessarily say anything different from what I may personal think, but I do believe that athletes have a lot more at stake when they decided to take a public position on an issue or make their opinions known because they can reach a larger audience. A good example of this is in the interview between Dave Zirin and Scott Fujita, Zirin asked why he endorsed the National Equality March and Fujita replied, "...For me, in my small platform as a professional football player, I understand that my time in the spotlight is probably limited." I definetely think that there are restraints and circumstances that keep some athletes from expressing their opinions publicly, such as an owner or coach that have opposing views since they influence the financial future athletes. However I think it is important for athletes to take a position on issue when it directly relates to them or their own principles, like Fujita taking a stand for gay rights in part because he was adopted as a child and wants any kid up for adoption to have a home regardless of the possible parent's sexual orientation, or the several NFL players who have made statements refusing to play for a team owned by Rush Limbaugh since he has said some serious and intended racist remarks even about players in the NFL.