(ThyBlackMan.com)
“If violence is wrong in America, violence is wrong abroad. If it is wrong to be violent defending black women and black children and black babies and black men, then it is wrong for America to draft us and make us violent abroad in defense of her. And if it is right for America to draft us, and teach us how to be violent in defense of her, then it is right for you and me to do whatever is necessary to defend our own people right here in this country.”-Malcolm X, 1963
One of the most recognizable players in the NBA is Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant. The versatile scorer has been one of the most-well known faces in basketball for over a decade now and now he has joined one of the most well-known video game franchises in the world, “Call of Duty”. Months ago, Durant was announced as a playable character in Season 3 of the “Call of Duty” franchise’s three popular variations, Modern Warfare 2, WarZone 2.0 and Mobile. Players of Modern Warfare 2 and WarZone 2.0 can buy Durant’s skin for a limited time as part of a bundle that includes some basketball-related accessories. The bundle also includes weapon skins that reference Durant’s “easymoneysniper” and “Slim Reaper” nicknames. During the history of the video game franchise, “Call of Duty” hasn’t shied away from heavy military and war imagery in its gameplay and marketing and the addition of multiple time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant could be viewed as a military recruitment tool for African/Black people given the franchise’s background.
It might surprise the average American to find out that virtually every branch of the U.S. military has been struggling to meet their recruitment goals in recent years. According to data from the Pentagon, fewer and fewer young Americans want to join the military. Only 9% of young people now show a propensity to serve, according to Defense Department polling data shared with ABC News. However, as it relates to the demographics of the U.S. military, according to Census Bureau data, the percentage of Black people in the military increased each year from 2018 to 2021. In 2021, 15.26% of those in the U.S. military were Black, which is disproportionately higher than the percentage of African/Black people living in the U.S.
The popularity of video games has been used by U.S. military branches, who have infiltrated online spaces to target young people in their recruiting efforts. The U.S. Army uses an Esports video game team to attract young gamers into joining the military branch, and that has been touted as the Army’s best recruitment tool as traditional recruiting methods have failed. “Call of Duty” is one of the video games that the U.S. Army livestreams to draw attention. With the popularity and recognition of Kevin Durant, his inclusion within the “Call of Duty” franchise could bring in a number of impressionable young people for the military to recruit.
Malcolm X’s words regarding African/Black people joining the U.S. military carry weight historically and in contemporary times. Like virtually every European/white American that has a family member that has spent time in the military, nearly every Black person in the U.S. has a family member that has spent time in the military with the caveat that countless numbers of them also encountered a lot of racism during their time in the military. Perhaps “Tre” Styles of the movie, Boyz N The Hood, was on to something.
Staff Writer; Mark Hines