Unless you’ve been under a rock recently you’ll have seen the drummed up story in the media regarding how ‘outrageous’ it is that Manchester City and England player Raheem Sterling has a gun tattoo on his leg. Of course when these things get media attention as resul of a significant media push, it does seem to sucker in a lot of outrage from groups and individuals. The founder of Mothers Against Guns, Lucy Cope had this to say about the tattoo when asked:

“We demand he has the tattoo lasered off or covered up with a different tattoo.

“If he refuses he should be dropped from the England team. He’s supposed to be a role model but chooses to glamorise guns.”

I have a lot of sympathy for any parent whose life has been impacted by gun violence. That being said, the language used here, the demand aspect especially, while understandable is clearly somewhat overboard and presumptuous.

Sterling sought to open up about the matter by stating :  “When I was two my father died from being gunned down to death. I made a promise to myself I would never touch a gun in my lifetime.”

“I shoot with my right foot so it has a deeper meaning.”

So this is clearly an issue close to his heart too, he’s effectively a ‘Son Against Guns’ after suffering tragedy at a young age due to gun violence. Just because he has an image of a gun on his leg, the actual message is far, far from the glamourisation of guns or gun culture.

You’d think that this would be the end of the matter but The Sun newspaper today doubled down and invited the Father of Damilol Taylor, whose son died in a street attack, to speak out against Raheem Sterling and his tattoo.

To me this crosses a line and is such an unnecessary and over the top response and series of events. There is a very real element of exploitation too because of course people who suffered due to violence are going to have issues with guns. To frame it in such a way though and to target a football player whose own Father was shot and killed when he was a child is the lowest of the low.

This isn’t the first time the press and epsecially The Sun have gone after Raheem Sterling. It’s routine and unsettling. There’s debate on social network over whether racism is at play, or a class issue, or just a fixation on England footballers being that we’re so close to the Russia 2018 World Cup, but whatever the reason it’s pitiful and uncalled for if you ask me.