Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy has never been one to shy away from the microphone. The 57-year-old coach speaks candidly on players and his own performance as a coach. Most importantly, he has shown a willingness to speak out against injustice. He has unwillingly accepted that Donald Trump will be president. However, he’s steadfast in challenging Trump and others at every step.

“I’m sick of people who supported Trump saying ‘get over it, you lost,’” Van Gundy told Sporting News. “That’s not how America works. We get to critique him the same way they constantly fought Obama. As long as I have a platform I will continue to speak up because it’s my responsibility.”

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Van Gundy took some time to sit down with Sporting News to discuss racism, sexism and many other societal ills.

Sporting News (SN): When did you first become aware of politics?

Stan Van Gundy (SVG): I was raised in a home where we grew up where we discussed issues. I’ve always been really politically aware. My wife and four kids are very aware. They make me more attune to a lot of things I would not think about. Especially women’s issues. I have three daughters and a wife. They constantly are making me aware of ways we aren’t respecting women. I love that they challenge me. I want my kids aware. I don’t want them to vote a certain way because that’s how I voted. We agree and disagree, but most importantly, we all learn.

SN: What are some of the things your daughters have taught you about women?

SVG: I was always for equal pay and things like that. But there are so many other issues. Like when you see the Brock Turner case at Stanford. Here’s a man who got caught sexually assaulting a woman, and the courts don’t see it as a big deal. He got a six-month sentence because some judge said his life was important. But what does that say to women? Or you see this study from Harvard where a woman sends in the (same) resumé as a man and she gets called back four times less. All they did was change the first name and the men got more call backs. This what my daughters are up against. A lot of the time when you sit in a position of privilege like I do, you don’t realize how things are until you live closely to those are dealing with oppression. It’s the same with my players, staff and other people around the NBA.

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SN: How can others become more aware?

SVG: Read and listen. When you have privilege you have to been quiet and listen. I wasn’t raised in some of these situations. I had a very fortunate upbringing — 30 years around basketball and listening to players talk about getting pulled over because somebody thought they were in the "wrong" neighborhood. Then you read books like Michelle Alexander’s "New Jim Crow" where it shows society locked up an entire generation of young black men for small drug crimes. It’s done so much damage. You have whole communities ruined over petty marijuana possession. You almost feel ignorant for not knowing this stuff before. You then say, "Wow it shouldn’t be like this." And then you see this election on top and you have to say something, so I did.

SN: Is this why you spoke out in Phoenix?

SVG: Absolutely, we took a major step back. We elected a man who said some of the worst things ever, and people still voted for him. It’s been over a month and I still can’t believe so many were willing ignore racism, sexism and mistreatment of the LGBTQ community. He said things that were beyond what we should expect in America. So I felt the need to speak out. It wasn’t so much that he got elected. It was more what was said by him and his campaign. I didn’t care about my candidate losing and the Republicans winning. I’ve voted for plenty of people who lost. I did care about all the things he said that were encouraged or at least condoned by voters.

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SN: Do you regret anything you said in Phoenix?

SVG: I meant what I said about how electing Donald Trump will set our country back. I stand by that. However, I do wish I wouldn’t have made the blanket statement about not respecting anybody who voted for Trump. I spoke from a place of comfort. I make an excellent salary and work a great job. A lot of the people who voted for Trump don’t. Let’s say you say you’re out of a job and believe this guy is going to get you on back on your feet. You might overlook some stuff not because you believe it. But you’re that desperate. They’re wrong. But it’s what they believe. It’s easy for me to say, "How can they vote for a monster?" But when people fear they make awful choices. Even if that means looking over a racist and sexist man. I should not have said I don’t respect them. What I don’t respect is all the things that were said.

SN: What is the responsibility of the person with privilege?

SVG: We have a great responsibility because, rightly or wrongly, we tend to be the people in power. Or people like us. People with advantages don’t tend to want to give them up. If you see it as a zero-sum game then it will never change. If only the people who are disadvantaged speak out, then it’s not enough. I don’t want to overshadow their voices, but I want to support. There’s a difference. It’s the people who are advantaged who need to see things as unfair. No movement in our history has ever worked with only the oppressed people fighting. That’s why the rollback of Affirmative Action and Voting Rights Acts is so flawed. I wish we lived in a world where we didn’t need to protections but we don’t. It’s up to them to tell us when things are even, and we aren’t close to being on an even playing field. I don’t see how anybody can look at our systems and see the world as equal. If you are, you’re lying to yourself.