NO JOKE, even for us: RACISM in SPORTS

by III, wald66@hotmail.com

It could be the subject of a debate that would last until this world came to an end. (Or the Cleveland Browns win a Super Bowl – same thing). It is a topic that extends far beyond anything I would have to say that is the least bit noteworthy, but since this is my article, you will listen to every damn word I have to say.

Due to the sensitivity of such a topic, I want to preface with some factual information about myself to clear the air on any potentially misread information. Born and raised in Richmond, Va, the schools I attended were probably 60/40 – black/white. My best friends growing up were black. Half of my friends were white, half were black, and a sprinkle of Asians here and there with a dab of Latino. Bottom line, color has never mattered one iota to me. In college, I would get into fist fights with kids who used the “N” word – some of whom I considered to be my best friends. I have no patience for racism of any kind, and think it is the epitome of classlessness to be a racist. Now, with that being said, I do have some grievances.

What has this country come to when a person cannot use the words “fried chicken” and “black” in the same sentence? Falcons owner Arthur Blank made a comment the other day along the lines of Michael Vick not eating too much fried chicken and fries while in jail so he can stay in shape. Hours later, ESPN created a panel of “experts” to discuss the meaning of Arthur Blank’s comments. The Mitchell Report is on the verge of being released, the Patriots had just defeated the last team that really poses a threat to their undefeated season, and the major topic of the show is Arthur Blank, Michael Vick, chicken, and how the three relate to each other. ESPN is really starting to piss me off lately, but that is another topic for another article.

Since when did black people become the only race that loves friend chicken? Do they have a patent on finding friend chicken delicious? My favorite meal growing up was a 3 piece from KFC. Popeye’s is a local favorite dining experience of mine. We have reached a point in this country where everyone is so afraid to say the wrong thing for fear of being objectified by the judgmental assholes that make up a large majority of the human race. It comes down to the fact that people are so bored with their own lives, that they consume themselves with ridiculing and finding faults in others. (I’m talking to you, hippies).

And in my 25 years living on this planet, I have come up with very few things that I believe to be certainties. The biggest certainty I have found, however, is that WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT. Say it with me. WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT. We are not the same. The only thing that makes us the same is the fact that we are all human beings. Y'all reading this article are different than I am. If you’re skin is another color, guess what? That makes us different. If you are a professional ballet dancer, guess what? That makes us different. If you’ve got two massive lumps on your chest, guess what? That makes us different. There is no negative connotation there. Do you notice in the Olympics every year that the winner of the sprinting events is almost always black? That is not an amazing coincidence. Genetically, black people are wired to be faster than other races. Why is this considered such a distasteful comment? If anything, it’s a compliment. Coaches get fired for making such remarks, but you and I both know it to be true. Asians tend to be better with math and electronics than other races. Why is that? Generally speaking, they have the ability to focus and concentrate more so than others. How can saying that someone is good at something be looked at as being so wrong?

Don Imus. What he said about those ladies being “hoes” was completely wrong unless he had some sort of inside information on their sexual conquests. That part I disagree with whole-heartedly. But you can’t sit there and tell me that half of those girls weren’t nappy headed. The sad part of that whole situation is that people were more enraged about him saying “nappy headed” than they were with Imus saying the girls like to have sex with multiple people, and get paid for it. Fact - Some of those girls were nappy headed. So what? Imus wasn’t saying, “Because those girls have nappy hair, they are terrible people and I hate them.” It was as simple of a statement as saying “John Daly is chubby,” or “Derek Jeter has highlights in his hair.” These are not racist comments, they are factual statements not necessarily meant to demean or hurt feelings.

The only thing that makes someone a racist is when they believe that they are better than someone else based on the color of their skin. That is the most accurate definition that I can come up with. If I meet a new person and he or she is black and the topic of music comes up, I already have the idea in my mind that there is a good chance that person likes Hip-Hop and R&B. Me being white, I would probably expect my black counterpart to expect me to like country or rock and roll. If you think that is just an awful thing to say, you are the exact person I am targeting in this article, and are fueling the fire of racism in this country. If I could make one suggestion to anyone that is reading this article, it would be to stop being so fucking sensitive.

I want to close by offering this piece of advice. The sooner that we all start accepting that each one of us – male, female, black, white, Asian, tall, short, fat, skinny, whatever- is different, the sooner this racism bullshit will disappear.