Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Sports - and our society
I'm with Jason Whitlock, and apparently Jim Brown agrees.
The culture needs to change; beginning with the kids...
The culture needs to change; beginning with the kids...
Jason Whitlock describes an event he participated in. He makes a point with this remark:
"Just last week, popular black comedian DL Hughley appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and completely trashed the Rutgers women’s players. Hughley called them “nappy headed” and “ugly” among other things. “The Tonight Show” has far more reach than Imus’ old radio/TV show. Hughley resonates with black kids far more than Imus.
I pointed all this out at The Forum. I sarcastically asked when we were going to protest DL Hughley. No one said a word."
Comments:
<< Home
Not so fast. I think you'd probably want to read ALL of Whitlock's writing on race before you jump on his bandwagon. To co-sign on what he says is dangerous in that you could end up appearing very ignorant.
To wit, Whitlock wrote a column about how a white football coach was mean to him becase he was black? Do you want to agree with that since you agree with his views on the black community? Didn't think so, because there is no racism. It's black folks' fault for their plight, and Whitlock's fault that a white coach thought he was lazy like the rest of us. Seriously. You need to read that ESPN column.
While you're in a reading mood, check out Whitlock's gripes with Notre Dame over the Willingham firing. He wasn't popular with the white folks that read his column back then either. But now? He's on Tucker Carlson and Oprah enjoying his new-found higher profile. And white folks fell for that.
Notice that Whitlock wrote an column about the NBA all-star weekend in Vegas for the Kansas City Star that was entirely different then the one he wrote for his blog at AOL. The KC Star article didn't mention the lawlessness in Vegas that he described in the blog a few days later? So did he have a memory lapse or did he sensationalize one column at the expense of the other.
Look, the black community has serious problems. Aware of the fatherlessness statistics. Aware of the drop-out rates. Aware of the crime. Aware of the ignorant black folks you might run into at a store or on the street that make you shake your head.
That doesn't give Whitlock's sneering analysis of the black community any more merit than just his mere words. Here's why: Whitlock can "report" on it. He can get whites and blacks upset about it. But he can't offer any solution to it. He's not a serious social critic because a critic actually submits potential solutions for discussion.
And I don't mean "fire Jesse and Al" or "the black KKK" is holding the black community back. Those aren't solutions, gang. They're planks in a political platform.
Mr. Whitlock has written more columns that have angered whites in the mainstream than those that have been critical of the black community. He got fired from ESPN because of his problems with white sportswriters like Mike Lupica. Lupica is an insufferable little twit at times, but you won't find him writing columns about hanging around in strip clubs or at the Playboy party at the Super Bowl.
Whitlock is pathetic. The black community has mostly figured him out. We'll wait until he changes sides again and white folks hate him again. Until then, enjoy him.
To wit, Whitlock wrote a column about how a white football coach was mean to him becase he was black? Do you want to agree with that since you agree with his views on the black community? Didn't think so, because there is no racism. It's black folks' fault for their plight, and Whitlock's fault that a white coach thought he was lazy like the rest of us. Seriously. You need to read that ESPN column.
While you're in a reading mood, check out Whitlock's gripes with Notre Dame over the Willingham firing. He wasn't popular with the white folks that read his column back then either. But now? He's on Tucker Carlson and Oprah enjoying his new-found higher profile. And white folks fell for that.
Notice that Whitlock wrote an column about the NBA all-star weekend in Vegas for the Kansas City Star that was entirely different then the one he wrote for his blog at AOL. The KC Star article didn't mention the lawlessness in Vegas that he described in the blog a few days later? So did he have a memory lapse or did he sensationalize one column at the expense of the other.
Look, the black community has serious problems. Aware of the fatherlessness statistics. Aware of the drop-out rates. Aware of the crime. Aware of the ignorant black folks you might run into at a store or on the street that make you shake your head.
That doesn't give Whitlock's sneering analysis of the black community any more merit than just his mere words. Here's why: Whitlock can "report" on it. He can get whites and blacks upset about it. But he can't offer any solution to it. He's not a serious social critic because a critic actually submits potential solutions for discussion.
And I don't mean "fire Jesse and Al" or "the black KKK" is holding the black community back. Those aren't solutions, gang. They're planks in a political platform.
Mr. Whitlock has written more columns that have angered whites in the mainstream than those that have been critical of the black community. He got fired from ESPN because of his problems with white sportswriters like Mike Lupica. Lupica is an insufferable little twit at times, but you won't find him writing columns about hanging around in strip clubs or at the Playboy party at the Super Bowl.
Whitlock is pathetic. The black community has mostly figured him out. We'll wait until he changes sides again and white folks hate him again. Until then, enjoy him.
# posted by 
: Mon May 28, 09:49:00 AM EDT
: Mon May 28, 09:49:00 AM EDT
Dear anonymous,
I thank you for your comment.
I would like to make it clear that I am certainly NOT on Jason Whitlock's bandwagon.
My blog post is directed at the sad circumstances that seem to prevent a significant portion of today's black youth from achieving success in our society. I'm pretty much convinced that attitudes and cultures must change from within, so I applaud and support those who appear to be trying to identify the root causes; often at the risk of being ostracized.
Perhaps, just as a broken clock has the right time twice a day, Mr. Whitlock said what I think needs to be said. Perhaps, he's just an opportunist. I don't really know.
I am clearly out of my depth as to knowing every writer's history; however, if your statements are correct, Mr. Whitlock can join most of his media peers on my "lack of respect" list.
Post a Comment
I thank you for your comment.
I would like to make it clear that I am certainly NOT on Jason Whitlock's bandwagon.
My blog post is directed at the sad circumstances that seem to prevent a significant portion of today's black youth from achieving success in our society. I'm pretty much convinced that attitudes and cultures must change from within, so I applaud and support those who appear to be trying to identify the root causes; often at the risk of being ostracized.
Perhaps, just as a broken clock has the right time twice a day, Mr. Whitlock said what I think needs to be said. Perhaps, he's just an opportunist. I don't really know.
I am clearly out of my depth as to knowing every writer's history; however, if your statements are correct, Mr. Whitlock can join most of his media peers on my "lack of respect" list.
<< Home
