1.24.2007

Racism at the Superbowl!

A while back I called Stephen A. Smith on his radio station about a topic that had come up in the news about Bryant Gumbel calling someone a racist. Actually I had initially called to talk some smack about how crappy the Knicks were doing at the time. But the topic changed while I was on the phone and I had to stay on topic according to the producer.

So I made some points about how sports are a great equalizer of racism and how the topic of racism is actually boring in my opinion and from what I speculate to many other Americans. Stephen A. told me that racism is a huge issue and he said that people need to keep talking about it and then it will go away somehow.

However, I completely dissagreed with Stephen A. I don't disregard his feelings that racism is still bad or that perhaps he still needs to talk about it. But I think the more Americans talk about it, the more of a reality it is. We need to stop talking about it.

Some readers might be saying, "If we need to stop talking about it, why is this guy writing about it? And didn't he write about it a month or so ago?" Well perhaps I did. But guess what? It is a fabulous topic because it gets everyone excited.

But the real reason I am writing about it is because the topic is in the news again. The head coach for both Superbowl Teams are black. The reason I am writing about it is that if Stephen A. Smith doesn't announce it to the whole freaking world every day on his show, no one would care. No one would even know they were black.

I think it is really great for both those coaches. They both have worked hard and deserve to be in it. The fact that Stephen A. is blabbing about how monumentus this is actually degrades what these men have done.

Hard work, smarts, ass kissing, etc. got these two to the Superbowl. NOT because someone opened the door for few poor little negro boys. But because they deserved it on their own merits.

Dr. Martin Luther King said that he "had a dream that his children would grow up to be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Well Dr. King, what is really great is that America has come a long distance since you gave that speech. And two African American coaches in the NFL made it to the Superbowl, not but the color of their skin but because of the content of their character.

However, you have these little chatterboxes like Stephen A. Smith who feel the need to point to the color of their skin and remind everyone of something that doesn't need to be discussed anymore. It's over Stephen A. Get over it.

Morgan Freeman said on 60 Minutes over the summer that racism will end when we stop talking about it. It is true. It doesn't exsist if we don't talk about it.

I am sorry to bring this up and even honor this topic because it forces us to move backwards. But hopefully in this case we can take one step back to take two steps forward. Help the cause Stephen A., and stop bringing it down.

I really hope little African American children will watch the Superbowl this year and see those coaches and say, "I can be coach of an NFL team one day!" And I am sure they will.

But what does that same kid say to himself when he listens to Stephen A. Smith? "I want to get on radio and tell the whole world that I blame all my problems on racism".

Again, sorry for the rant! On another note, who will win the Superbowl? I betchya a black coach wins!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Let's just cut to the chase, you hate Stephen A. Smith because he is black.

Just kidding!!!!!

I think it's a big deal and people have the right to make it a big deal because this is the 41st Super Bowl and despite all of the black players in the NFL over the years, this is the first time black coaches have made it to the big game.

It's not going to stop being a big deal until this Super Bowl is over, think how annoying it is (and will be on Media Day) when Lovie Smith and Dungy are asked over and over again how it feels to be the first black coaches in the Super Bowl. No matter how many times they are asked, they can't say "I already answered that fucking question" because then they are insensitive and don't appreicate the gravity of the situation and blah blah blah. And whoever wins will get asked, "How does it feel to be the first black coach to win a Super Bowl?" and so on....

Racism will never go away, ever. Even if the media stops talking about it, you can't tell me racism is really going to go away. Not in the small cities in the South, shit, not in the suburb towns on New Jersey.

I agree that these two coaches aren't in the SUper Bowl because they are black, but it's good they are there. Of course, the team with the better white QB in that game will win. (ha ha).

Figgythemick said...

I just took a gravity so let's talk about it. I'm sure only Mookie knows what I'm talking about.

On Stephen A. - even a blowhard like him ran out of things to talk about and he mutually discontinued his show with ESPN. But racism is brought up over and over because it is a CONTROVERSY. Controversy and scandal, in some form, is what sells. Stephen A. is SELLING himself by being obnoxious. Moreover, he has painted himself into one perspective and is now the victim of losing credibility when he sees the other side, the white side, which is all really the green side. Let's face it, truthfully, we are all green.

However, I must admit my shortcomings on this subject recently. Ever since Darrent Williams was killed I want to exterminate all gangsters. It is utter stupidity and a waste of time. Cops don't care, and who could blame them, because they just shoot at each other. And if they ain't shooting in the hood it is virtually guaranteed that you will get shot by mistake. I was employed with City of Denver Human Services for a year and a half. I worked with and occasionally had to restrain numerous persuasions of Crips and Bloods. Bloods are usually Hispanic and can be reasoned with. Crips are all black and I actually got along with them. But that was in a residential treatment setting, with peer pressure these kids are deadly. They all share one common problem: their parents. All kids are born good, they are made into what they become. Believe me, you meet a kid and read his file and discover that his mother leaves hyperdermic needles lying around, which he plays with, has brought to school and pricked other kids and you believe in mob justice. The Arabs might have a point in public beheadings, nobody does shit because if they even THINK it's you...

Environment and opportunity and luck. Some minority communities have none of these. I did AmeriCorps right after Rutgers in Newark for a year. Best year of my life, but it was like I was just a sociological observer passing through for a time. Never knew how good I had it, Florham Park really did its best to protect us. There's one friggin bar in town and its Bennigans. There is a liqour store or bar every two blocks out here, in every town. When I first met my girlfriend's dad he poured out of his white contractor van with open bottles of Bud.

scandal, sleaze and controversy is only sure sellers, Unruly. Media, entertainment, even elections are totally predicated on the lowest common denominator for popularity - shock.

Shit, I wrote too much already, but here's what Perry in Jane's Addiction says:

"Camera got them images, camera got them all, nothing's shocking....Showed me everybody naked and disfigured, nothing's shocking...the TV's got them images, the TV's got them all, it's not shocking! Every half and hour someone is captured, and the cop moves them along...it's just like the show before, the news is just another show, with sex and violence"

DErifter said...

Hey,
I feel the same way whenever I hear MLK's speech, especially the "not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character" part. If only I had a nickel for every time I've shouted that phrase at the TV! It seems like the people who claim to be most against racism are the same people who always focus on the color of someone's skin.

Miss Black America. Like black women can't compete with the rest of the world?

NAACP. Why not NAAAP? National Association for the Advancement of All People.

United Negro College Fund. Please.

I gotta agree with Fakehead that not talking about racism won't make it go away. But yeah, not talking about it would sure make it easier to see Smith and Dungy as just a couple more excellent coaches, instead of a couple of excellent* coaches.

*Black

Incidentally, I bet a black coach named Dungy wins the Super Bowl!

Arnie Shaw said...

Faker, I do not hate Stephen A. at all. I actually find him very entertaining. In fact, I like the content of his character. However, if he was an Arab I would not listen to his show.

Overfloater, I understand that sex and racism sell. Why do you think I wrote this article? My family needs to eat and since we are not making any advertisement dollars, I need to do what sells. Seriously though, I firmly believe in public hangings. Even as a kid I felt that would be a good think. You don't even have to do it publicly or even hang them. But as long as they are killed that would be fine enough. Jail is like a fucking vacation for these animals. If you are getting the chair, there ain't no getting out in 5 years. Or getting out in 15 years because DNA evidence has cleared you. Once your dead, you are not coming back.

Derifter, you and the fake one might be right in that racism will never go away. Especially with how slow the Chinese drive.

And I think Dungy is going to have a hard time with all those black Bears defensive players. You know it has been proven that "there kind" are much faster and stronger than "normal white" people.

Anonymous said...

Unruly, that Chinese comment was fucking hilarious.

A few things:

Prison is NOT a vacation for "those" guys. It is as dangerous as the street.

We represent Crips and Bloods, they are incredibly nice and respectful when you get them in their lawyer's office, but other than that something's missing. People who kill others over drugs or money are not right, no matter how nice they are.

Public executions are not the way to go. In fact, I think we should get rid of the death penatly and make jails worse. Take away the fucking cable. Take away their outside time. Get rid of the weights and basketball. I'd rather pay to keep a guilty guy in jail then kill an innocent person. And I know, they are all usually guilty of something, but it doesn't matter. Besides, only TX and FL use it, it is a joke in NJ. Truth be told, if somebody hurt or killed somebody in my family I would want to kill that person. But seeing a legal battle over whether or not the person who did it gets put to death isn't worth the aggravation and pain. Just put them in a cell for the rest of their lives, put them in the general population and hopefully the will get theirs one day.

Regardless, I don't want my kid turning on the TV and seeing Tank Johnson hanging from the gallows. America is a fucked up place that revels in death and sensationalistic news, let's not put executions on TV. I could already see Fox's new reality show, "Countdown to Execution", they could show the defendant, go into his family history, then speak to the victims, then show the execution. It would be #1 in heartbeat. And it would make us look like more awful to the rest of the world than we already do. We are not the Middle East, and we shouldn't lower ourselves to their "justice." These are the same people who fucking stone women who commit adultery. They are living in the stone age. We are trying to civilize them (that is part of OUR problem though). Let's not take any pages from these fucking animals' books.

Anyway, I agree with the most part about how the enviornment shapes these kids. Babies aren't born in a gang, their circustances dictate what is going to happen with them.

Unfortunately, there is no solution as long as there are poor people and rich people. Figgy's right as $$$$$ has a lot to do with the state of affairs in today's society.

I'm bored of myself writing. Unruly, face it, we swear too much and we're never getting advertisers. Who would advertise with us anyway? Porn sites? It's not going to happen ebay boy.

Anonymous said...

I never thought of porn sites. But I like the way you think.

And you are right, we really have no choice as to what environment that you are born into. But since you are a big shot lawyer perhaps you can lobby for a legislative rule that provides a child the opporunity to pick a new family after a certain amount of time. Like after a year after birth. If the kid realizes dad is in the Crisps, he can say "He pops, I am moving in with that cracker family over on the hill."

Mookie McFly said...

Gravity huh? My Mom once asked me how come I had a waste paper basket filled with water and a sawed off half of a 2 liter Pepsi bottle floating in it. She also liked to pontificate on the oderiferousness of my room..."It smells like Jamaica in here..."

Yes it does Mom...Yes it does.

While Nation Building is a problem for our great nation, I think America bashing is a larger problem. The war isn't wrong if the Monroe Doctrine is right, eh? Did you miss the Iraqi's with the purple dyed digits? I am pretty sure they were happier voting for some crazed maniac to rule them then they would be having one thrust upon them. We are more or less a buffer in the grand scheme of things. Remember, the war is not lost unless we run and hide. I'm not sure deploying more troops is the answer but a phased pull out is definitely tantamount to surrender. It was in Viet Nam, Korea, etc...Stay the course. We have done more good than bad is my point I guess...

As for racism, chill out on this topic. I don't think it does anyone any good. Unless you are making a tasteless joke of course..."I hang out with lots of black people...in fact they are hanging in my yard right now" or "What's purple, black & yellow and sits on my porch? My nig**r and I'll paint him any color I want." Do you understand?

Seriosuly though people pander to the lowest common denominator. The things that get people all riled up are really the least important. Is racism an issue still? Sure it is...but my hemmroids are acting up and I am pretty sure no one wants to talk about that either. They will if I make them by constantly bringing it up but does that mean it is a worth while conversation. I don't think so...

People need to stop being victims. For instance, in New York we have the Latin Kings who are predominantly Puerto Rican. They want Puerto Rico to have it's independence. So why are they living in New York instead of making PR a better place? Why do their fellow PR's always vote against independence? There plight albeit a bold one is just a ruse to sell drugs and prostitute women. It's not worth talking about is it? Stop being victims.

When and where racism exists it should be squashed and I think most all Americans (not every...but the ones that matter; i.e. vote, work, live and die here) are for an end to all inherently unfair practices. The fact that it is the first is more of a fluke than anything else in regards to the SB XXXXI. The NFL has been more progressive than society and so I think it is a sidebar story at best.

Plus Tony Dungy isn't even black (I know Italians who get tanner in the sun than him)...it's like Halle Berry's Oscar speech. It made me sick. She thanked Dorothy Dandridge (another not so black blactress)for paving the way for her...and then she thanked the Black Mamba?

Berry said,"Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I'm sorry. This moment is so much bigger than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll. It's for the women that stand beside me, Jada Pinkett, Angela Bassett, Vivica Fox. And it's for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened. Thank you. I'm so honored. I'm so honored. And I thank the Academy for choosing me to be the vessel for which His blessing might flow. Thank you."

Black Mamba from Kill Bill Volume 2? Yes, she paved the way...and the very next year in 2003, she starred in Catwoman and won the Razzie for worst actress. No mention of the Black Mamba there...who opened that door because I bet it was a white person!

I'm sorry but no one in Hollywood was keeping black actresses down...it's just pointless babble from witless fucktards. Racism doesn't exist in Hollywood or sports. These people need to come up with something else to talk about...and so do we.

Anyway, I've already gone on too long but just to be fair I thought I'd throw in a white person joke. I am an equal oppurtunity offender (and just to be topical it's sort of a sports joke too) -

What do you call 300 white men chasing a black man?

The PGA tour.

Mookie McFly said...

The Crisps? What is that some sort of cereal gang? They don't spread fear or violence...they just cause cavities! Hey UJF, you better be careful or your little ones might trade you in for someone who can spell! Just kidding sucka phool!

I think we all know that the Colts are going to win...unless Jeff Suppan shows up in a Bears uniform.

Mookie McFly said...

One more thing...where are the individual pics UJF? I'd like to tighten up the sidebar...and give us the right pics. Email them please...we have deadlines to meet homes.

Also, I think we need to have a coup and take over the Over Flowers blog. Did you guys see the South Park where everyone started driving hybrids? There is a definite problem with smug eminating from Colorado! If we don't stop it soon the liberals will ruin this country.

Anonymous said...

Shea, your comments made me laugh like a little school girl. I'm still laughing.
Anyway, I agree with the no-victims theme and you are so on about Hally Berry. What a fucking idiot she is. Why doesn't she fucking run over somebody and take off again? I saw her speech on TV after she won and I thought one thing, "You moms be white, bitch"

Fuck her and fuck almost every movie she has ever been in, actually, I can't think of any movie of hers I liked.

Anyway, enough of this shit talk, let's talk about American Idol.

Arnie Shaw said...

Gadfly, I actually spelled Crisps the way I wanted to spell it because I was trying to be clever. But when you spell like a 3rd grader people have a hard time getting your cleverness. So chill out being clever there sugar tits.

As for Halle Barry, she's hot...even though she is Puerto Rican.

DErifter said...

Hey I'd advertise on your site! But unfortunately, I don't have anything to sell. OK if I just send you a bunch of cash? Anyway..