“Flashy behavior, bragging, trash talking, and selfishness define the current NFL. Add to that criminal behavior, thuggish attitudes and dress, the very behavior that signifies the pathologies of the inner cities.”
by J. B. Cash
http://www.castefootball.us
(9/28/07) Donovan McNabb grabbed the attention of the press last week with some high profile whining about the difficulties of life as a black quarterback in the NFL.
In the typical manner of modern black racial excuse making, McNabb went right for the “race card” on the first draw. His absurd claims of being the target of extra fan and media scrutiny because of his skin color qualifies as one of the most ridiculous accusations of white racism in sports today.
McNabb is a recipient of a multi-million dollar salary each year, he has high profile product endorsements, and a jersey with his name on it is sold in every department store in America. Millions cheer his arrival on the field and celebrate every good play he makes.
So apart from the obvious silliness of the claim that he is disliked or disrespected in any way, a larger question begs to be asked: Should white fans dislike black players? After all, it’s no secret that black fans expressly cheer for black players. Heck even black players like Larry Johnson have admitted that black players play harder for black head coaches than for white ones. Clearly black racial solidarity is encouraged. Rarely is any criticism directed at black people when they sympathize for a person based solely on his race. Michael Vick recently received strong support from the black community in defending his role in the dog fighting scandal. Celebrities such as Jamie Foxx and Whoopi Goldberg, sports personalities like Deion Saunders and Ron Artest, even the NAACP, a large and powerful political group, came to his defense. Their support was based solely on the fact that he was black.
If a white player had faced the same charges who would have come to his defense? Nobody. Probably not even his family. Even if he had gotten support it certainly wouldn’t have been based on race.
Black people have been known to riot in defense of another black person. Rodney King is the most extreme example but the same thing has happened in Cincinnati (twice), Benton Harbor, and Seattle. Perhaps the most egregious example of this effect occurred among the blacks that openly cheered when the O.J. Simpson verdict was announced.
Recently in the news is the story of the “Jena 6,” where six black high school football players nearly stomped to death a white classmate. Authorities rightly charged the criminals with assault with intent to murder. One of the defendants, Mychal Bell, has been convicted in the juvenile system on four occasions over the last 12 months before this incident, two of them involving crimes of violence. “Sources told ESPN that one of those cases was a battery in which Bell punched a 17-year-old girl in the face.” We don’t know the crimes of the others as they have not been released yet.
Despite his criminal convictions Bell didn’t miss the latest football season, during which he averaged 101 yards rushing and 12 tackles per game, and 17 yards per punt return. In 2006, Bell was named to the All-State team while he was sitting in his jail cell. It was another all-too frequent example of a black athlete getting preferential treatment due to his football skill.
In one of the most outrageous uses of the over-worn “civil rights” scam, black activists Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton bussed in thousands of other blacks into Jena to stage loud protests. The motivation in this case has been purely racial as there is nothing about the defendents that qualifies as “civil.” And true to form of the modern day media virtually no one has protested this racial pandering.
So we have established the fact that black people are supportive of other black people even in extreme cases.
Is this racial solidarity also granted to white people?
For instance is it okay in most people’s opinion to dislike Donovan McNabb simply because he is black? Or to put it another way, is it okay to like other quarterbacks more than him only because they are white?
Obviously the public answer to the question would be a resounding NO! Making judgmental decisions merely based upon race is morally wrong if you are white. This morality obviously does not apply to blacks. Or so the modern way of thinking goes.
Are there any white people that could be reasonably allowed to prefer white players over blacks merely due to race?
How about a man who has had his wife or daughter raped by a group of black men? We know that black gang rape of white women occurs at a rate of about a few thousand a year. Total black rapes of white women number in the tens of thousands annually. Would it be understandable if such a man, as a football fan, decided to take the point of view that he did not like black players?
And what of the relatives and friends of victims of black on white murder? Blacks kill about 3,500 whites each year in America. That’s a big number. If each victim has about a hundred friends or relatives emotionally affected by such a traumatic event then the number of white people who might be inclined to look unfavorably upon blacks and their reprsentatives in the sports arena becomes sizable.
How about those white people who are victims of the mindless acts of violence that are typical of the “black community”? Yes, we are told that poverty and racism are the reasons that blacks exhibit so much violence against whites, but the fact remains, when someone hurts you it doesn’t matter what excuse they use to justify it, you still hurt.
One could also say that a person shouldn’t hold the wrongs of one member of a group against all other members of a group, but if that argument is to be taken seriously then there should be no reason that blacks would commit crimes or harbor anger against whites due to the racism of other white people. Unless of course one believes not in equality but in racial inequality.
The examples cited above represent a sizable portion of the white population. That portion could justifiably feel some antagonism towards blacks and such feelings could certainly manifest itself in not liking a Donavan McNabb for the simple reason that he is black.
But the extreme examples are not even necessary to cause feelings that would turn one against a high profile representative of a group like McNabb. Much lesser slights would be sufficient and examples of them are abundant.
For instance, the older generation in America can remember a time when cities and towns in our country were clean and crime free. Downtown areas were filled with thriving businesses and populated by well dressed crowds that behaved with good manners and citizenship. The city centers were surrounded by quiet neighborhoods with neatly trimmed lawns where people spent peaceful evenings on quiet porches and went to sleep with unlocked doors.
Does this situation in our large cities and surrounding neighborhoods exist now? No it does not. And what is the single most obvious difference in our inner cities from that era to the present time? Large amounts of blacks now inhabit those areas and they are now crime ridden slums.
If one’s neighborhoods and cities are essentially ruined by the presence of another group, would it not be natural for the original group to dislike that group? And how much of a stretch would it be to assume that those people would not care much for famous athletes of that particular group?
Turning attention to the game of football itself, what changes have occurred over the years that would affect racial feelings one way or another? The NFL through the 1960s and 1970s was well integrated. Teams were majority white, as a reflection of the general population and the rate of white participation in the sport. Blacks were well represented as a percentage of their population also.
Furthermore, almost all players behaved in much the same manner. They were modestly paid as professional athletes at the time and adopted the behavior and customs that white culture valued in its sports “heroes.” Flashy behavior, bragging, trash talking, and selfishness were seriously frowned upon. These were professional athletes after all and were expected to present themselves as role models to the many children that followed sports closely.
Consider the game today. Has it changed concerning the moral and behavioral values that were so valued by the football fans of a generation ago? That question is silly to ask of course. Professional sports, except for hockey (wonder why?), have undergone a 180 degree change in the moral values once expected of athletes.
Flashy behavior, bragging, trash talking, and selfishness define the current NFL. Add to that criminal behavior, thuggish attitudes and dress, the very behavior that signifies the pathologies of the inner cities.
So I would ask again, would one expect a group — white people — who have seen their sports converted from a form of entertainment that was meant to instill decent behavior amongst their youth while providing positive role models, to have some negative feelings for blacks?
The answer is clear and straightforward. But no one ever asks such a question because they know the answer and are afraid of it. It is time to stop being afraid and start asking those questions.