Racism and Biogtry in the NBA....and Beyond

With today's post, I'm going to do two things I don't normally do. First, I'm going to talk a little NBA tonight. However, if you are looking for a game preview/recap like I do for football, you'll have to look elsewhere. Secondly, I'm going to talk about race issues and stereotypes not only in sports, but life in general. I typically tend to stay away from these type of topics as it can become very heated and stir things up but after the news of Mark Cuban's remarks today along the need to get a new post out for this week, I decided to make the exception.

If you have not heard of the controversy surrounding Donald Sterling you either have been living under a rock, or been living under a rock. Sterling's comments that surfaced through a private conversation hit the airways and light a fire underneath an ongoing issue in America. Its been seen everywhere...CNN, FOX, ESPN, the local news, social media...EVERYWHERE!!! I won't go into too much detail on Sterling as I suspect that if you are reading this, you already know the story. However, you might not have heard the comments made by Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban today during a one-on-one interview. I'd like to start by saying this isn't an Anti-Mark Cuban post. Cuban is one of the most well known owners in the NBA and outside of the Lakers in the West (No comments, please...I'm still mourning the horrific season we just had) Dallas is a franchise I typically don't mind pulling for. However, my respect for him dropped significantly today. Racism and Bigotry exist all over the place. This isn't just a Donald Sterling or Mark Cuban problem its widespread and from Don Imus (did you forget about him?!?) and Al Sharpton... to the Sever at Outback Steakhouse and salesmen at the Car Dealership...we all need to do better. If you haven't gotten the chance to listen to his interview, you can find it here and click on the "Cuban Comments" tab at the top of the page.

I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion and free speech but the timing and content of his interview makes my skin crawl. Here we are in 2014 and still facing some of the same issues and prejudices that troubled our nation in the 1960's. In that interview, Cuban makes the statement that "we are all prejudice in some way or another." I'd have to say that depending on the issue or "thing" he might be correct on that. Maybe. However, his next statement is where I began to have a issue. "If I see a black kid in a hoodie and it is late at night, I'm walking to the other side of the street. And if on that side of the street there is a guy that has tattoos all over his face. White guy...bald head, tattoos everywhere...I'm walking back to the other side of the street. And the list goes on of stereotypes we live up to and are fearful of," Cuban said.

I'm not sure what you took from those statements but what I took from it is that not only does it seems he is in the corner of Donald Sterling and the controversy surround his comments but that he supports these prejudices and find them "okay" because we all do it. Well guess what, its NOT okay. It does not make it acceptable or alright because "we all do it". My mom and grandmother always tell me "two wrongs don't make a right". It is 2014 and it is a shame that we are still wrapped up in these stereotypes which are often false. What makes Cuban's comments "worse" in my opinion is that not only did he make this statement publicly in a controversial time in the NBA, but that his comments go beyond race, although race is obviously extremely significant. Putting African American kids and those who have tattoos into a category of being dangerous or as a threat simply because of the way they look is stupid, ignorant, shallow and plain out unacceptable.  Especially coming from someone in his position. Like I said, we are all entitled to our own thoughts and beliefs but to openly display these prejudices especially in the manner he did in the shadows of the Trayvon Martin case was simply not a smart move on Cuban's part. It is disrespectful and borderline heartless.Think before you speak...words can't be unsaid!  My grandma and mother also always tell me, "sometimes its best to just keep your mouth shut" Cuban needs to have a talk with my folks! I think comedian Steve Harvey said it best.....when you are a celebrity or well-known, you can't always just rattle off how you feel about certain things. You can't always say what you want to say, when you want to say it!

Like I said before, these prejudices exist everywhere. As an African American male growing up in South Carolina, I get it more often than I'd like and have reached a point where I actually don't even pick up on it all the time. I've become numb to it in some ways...but I look at that as a good thing. Why? Because it is time for us to MOVE FORWARD. If we keep placing blame for the past and not working collaboratively to be better as a nation and world, we are not going to see progress. I remember it like it was yesterday...when I first arrived at Presbyterian College, a small liberal-arts college in Clinton, SC (where we have around 1300 students and African Americans account for just about 10% of that [and that seems a bit high in my personal opinion....but you get the point]) I remember moving in, meeting people and getting settled into the college life and just within the first two or three weeks of being there I was probably asked "Oh..are you a football player?" at least 10 times when I introduced myself to people. It didn't really dawn on me until the fourth or fifth time it happened but just goes to show how it exist in both younger and older generations. I'll be the first to say I don't fit the stereotype of a African American male and I don't try to because its stupid and restricts progress. I graduated from PC May 10th and beat the stereotypes of young black males that exist in our country. I've never been to jail...don't have any baby mama drama or anything of that nature. NO, I'm not perfect and not taking a shot at those who may fall into that category, either. I know image is everything....especially in the professional world.  Right or wrong....you will be judged by how you appear, but to look at someone walking down the street and prejudge them is just ignorant.

I will say that after the interview, Cuban expressed his apologies to the Martin family for the "hoodie" comments but still stood behind his words. To me, that makes his apology null and void. I'm not calling Cuban a racist but I will say he clearly is prejudice and, to put it nicely, very ignorant. Just as I said about Sterling, as a player, coach, fan, etc I would not want to be associated with someone who (openly and with no regrets) holds these beliefs. Its another sad, sad, day in the world of sports. I can only hope that when I'm my mom's age these types of stereotypes will no longer exist. Hopefully we can soon begin to move forward and put these racist, prejudices behind us and move forward as a nation.