Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
Because there can't be an official arbiter to rule that a once influential cultural figure now so routinely strays from the realm of reason that we as a nation should just go ahead and ignore them until further notice, we have the media paying credence to Rev. Jesse Jackson's slavery invoking thoughts on the LeBron James free agency theatrics.
Jackson on Sunday called LeBron a "runaway slave" and said that Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert personifies "a slave master mentality" in making outraged comments following LeBron's departure to the Heat. These angry comments, according to Jackson, place LeBron in some sort of nebulous danger. Such is the destructive potential of Comic Sans, it seems.
Jackson, of course, is far from the first to equate the plight of blacks in professional sports to slavery. New York Times columnist William C. Rhoden wrote a book a few years ago that espoused the argument that black athletes, however well compensated some may be, fall victim to a system over which they exercise little control. Jackson's comments would seem to follow that line of reasoning, in that LeBron was able to upend the traditional free agent process more so than almost any other player possibly could, prompting outright anger from those controlling the purse strings.
6 comments
Comments
Stupid Idiot
And I mean Jesse Jackson. His mouth should be washed out with soap. The Cavs bent over backwords in order to help LeBron win a title and this is how he repays a city that loved him like a son? If anything is racist, it is racist to how LeBron treated the Cavs and Cleveland just prior to making his announcement that he would go to Miami. The shocking truth is that there is no racism in this issue except that there is a lover that lost their partner, and that lover decided to express his outrage by writing a letter to season ticket holders.
The shocking truth is that blacks have way more freedom to do whatever they want to do, and have leverage over others. This is compared to their history. In LeBron’s case, he decided that he could be a good basketball player and played so well that he decided to forego college for the NBA. He, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade then proved themselves and then decided they wanted to play together and made their decision. I am guessing the real shock is that Jesse Jackson can’t stand LeBron’s success.
by Jessy S on Jul 12, 2010 12:45 AM EDT reply actions
...really?
What does that have to do with “blacks”? Somehow, I don’t think that LeBron James’ success is comparable to the financial situation of the typical African-American…
Mr. Science Boy
by DbacksSkins on Jul 13, 2010 12:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Jesse is still relevant to Jesse
Jesse is a cartoon now. Someone to be made fun of on SNL, not a real force in politics or an expert on racial matters. He was done when he blasted Obama and got caught on a hot mike. Just another ego maniac, like….LeBron himself.
Speaking of which:
After the big bash in the American Airlines Arena, the King continued his national 2010 Disappointment Tour further ruining his reputation this weekend with stops in Haiti, New Orleans, Arizona and Akron…read about it here. It is really FUNNY.
http://www.dailygoat.com/2010/07/lebron-continues-2010-disappointment-tour-telling-compton-residents-provide-free-health-care-entire-90210-zip-code/
by Funny Story on Jul 12, 2010 1:26 AM EDT reply actions
Jesse Jackson continues to contribute to global warming.
This dipstick needs to be ignored more than anything else. I wish the world would take note.
If you make every game a life-and-death thing, you're going to have problems. You'll be dead a lot. ~Dean Smith
by Benthere on Jul 12, 2010 2:26 AM EDT reply actions
i dont like uncle tom either but u dont care about black people
white people are funny and black people are funny too , we all need to learn history everyone , no one white truly stands up for blacks anywhere in the world , the history is dirty that why u write some stupde shit like Jessy S , make propaganda so easy to sollow like juice. wow now i know he a racist Jessy S or really really really stupid
The Cavs bent over backwords in order to help LeBron win a title lol lol lol there is no team without LBJ , Cleavland is nothing without LBJ , u Never made him he made u , get over it ,be happy for the man , blame the owner , for not think of this first, lol Bosh left TDOT , yeah i got mad but not at him,GM BC and the Coach take most the blame , i say good luck bosh and thanks for your hard work , and tell everyone else to suck a Dic
by Real raptors fan on Jul 13, 2010 1:15 AM EDT reply actions
it's sad
4 everyone has posted on the subject and feels that jesse playing the race card is foolish or whatever, please think of it this way most of society doesn’t even recognize racism when it is right in our faces. jesse lived in a time whenever thing was about race and racism was overt. today racism is covert and for those who never experienced it will never recognize it, but for those who lived it they can usually see it a mile away.
for whoever thinks that th3e cavs bent over backwards to to help lebron win a ring, that is laughable. over the last three years they went out and got mo williams and shaq. mo became the invisible man in the playoffs and well shaq was just a waste on many levels. if dan gilbert really feels the way he said in his comment then he should be happy to get of a quitter as he called lebron. this entire thing has just been 1 big joke.
by master turtle on Jul 13, 2010 11:41 AM EDT reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed