I was given the green light to go H.A.M. on this one so I will issue my standard warning…Nothing that is said by me, Infinite7154, in any way reflects the views or opinions of those at Mindbenderent or any of its affiliates.
So…what has been up in arms? Well, I was sent a link to Thisis50.com. And it’s a link to an article. The article is about an episode of an ESPN show, First and Ten. In said episode Rob Parker, one of the regular panelist on First and Ten, along with Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith got into a discussion about an article that was written in the USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/redskins/2012/12/12/robert-griffin-iii-washington-redskins-race/1765701/
Please watch the video first…don’t worry, I’ll wait.
This is our fucking problem. We hate each other this much that we can determine whether someone is Black or not based on how he/she answers a fucking question. I read the article and I completely agree with what RGIII has to say. He doesn’t want to be compared to Mike or Cam or anybody else the media wants to compare him to. He wants to be compared to the greats of the game: Steve Young, Aaron Rodger, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning. The only reason he feels he isn’t getting those comparisons is the color of his skin.
And instead of applauding what the young brother said, and quite eloquently I might add, this clown Rob Parker decides he wants to question this man’s “Blackness”! Getting the fuck outta here with that ignorant bullshit. Why can’t the RGIII say what he said without his “realness” coming into question? He clearly states in the USA Today article “I am aware how much race is relevant to them…”I don’t ignore it. I try not to be defined by it. But I understand different persectives and how people view different things. I understand that they’re excited that their quarterback is an African-American. I play with a lot of pride, a lot of character, a lot of heart. I understand that. I appreciate them for being fans and not just fans because they’re African-Americans.” He plays football in a town that called Chocolate City. His team traded a kings ransom to get him…and the fans LOVE him!!!! He’s intelligent, he graduated, he speaks the queen’s english when doing interviews. What the fuck else is he supposed to do? How is he supposed to confirm his “Blackness” to Mr. Rob Parker.
This is one of the major issues with US. Instead of building up, we are so fucking busy tearing someone down. RGIII isn’t Tiger Woods, he didn’t say he didn’t want to be called or considered Black. So what he has a white fiance? She’s been with him since college (some say high school) Is he supposed to walk around looking like this:
Or would we prefer this:
Or should he sound like this when he talks:
Are these images of what real “Blackness” is supposed to be
I like Rob Parker. He’s funny and his beefs with Skip are hilarious. But he fucked this whole package up. How can ESPN not fire him when they fired Rush Limbaugh for saying the media was hyping Donovan McNabb because he was a Black QB? It was just plain ignorant Mr. Parker and I expected a whole lot more from you. And just so you know, Blackness isn’t defined by how hood you are or by your political affiliation or by who you decide to lay down with at night. It’s defined by a bunch of different individual experiences that we go through that make us what we are. What we won’t ever be is united as a people if we continue with the bullshit statements, thoughts and opinions like Mr. Rob Parker. You should know better….Brotha!