Malcolm Henry
The lines of racism in media are pretty clearly Black and white. As in, if a Black person says something so overtly racist it is okay. If a white person is caught being casually racist it can be career ending.
Bomani Jones… he of the career based on exclusively failing upward during his time with ESPN because of the race card… continued to prove that true. And, honestly, in an impressively big way. Like we went full racist for a good long time and didn’t have a half second of reservation in doing it.
According to Bo, every problem that exists in the NFL comes down to one thing: white people.
No, literally. Here are his words. I am not oversimplifying. He went all in.
“I just don’t know why people try to make this far more complex than it is,” Jones told Dan Le Batard. “What’s the problem? White people.”
If you thought he was stopping there, with a blanket statement of casual racism… you were wrong.
“Who are the ones that are making these decisions? White people. Who are the ones that won’t change their decision making? White people. Who are the ones that only do anything in a different way when it comes these matters at the threat of litigation? White people,” said Jones.
And if you thought he was going to stop there… you were way wrong. He kept going.
“Y’all the ones that know these white people,” added Jones. “Y’all the ones that be hanging out with these white people. Y’all the ones that know the ones that pretend to be such good people and then make all the same decisions as everybody else.”
If you don’t believe that someone would go on such a clearly racist tirade, you know the drill…
Go to the tape!
Would a white person be allowed to suggest “Black people” are the problem… or “Asians” or “Jews” … ? I think we all know the answer.
Imagine Scott Van Pelt looking dead into the camera and saying that “Black people are the problem with the NFL.” He wouldn’t get a chance to say the next two sentences… and he damn sure wouldn’t be on set to start the next segment.
Also why exactly is a race to blame, rather than individuals? Jones didn’t say. But then again racists never do.
ballsy article to write but needed to be done, 100% right but if u say these true things u will be cancelled. Props to the writer of the article