“Is It Safe?”

by with No Comment MediaRace RelationsSocial Issues

Racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, etc, will always have a permanent seat at the table which is the United States. We’re reminded of that permanent seat in every facet of Americana. One of the more recent editions of the showcase of bigotry has been social media. Social media has exposed the usual suspects of bigotry; however, that’s to be expected and thankfully largely ignored. The interest in social media regarding bigotry isn’t just random rants on Twitter accompanied with the hashtag “freedomovertyranny,” it’s actual people who have actual careers who have actual consequences for their actions.

In recent news, social media remarks have surfaced from MLB pitcher Josh Hader and Baltimore Ravens reporter Lindsey Ok. The remarks… the usual… “N bombs” left and right, racial slurs, “joking” about White supremacy, homophobic remarks, and the icing… the forever classic “suck my ” insert private part” demands. Previous articles on this publication have already gone into detail regarding their remarks; however, I’m writing to explain why their remarks were made for the public to see in the first place.

Spoiler alert… no, it’s not the typical lame excuse of being young and insensitive, spare me. It’s simple. They can…

In the classic 1976 Dustin Hoffman film “Marathon Man,” there’s a famous scene in which Dustin Hoffman’s character is being tortured with dental equipment. During the scene, the villain of the movie Dr. Christian Szell, repeatedly asks Dustin Hoffman’s character Babe the cinematic famous line, “Is it safe?” Dr. Szell was asking Babe this question, for fear of being caught by the police regarding stolen diamonds.

“Is it safe?” Yes, White people in America, by and large, have the safety to make remarks of bigotry, apologize, and move on. Sure, there’s the occasional firing of a Paula Deen or shaming of Mel Gibson or removal of John Schnatter from being CEO of Papa John’s, but as soon as it no longer becomes a trending topic, things return to normal. No true loss.

Josh Hader, received a standing ovation from Milwaukee Brewers fans when he returned to the mound a few days after his tweets surfaced. Think about that. John Schnatter still has a net worth of almost a billion dollars. Lindsey Ok will eventually get a gig with Fox News… safe.

“Is it safe?” Yes, I’d say it’s pretty safe.

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A Peek Inside American Sports: Cheers & Protests

by with 3 Comments FeaturedSports

“Hahahahahah yeah too [sic] bad I’m fucking grounded nigger can’t do shit” – Josh Hader, October 20, 2011.

To be recognized as an All-Star in any profession is a high honor. To be recognized as an All-Star in any professional sport is a tremendous honor. To be recognized as a racist All-Star on the night you make your first All-Star appearance is a disgrace; depending on who you ask in Milwaukee.

Josh Hader is a 24-year-old pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers. Josh Hader is White. During last weeks MLB All-Star Game, various racist, misogynistic, homophobic, and xenophobic tweets from 2011 surfaced during the game (see above). Following the game, Hader was informed that the tweets had gone viral and with the help of his PR team delivered the usual platitudes that are given by White athletes in this scenario. By now, you know them well. The words “sorry” “ashamed” “misguided” are often carpet bombed through the statement which typically ends with a reassurance that the comments don’t reflect their current views.

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We’ve seen this scenario play out quite a few times over the last year. During the NCAA Men’s basketball championship in April, breakout star Donte DiVincenzo’s racist tweets surfaced during the game. After attesting Cam Newton’s sexist remarks at a press conference in October, Charlotte Observer reporter, Jourdan Rodrigue’s racist tweets were surfaced. To date, neither Hader, DiVincenzo, and Rodrigue have suffered any public consequence for their tweets. While the flippant tweets of teenagers are surely a glimpse into how they were parented and their mindset at the time, I fully accept that people’s ideologies can evolve from teenage years to young adulthood. Rodrigue continues her career at the Charlotte Observer, DiVincenzo recently signed a million-dollar NBA contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, and Hader was given a standing ovation by the Milwaukee Brewers fan’s when he entered the game this weekend. Yes, you read that correctly; the fans gave Hader a standing ovation. A visual, audible, and symbolic affirmation of his vile commentary. Don’t believe me, just watch.

In a week that included watching the sitting President of the United States bend the proverbial knee to the President of a foreign advisory, watching the Milwaukee fans rise to applaud Hader was by far the most disgusting act I saw last week. As I watched a large majority of the 36,000 fans applaud, I could only wonder what were their professions. Then I was reminded of Sterling Brown.

Sterling Brown is a 23-year-old basketball player for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks. Sterling Brown is Black. While standing in a handicap parking space, Mr. Brown was tased and violently arrested by the Milwaukee Police Department earlier this year. Body camera footage showed that Mr. Brown was compliant in the face of excessive force used by police. Mr. Brown is currently suing the Milwaukee Police Department for police brutality. Yep, and you guessed it, one of the arresting officers – wait for it – went on social media to boast about his arrest and make racially charged comments.

Juxtapose these events in Milwaukee and therein you’ll find a microcosm of not only sports in America but America. A White man is cheered for his racism in MLB and another receives a million-dollar NBA contract in spite of his racism. Meanwhile, a Black man in the NBA is brutalized by police for his existence and another continues to be blackballed by the NFL for exercising his right to take a knee to demand justice for it all.

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