NPR’s Karen Gigsby Bates thinks she’s on to something Very Important in the National Discussion On Race
When It Comes To Race And Sports, Who Owns An Athlete’s Opinions?
The NFL’s players are 70 percent black; its fans are 83 percent white and 64 percent male, according to online sports site The Real GM.
And when it comes to the current controversy over the national anthem and players taking a knee, that statistic is playing a huge role.
It leads to the idea, says Amira Rose Davis of Penn State University, “that ‘you are good as entertainment, but once you have a voice, I don’t want to hear you. You need to shut up and play.’ ”
Some players, though, clearly are not be satisfied to just play and be paid.
Obviously, this is all about playing the Race Card.
Despite what critics say was intended by owners to be a chilling cautionary tale, more and more NFL players (most of them black, with a few exceptions) have joined Kaepernick in taking a knee this year, and America is not happy.
Well, a lot of white America is not happy.
And that’s an important distinction.
See? People upset because they just want to watch football are now raaaaacists. Who thinks this kind of discussion, meant to divide rather than bring together, helps?
All this doesn’t surprise Colorado College historian Jamal Ratchford. He’s African-American and studies the nexus of sports, race and protest.
“Self-determination of black athletes has always been a challenge and infringed upon,” Ratchford says.
Let’s skip to the end of this race baiting, shall we?
Ultimately, the question may boil down to this: Who decides when, and how, players — especially black professional athletes, who are all too aware that some of their ancestors actually were owned by others — can exercise their right to self-expression?
Let’s turn that around: who owns the opinions of NPR employee Karen Gigsby Bates when she is working? Who decides when, and how, Karen Gigsby Bates can exercise her right to self-expression? That would be NPR, the company she chose to work for. We all make a choice to abide by the rules of the company we accept employment from. We are not to do things on the job that create a big problem for the company. Big companies tend to have a Code Of Conduct that lays this all out. When we are on Company Time, can we disrespect customers? If we’re doing things that annoy a huge segment of the company’s customer base, causing them to stop being customers, reducing the revenue flow, decreasing the favorability of the company, what would happen? That’s right, termination.
The players could have done things much differently instead of ticking off a large segment of their fan base. They made their protest divisive, instead of bringing people together. They’ve damaged the NFL brand, and certainly reduced the income flow. Owners have let them. And you know what will get solved? Nothing.
Crossed at Right Wing News.
that is not true at all. In fact The NFL and MLB sports in the US are well known for their athletes starting charities and special work with their millions. Most of these players are making a difference.
The voice no one wants to hear is a political, religious or sexual voice at the water cooler or in the office. In Google for example how long do you think a person would hold their job if they were preaching Christianity, harassing women sexually or voicing dissenting political opinions in a loud and pronounced way.
Racism is a crutch for the left. The right needs to keep up the pressure on them and continue to expose this communism for what it is. You will hate it. In the EU we deal with heavy doses of Socialism which borders on communism and in the EU we do not have freedom of speech. Their are state sponsored religions and most of us understand that we are constantly under scrutiny with state sponsored security cameras EVERYWHERE. Its called.
Video-surveillance policy
Court of Justice of the European Union
1. Objective and scope of the video-surveillance policy of the
institution
2. Privacy, data protection and the conformity of the video surveillance
system
3. Locations under surveillance
4. Personal information collected and the reason for its collection
I will not go into how the EU claims they don’t do this or don’t do that like the USA government claims they do or don’t do things even though they do including the wire tapping of Trump prior to his election to the Presidency.
but suffice it to say, if you want your freedoms squelched please move to the EU and spend a few years here and then blog about how bad the USA is. It of course is the communists agenda to spread misinformation to the masses in an attempt to turn the US into a Version of the EU which is now well on her way to being a communist entity within I would say the next 20-30 years.
Of course, if you wanted to just watch football, you could just watch football. What the players do before the game or on their own time doesn’t affect the contest. But white men feel the Black men who are richer, stronger and better than they are should at least be grateful that white men allow them the opportunity. But no, these uppity players denigrate what white men hold most dear: the notion of their own superiority and privilege.
Of course this issue is about race! These uppity players are challenging the very essence of what it was to be white in America, and they’re doing it in a most public way. We all recognize things are no longer great for the mass of white Americans. Since 1980, elitist policies have put American workers in direct competition with poorly paid workers overseas. The tax burdens have been shifted from the wealthy to the working classes in local and state taxes. Defined pension plans have been – poof! – disappeared into the wealth of others. There has been NO national policy to address the shift from the agricultural/industrial America to the so-called knowledge and financial America. Rural America has been forgotten. Our largely white farmers and steelworkers and auto builders and and have been abandoned and their kids left to their oxycontin and meth. It used to be a kid in Nixa MO or Anderson IN or Beckley WV could graduate high school and make a living. No more. It’s a new world and it’s not a nascent communist takeover, it’s the long-term effects of policies designed to support the wealthy, unfortunately at the expense of the working classes. And it made America susceptible to a demagogue – and one who will double down on enriching the rich at your expense.
Our “friends” in DC conclude that Social Security and healthcare are avenues to further let the rich keep more of their riches. In fact, even today they are devising ways to transfer more of your earned money to the idle rich! Read carefully the budget and tax bills coming soon to a poorhouse near you.
This is why a president who campaigned and who almost won the most votes based on white nationalist motifs is so upset by those “son of a bitches” who peacefully protest the treatment of Blacks in America.
Policy taketh away but policies can be reversed. The morbidity caused by “trade”, labor, monetary, fiscal, tax, defense, immigration, education, patent etc policies enacted over the past 40 years can be reversed, but likely not before the nation reaches a new “rock” bottom.
What a racist post. One thing I have come to know about you is that you are every bit as racist as the people you purport to disparage.
You are most definitely one of those Russian agents paid to agitate. Its why you post a 100x’s per day on this site, stirring up division.
FOLKS. If every one of you would ignore Mr. Jeffery and refuse to comment on a single one of his posts then you will be doing America a service. There is no doubt in my mind he is a paid communist agitator which Interpol knows for a fact fills the internet with disinformation and divisive politics.
This is my last conversation with you. I gave you the benefit until Ive had a chance to digest your hate filled garbage designed to race bait, divide and anger anyone who would read your posts.
Have a good life sir. I suggest the kremlin pull you. I think you need retraining.
Rot,
A paid communist agitator under auspices of the Kremlin no less, LOL. You are mentally diseased. Good riddance.
rotter,
Jeff is one of the worst racist I have seen. Your insight is great, just ignore the scum.
Finally get rid of all your mirrors?
Are you brainiacs even sure the Russians are communists? Is Putin? If so, that means the communists HAVE made inroads into the American government through tRump and associates. Want to reconsider your “points”?
So calling a racist a racist is of itself racism. Interesting projection. Anyway, racists and bigots always scream loudest when exposed to the sunlight. They used to scurry away like cockroaches but now feel empowered. Oppressors always feel aggrieved when the oppressed stand up to them.
Jeff,
I seriously doubt that you have even been to Europe, much less seeing the effects communism has had on the poor people there. You have little knowledge of any subject. But to say Trump brought in communist after 8 years of the worst president in history, Obama, is seriously disturbed, or stupid or foolish. If you really believe this something is wrong with you. Router is clearly very intelligent guy, you are not. Why Teach allows you to comment and chase off others is beyond me. You offer little of value and are a terrible bigot and racist.
TEACH can ban me anytime he wants.
You’ll to ask others why they withdraw when faced with the truth. Perhaps they want a spa-like atmosphere with like-minded individuals where they can spout their lies without challenge.
Oh please, you’re killing us with laughter, little guy.
Yawn-Jeffery’s only “argumentâ€, again, is name-calling and race baiting with absolutely no proof. The question isn’t of race but rather what are these players protesting against? What has changed since last season except maybe some generous pay raises? Very telling that J doesn’t include the millionaire athletes in question as he whines about the “rich getting richerâ€. Black millionaire players get a pass but others don’t? You’re right-the real racism seems to be coming from J. All wrapped up in pompous liberal sanctimony
If the NFL is majority black, while its fans are majority white, then pissing off their fans might not be a wise thing for the players to do. But, they have the same rights as anyone else to express their opinions, and the fans have the same rights as anyone else to choose not to watch the games.
My favorite team? The Army Black Knights, who beat Temple today 31-28, in overtime, to up their record to 6-2; West Point will play in the Armed Forces Bowl. The best our country has, all patriotic Americans, virtually none of whom will ever play for the NFL. College football the way college football was meant to be!
I can’t say that I’m boycotting the NFL, because I’ve got something which has to get done tomorrow, and, having moved to Kentucky, the ‘local’ NFL team is the Cincinnati Bungles, who aren’t worth watching, boycott or not.
Oh I haven’t left. I just refuse to acknowledge anything that race baiting, divider wants to stir up. There are enough of these in Europe in the local markets the last thing I want to do is talk to one on the internet.
Great, enjoy your comments.