As Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III get ready to face off for the first time, some people are still stuck in the ’50s and ’60s and want to assign the issue of race to everything.
Warren Moon, the former NFL quarterback, and some national media types blame racism for the recent criticism of Carolina Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton. Meanwhile, the Washington Post glorifies Griffin’s race as the new leader of the Washington Redskins.
When someone with Newton’s talent performs poorly and acts childish and surly, he’s not going to endear himself to fans regardless of his color. If anything, being black shields him from criticism because of white guilt, political correctness and the fact that many white people, probably due in part to their own athletic inabilities, think black players are better athletes.
On the other hand, race is viewed positively by Washington Post writer Dave Sheinin who writes:
“Someday, you knew he would finally arrive, right? The One: an athlete so brilliant, so likable, so rooted over time in the region’s culture, he would lift the entire community. A transcendent figure — less a messiah than a soulmate for the populace — who would be more than this city’s champion, but its face. Theoretically, it could have been anyone, but realistically, in this city, it could only be this: an electrifying, young African American quarterback for the Redskins.”
Huh? Only a black quarterback could satisfy Redskins nation? He says this in part, I suppose, because Washington, D.C. has been called “The Chocolate City” due to the large number of black residents. First of all, a large portion of Redskins nation is not black, most in fact. Second, do people only root for others of their own race? Are black people ditching the Colts in Indianapolis because they picked Andrew Luck rather than Griffin? Do white people not attend the NBA Wizards’ games anymore because the team consists of all black players? Are the stands of either the Redskins or Wizards occupied primarily by black people?
The issue of race has become tiresome – from the black quarterback issue to the names of sports teams (like the Redskins).
To their credit, both Newton and Griffin dispute the race angle.
A few days ago, Newton said, “I haven’t heard (Moon’s) remarks, but when it comes to race and this game, I don’t think there is none at all.” There may be an issue of grammar however.
While acknowledging that others may view him a certain way because of his race, Griffin says, “My parents raised me to not ever look at race or color so it doesn’t have a big part in my self-identity.”
Amen.
Either drop the race issue or pressure the NFL to hire more white cornerbacks (there hasn’t been one in the NFL in 10 years) and criticize people as racist for not following sports because of the lack of players of their particular race. Where are all the minority hockey fans?
Drop it already.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. – Martin Luther King, Jr.
(Editor’s Note – To read the very, very long Washington Post piece on Griffin and race, please click here.