Bryant Gumbel evokes slavery in editorial about NBA commissioner David Stern

im blacker than gumbel because i live with and actually talk to black people.

 

Only American blacks look at slavery as a racial issue. Slavery is not about blacks. Whenever someone evokes the imagery of slavery and superimposes it on black professional athletes, it hits a nerve in me. These people should look at the real slaves in the world today. And they are closer than you think, being trafficked in and through our cities.

Gumbel and all those affluent blacks who can quit their jobs whenever they want have no right to play the slave card.

 

Ok, It was definitely tragic and unjust with what happened with slavery back then. There are no excuses for it and it is ashame. That said, the people of this generation are getting hand outs for something that happen generations ago and they weren't born into? I do get that it has affects on being able to ascend in society, but I think it should just be a flat minority. You can see more disadvantages from socioeconomic background rather than race. I just think it should be about merit and that is it.

I am a minority(south asian) If myself, or any race went up with someone of equal merit against an african american say in an interview or college admissions. More often than not, in these cases the AA will get the adge bc of these statistics. So he got chosen over me despite us having close grades simply because people I have nothing to do with generations ago did something to his ancestors generations ago, same goes to the caucaison who didn't do anything with slavery, but is getting penalized without this equal level playing field.

 

No, you are not 'black' at all.

 

Maybe because in AMERICA, blacks were (for the most part) slaves for over 400 years. So, in the context of AMERICA... YES IT IS ABOUT BLACKS.

 

The point is, I believe Bryant Gumbel was referring to the depiction more than he was accusing Stern of being a plantation owner.

This is a lose/lose situation for both parties, and Stern is up there in his high tower fighting against the side that actually puts food on his table and blaming them for the pains that the other side have put on themselves.

What Gumble said was wrong because Stern is not racist, and should not be accused in a media format for portraying one, but with race still being a major issue in this country, he isn't helping himself out in the PR media war by the picture that this lockout negotiations portray.

 

i know. but im blacker than gumbel.

 

However there are oviously some narrow minded entitled racists on this board that make offensive comments like

"Only American blacks look at slavery as a racial issue" - Easy

-I sure hope this opinion doesnt represent the majority of Houston Rockets fans.

 

Read the rest of his post before jumping on your high horse. Narrow minded? Hello, kettle.

"These people should look at the real slaves in the world today. And they are closer than you think, being trafficked in and through our cities."

 

The Japanese were kept in camps less than 70 years ago.

German Americans were hanged in the streets of NY less than 100 years ago.

Jews (Stern) have been the victim of genocide.... some of them are even still alive today.

 

Who was the oppressor of all these crimes you speak of?

 

United States, United States and Germany.

Does it matter?

Stern is a member of a group of people that is arguably the most oppressed through out modern history. Indeed, there are Jews still alive that were in concentration camps.

 

The part of the post that you quoted is is 100% valid. But the first two sentences are... I guess silly would be the word for it.

 

Are there other races and nationalities that have and are being wronged because of their skin color??... oh course. But to say that only Black people think of slavery as a race issue is on a whole different level of narrow minded.

Im not sure what made you would think that I dont think that other immigrants have had hardships in the past but in case you dont know this, racism is still a huge issue in this country and is obviously a very sensative issue.

Lots of different nationalities have had hardships in the past, but what Gumble said only referred to one particular racial topic.

 

Wait, some people lived 400 years? Where they named Methusala?

Is anyone alive that was a slave in America?

Seems that there are no more slaves or slave owners still around....time to move on .....


DD

 

Come on you know what you just said is going to incite so much crap.

That's like the son of a dead murderer telling the son of the father who was murdered to move on.

This topic does not need to tread in to that territory. You should probably leave it at that before you add more fuel to the fire.

 

I respectfully disagree sir. To 'move on' would be to ignore what has progressed and what has been achieved.

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again. - Maya Angelou

 

And I disagree with this too.

Moving on isn't about ignoring, it's about accepting and/or forgiving.

But a person has the right to move on whenever they want to, and certainly does a group of people. It's disrespectful for another individual to tell others to move on.

 

There is NOTHING to forgive, no one alive every owned a slave or was a slave.

Learn from the history, sure, but slavery is long dead.

DD

 

You are 100% correct.

I however, don't believe that DD was speaking in the same light as what you conveyed.

I am also 100% in favor of more explanation from DD if he is willing.