Whitlock with a good article on the Riley Cooper situation

[Fat Elvis]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/w...d-learn-080113

We, the media, will blow this Riley Cooper teachable moment. It’s what we do when it comes to race. We look for good guys and bad guys, villains and heroes. We choose the politically correct path rather than the road to understanding.

Riley Cooper
RILEY'S RUNAWAY MOUTH



Riley Cooper, a receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles, did and said something very, very stupid and disgusting. Drunk and partying in a sea of whiteness, Cooper apparently lashed out at a black security guard and threatened to "fight every n****r here".

A cellphone camera captured Cooper’s ignorance. It took a month, but the blogosphere unearthed the video and broadcast it to the world. The Eagles reacted responsibly, fining Cooper and forcing him to confront his mistake publicly with the media and privately with his teammates.

Watch what he said. Warning: Language is universally considered to be offensive . . .

I don’t expect the media to respond as responsibly. Too many of us will think the solution is for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to suspend Riley Cooper. Too many of us will think Riley Cooper in no way reflects on all of us.

Well, I’ve been young, drunk, filled with athletic testosterone and partying in a sea of blackness. I’m glad there were no cellphone cameras then. I’ve been middle-aged, drunk, filled with non-athletic cholesterol and partying in a sea of blackness. I’m glad no one recorded the foolish thoughts I’ve uttered when I assumed no one around me would be offended.

Maybe most of the people working in the media are perfect, immune to impure, biased thoughts or actions. I’m not. And no one I know is. What happens with age and maturity is we get better at combatting our biases and keeping them from spilling out of our mouths. When we intellectually evolve, we get better at seeing the stupidity of our biases and not letting them dictate our actions.

I’m extremely distrustful of anyone who claims they’re free of biases. They’re dishonest or delusional.

For the most part, Riley Cooper handled his apology flawlessly. He forthrightly expressed the proper remorse and humbly answered every question.

“This is the lowest of lows,” Cooper said. “This is not the type of person I want to be portrayed as. This isn’t the type of person I am. I’m extremely sorry.”

There’s no room for Cooper to be totally honest. The media — social and legitimate — won’t allow Cooper to be transparent. What was captured on tape is a reflection of what type of person Cooper is.

He’s flawed. He’s a product of America’s conflicted melting pot. That is not a knock on America. We have racial issues because we’re the most diverse nation on the planet. We have trouble working through those issues because dishonesty and simple-mindedness are rewarded.

Like all of us, Riley Cooper is biased. He needs to admit that to himself so he can adequately combat his biases and be a force for positive change.

I used to be proudly homophobic. I used the F-word regularly. In 1998, while sitting in the New England Patriots press box, I got in a back-and-forth exchange with Pats fans and cracked a “joke” that ended with me asking, “Drew Bledsoe gay?”

The ensuing controversy started the process of me recognizing and realizing the utter ignorance of my homophobia. I used to be offended when people analogized the struggle for gay equality with black people’s struggle for equality. I now get it and understand their struggle benefits our struggle and the overall fight for fairness.

I hope Cooper is allowed to evolve. I hope we don’t demonize him to the point that he becomes John Rocker II and more entrenched in bigotry. I hope Cooper confronts who he is. He didn’t threaten to fight every n****r because there’s no bigotry in his heart and mind. He did it because he has failed to deal with who he really is.

He’s in the same denial most of us are in. I’m talking about all of us — black, white, brown and yellow.

I want to make one other point before I finish. Cooper’s transgression isn’t much of a locker-room issue for the Eagles. There are bigots of every color on sports teams. The beauty of sports is that teams force participants to put aside their biases and work together. Working together is different from liking or respecting each other.

Cooper isn’t a coach or executive with the power to hire and fire people based on his racial biases. Cooper is a player. He’s a 25-year-old kid with immature thoughts. His teammates will move on as long as he plays at a high level.

Racial slurs fly on football fields somewhat regularly. It’s a violent game that brings out the worst in people. My junior season at Ball State, I played against a white Northern Illinois defensive tackle who N-bombed me most of the afternoon. I kept shouting at his mostly black defensive teammates about why they would tolerate such a flaming idiot. The next year, the same guy was the most courteous opponent I played against all season.

Let’s help Cooper evolve and mature. We might be surprised by the results.

[9er guy]

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

How is this any different then Black players wanting Zimmerman killed because of race?

I don't think it was because he was Mexican. I think they just wanted what they perceived to be justice.

[9er guy]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Your pussy meter needs recalibrated.

Naw son. I can't do anything with a girl that skinny.

I need a girl that eats her cornbread.

[ThatRaceCardGuy]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

What is ironic to me is that Cooper, due to his ethnicity and position of choice in football, has probably been discriminated against due to his whiteness more than others in the same position. He's often referred to as a "white" wide receiver.

I'll wager that Cooper has endured FAR more insults regarding his race from black players in college and the nfl than he's given.

It doesn't make what he said right, but It would be interesting to have him mic'd up this season to see what the black players say to him week in and week out.

You can't assume that. Young black players have grown up watching numerous ELITE white wr playing in the NFL..

[ThatRaceCardGuy]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

What did he say that was wrong with the black website stuff? It's true.

Same goes for T.V. Totally acceptable for there to be a "BET", but imagine if some network tried to make a "WET"....all ****ing hell would break loose.

"White Entertainment Television? They only focus on white artists and white current events? RACIST"

I've heard this argument before and I don't get what the issue is. I have no problem with Italian American or polish American or Jewish or Mexican American or Irish Americans website or stations geared towards that audience. BET has just as many white artists showcased as tnt or country music station has black artists. There arr plenty of shows geared towards white audiences and television stations. .they just don't call it "white tv." Let's not forget why stations like Bet came about...because white music stations like MTV didnt or rarely played black artist. T.V has always been programed for mainly white audicnes so there was no need to call it white tv..because it was already "white tv." BET came out of necessity so blac artist could have a place to showcase their videos...hence the name "bet." Silly argument really. .shouldn't even have to explain it. It's not like black tv was invented for blacks to be racist it came about because of the exclusion of black entertainment on tv , and movie screens.

[9er guy]

Originally Posted by Thatguy

Let's not forget why stations like Bet came about...because white music stations like MTV didnt or rarely played black artist.

Defintely. BET was created when there little to no representation of black culture in mainstream media.

[ThatRaceCardGuy]

Originally Posted by 9er guy

Defintely. BET was created when there little to no representation of black culture in mainstream media.

I don't get why people can't understand that.

[9er guy]

Originally Posted by Thatguy

I don't get why people can't understand that.

I honestly think most people just don't really put 2 and 2 together.

People would rather complain because something exists rather than thinking about why it exists.

[ThatRaceCardGuy]

Originally Posted by TEX

Great take Dane - this racial sensitivity stuff is way out of hand these days especially if it's preceived white on black racism.

Perceived? Lol The guy said the N word. Granted he was drunk ..but still this isn't a "perceived" situation. I agreesome tthings are over the top reaches. .but this isn't one if them. The guy is an idiot. I'm 50/50 if he is really is racist. Part of me wants to bbelieve the guy was drunk pissed off and wanted to say the worst thing possible he could to piss off the security guard. The other side of me thinks the word rolled pretty easy of his lips. ..like that wasn't the only time he used it....but who knows for real.

[ThatRaceCardGuy]

Originally Posted by 9er guy

I honestly think most people just don't really put 2 and 2 together.

People would rather complain because something exists rather than thinking about why it exists.

It's a way for idiots to attack black ccultural without being perceived as racist. You have to be a complete idiot to not understand why BET was created.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Thatguy

It's a way for idiots to attack black ccultural without being perceived as racist. You have to be a complete idiot to not understand why BET was created.

I don't give a **** why it was created. I don't care that it exists period.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by 9er guy

Defintely. BET was created when there little to no representation of black culture in mainstream media.

That's not quite true.

African Americans were sports heroes represented in various sports media. There were high profile magazines for African American audiences and African Americans were well represented on TV shows like The Jeffersons, Good Times and others.

For the record. I have absolutely no issues with BET or the name. I think Mr. Johnson was brilliant for creating this network. Starz inBlack caters to African Americans as well. No issue.

As for the notion of "White Entertainment Television", that falls under the category of the other 300+ channels not named BET.

And finally, FWIW, BET is owned by Viacom, the whitest corporation, ever.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Thatguy

Perceived? Lol The guy said the N word. Granted he was drunk ..but still this isn't a "perceived" situation. I agreesome tthings are over the top reaches. .but this isn't one if them. The guy is an idiot. I'm 50/50 if he is really is racist. Part of me wants to bbelieve the guy was drunk pissed off and wanted to say the worst thing possible he could to piss off the security guard. The other side of me thinks the word rolled pretty easy of his lips. ..like that wasn't the only time he used it....but who knows for real.

The point was that of he called the guy a "n***ga" instead of a "n****r", his words wouldn't be perceived as racist.

To me, that is just plain dumb.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

The point was that of he called the guy a "n***ga" instead of a "n****r", his words wouldn't be perceived as racist.

To me, that is just plain dumb.

Agreed
Posted via Mobile Device

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by 9er guy

Naw son. I can't do anything with a girl that skinny.

I need a girl that eats her cornbread.

Hah! Fair enough. To each his own. I love throwing a skinny girl all over the room. I'm

[ThatRaceCardGuy]

[QUOTE=DaneMcCloud;9853626]That's not quite true.

African Americans were sports heroes represented in various sports media. There were high profile magazines for African American audiences and African Americans were well represented on TV shows like The Jeffersons, Good Times and others.

For the record. I have absolutely no issues with BET or the name. I think Mr. Johnson was brilliant for creating this network. Starz inBlack caters to African Americans as well. No issue.

As for the notion of "White Entertainment Television", that falls under the category of the other 300+ channels not named BET.

And finally, FWIW, BET is owned by Viacom, the whitest corporation,

I have no issue with other culturals celebrating their heritage either. The reason wh you can't have "white" tv is because of the history of what that means in our society. If something was for whites only it was usually if not always at the exclusion of others: Jim crow laws for example. BET wasn't created to exclude it was created to showcase a cultural that was being excluded from mainstream pop music and television.