Whitlock - Jackson Way Off Base on LeBron

[kysirsoze]

Didn't see this anywhere.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/Jesse-Jackson-LeBron-James-Dan-Gilbert-slavery-comparison-071210


Updated Jul 12, 2010 4:26 PM ET
I could pretend Jesse Jackson speaks for such a tiny minority that his inflammatory, predictable and misguided remarks about LeBron James and Dan Gilbert are unworthy of rebuke.

But then, I’d have to ignore the mountain of e-mails that poured into my laptop from African-American brothers and sisters making the same argument.

Jesse has a constituency, a passionate group of idiots who believe the best way to combat white-wing political bigots such as Limbaugh and Hannity is with black-wing political bigotry.

And so, in defense of LeBron’s narcissistic ego explosion and Gilbert’s emotional reaction to it, Jesse compared Gilbert to an 18th-century slave owner.

“His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality,” Jackson said in a statement released Sunday. “(Gilbert) sees LeBron as a runaway slave.”

Yes, this is an attention grab by Rev. Jackson. He heard about ESPN’s impressive ratings for “The Decision” and, like a mafia don, wants to wet his beak. Why let Jim Gray and ESPN executives have all the fun exploiting LeBron’s naivete?

There’s enough of LeBron’s carcass for Jesse to feast, too. And Gilbert’s childish letter to Cavaliers fans in the wake of LeBron’s departure gave Jackson the opening he needed to break out his knives and forks.


“(Gilbert’s) accusations endanger LeBron,” Jackson wrote. “His jersey is being burned in effigy, and he is being projected as a betrayer by the owner. ... LeBron is not a child, nor is he bound to play on Gilbert’s plantation and be demeaned.”

Yep, it’s the card. LeBron James and his kiddie handlers screwed up, staging an image-damaging public-relations disaster, and now some African-Americans want to change the subject by changing the argument.

NBA owners and their $100-million contracts are slave owners and King James is Kunta Kinte escaping on the Underground Railroad to Miami’s Tootsie’s Cabaret, where he’ll make it rain.

It’s stupid. Dan Gilbert’s rant was certainly immature, but it wasn’t remotely racist. He sounded like a scorned lover, a guy who gave his heart to a relationship and found out on national TV that the alleged love of his life didn’t care about him at all.

Gilbert vented. I give James credit for not responding.

Jackson and other African-Americans need to follow LeBron’s lead. We look foolish. We look hypocritical. We come across like people who have little genuine interest in seeing racial prejudice disappear and more like people who just want it to swing in our favor.

Rather than deal with the callous and classless way James departed his home state, some of us are trying to make this about race. It’s not.

No rational person begrudges James for joining Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Pat Riley and the Miami Heat. Sports fans — and owners — have grown used to star players switching teams.

People were stunned and turned off by the hey-look-at-me circus James conducted on his way out of Cleveland. It was unnecessary and easy to avoid. It was cruel to all the young and old fans who supported him.

Beyond that, it was bad business. James damaged his brand. He made himself polarizing for no good reason. A man of his wealth would pay $2.5 million to avoid the kind of bad publicity that has engulfed James in the aftermath of "The Decision."

You can argue James has the right to destroy his image. Man has the right to smoke cigarettes, too. It’s still stupid. And nonsmokers have the right to point out the stupidity of smoking.

You can’t defend LeBron’s lapse in judgment by claiming his critics are racist. You’re crippling James, baiting him to make more mistakes.

There was nothing honorable or smart about the way he orchestrated his exit.

From all reports, James knew months ago he was going to Miami with Wade and Bosh. His interviews were a farce. He invited white billionaires to grovel at his feet. And Jesse Jackson wants to call Gilbert a slave owner. Please.

Gilbert gave James and his entourage the keys to the franchise for seven years and tolerated all the indulgences of youth. He foolishly expected James and his posse to treat the Cavaliers with a modicum of respect.

It’s why you don’t spoil kids. They’ll take advantage and not express an ounce of appreciation.

Everyone who objectively watched the Boston-Cleveland playoffs series knows James quit on the Cavs, selling out his teammates and costing head coach Mike Brown his job.

Despite Brown’s African-American heritage, Jesse Jackson doesn’t care about Mike Brown. Jesse’s all good with LeBron’s betrayal of a black head coach because Mike Brown’s name doesn’t draw record TV ratings.

We’re a nation of jock-sniffers and hypocrites. It’s not surprising so many of us fall for the crap spewed by Jesse, Rush, Al, Hannity and all the rest.

I particularly like the point about the LeBron/Mike Brown double standard. Good article, IMO, even if Jackson's an easy target.

[ModSocks]

"I dont normally agree with Whitlock.....but this article is dead on"

ROFL @ myself.

[Rausch]

Really don't care...

[Deberg_1990]

Micjones will be along soon to tell us how off base JWhit is....
Posted via Mobile Device

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Jesse Jackson is a piece of shit.

[KCrockaholic]

If Delonte West was bangin my mom, I'd quit the Cavs too.

[Old Dog]

OK, this is the third or fourth Whitlock article I've read in the last little while in which I thought he was 100% correct.....who is doing the ghost writing?

[Pitt Gorilla]

OK, this is the third or fourth Whitlock article I've read in the last little while in which I thought he was 100% correct.....who is doing the ghost writing?Whitlock has been pretty consistent.

[Psyko Tek]

OK, this is the third or fourth Whitlock article I've read in the last little while in which I thought he was 100% correct.....who is doing the ghost writing?


gochiefs

[Titty Meat]

I sharted

[BigRock]

He really wasted no time on this. There was like a 4-hour turnaround between Jesse's comments blowing up and Whitlock's column about it.

[WV]

Impressed by a Whitlock article.....I'm ashamed of myself.:sulk:

[RJ]

Good column, spot on. The only reason Jackson chimed in on this is because it was an easy way to get the media to look his way. Lebron James has made an ass of himself through this entire circus and now Jesse Jackson is putting the cherry on top.

I'll never understand why Whitlock is so disliked in KC, or at least on this board. Dude is a solid writer and usually interesting, IMO. I like him.

Maybe I wouldn't if his columns were waiting for me in my driveway every morning.

[Saul Good]

He couldn't resist opening and closing his article by taking shots at Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity for no reason whatsoever. Even when he's rightfully criticizing a black person, he's compelled to lob racial bombs at white conservatives.

[KcMizzou]

Good column, spot on. The only reason Jackson chimed in on this is because it was an easy way to get the media to look his way. Lebron James has made an ass of himself through this entire circus and now Jesse Jackson is putting the cherry on top.

I'll never understand why Whitlock is so disliked in KC, or at least on this board. Dude is a solid writer and usually interesting, IMO. I like him.

Maybe I wouldn't if his columns were waiting for me in my driveway every morning.His Chiefs takes annoy me. "Egoli" and all that. But hey, I'm a bit of a homer.

On any other topic, I'm usually a fan.

[dtrain]

Personally I don't like the way LeBron handled the whole thing but, if no one would have really cared it wouldn't have been covered like it was. So if they are gonna follow like little puppy dogs and cater to him then so be it and it's been like that since he was in high school. The cleveland owner is acting like a baby. LeBron was there for 7 years showed up for work everyday played hard and the orginization improved and became more valuable. Now that he doesn't want to play there anymore he treats him like this. It's business as well as a game and LeBron wants to win which is shown by his willingness to take less money. If Lebron didn't perform at a high level he would have been cut, traded, or no contract offered. It's not a race thing it's a spoiled owner pouting like a baby. I guarentee if LeBron had chosen to stay the owner wouldn't have said he quit and wouldn't of had a problem with the whole process!

[Al Bundy]

Michael Wilbon chimed in and did some race stirring up on PTI.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Michael Wilbon chimed in and did some race stirring up on PTI.

Shocker. He's always taking up for the black guy even when they're wrong. I don't get it.

[FAX]

I wouldn't want to interfere with Whittles' work and your appreciation of it, Mr. RJ, but Whittles has consistently manufactured completely absurd and ridiculous rationales for his articles e.g. ... the "inability" of Haley & Weis to work together ... the destructive "clash of egos" between Haley and Pioli ... Haley's "loss" of the locker room (I think he's done that one several times ... none of which were proven true and none even remotely verifiable.

However, I have to say that this sentence; We come across like people who have little genuine interest in seeing racial prejudice disappear and more like people who just want it to swing in our favor. ... is a compelling statement that is often very true and reflects an attitude and approach of which Whittles himself is often guilty.

FAX

[ClevelandBronco]

He couldn't resist opening and closing his article by taking shots at Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity for no reason whatsoever. Even when he's rightfully criticizing a black person, he's compelled to lob racial bombs at white conservatives.

In this case I'd allow that it helps frame his remarks against a movement leader. He's staking out supposedly neutral ground and signaling that he's offering this column from the viewpoint of an observer of race relations rather than someone who tends to come down on one side or the other. It's just a device that is intended to convince the reader that agreeing with Whitlock is really the only rational approach.

[Pitt Gorilla]

He couldn't resist opening and closing his article by taking shots at Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity for no reason whatsoever. Even when he's rightfully criticizing a black person, he's compelled to lob racial bombs at white conservatives.He could take shots at them daily and have plenty of reason.

[Saul Good]

In this case I'd allow that it helps frame his remarks against a movement leader. He's staking out supposedly neutral ground and signaling that he's offering this column from the viewpoint of an observer of race relations rather than someone who tends to come down on one side or the other. It's just a device that is intended to convince the reader that agreeing with Whitlock is really the only rational approach.

So when he criticized Limbaugh's remarks about Donovan McNabb, did he couch them by calling out racist blacks by name?

[ClevelandBronco]

So when he criticized Limbaugh's remarks about Donovan McNabb, did he couch them by calling out racist blacks by name?

What does that have to do with this column? Has he signed some kind of an agreement never to deviate from employing this specific device?

[Saul Good]

What does that have to do with this column? Has he signed some kind of an agreement never to deviate from employing this specific device?

My point is that he can criticize a white man without throwing out examples of black racism, but he feels compelled to make nebulous accusations of racism against Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and Sean Hannity when addressing racist comments made by Jesse Jackson.

What in the hell do Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and Sean Hannity have to do with this story? Nothing. They have absolutely nothing to do with this story.

On the one hand, Whitlock says:


now some African-Americans want to change the subject by changing the argument

and

We look foolish. We look hypocritical. We come across like people who have little genuine interest in seeing racial prejudice disappear

Then, he proceeds to sandwich these comments with completely unrelated racial accusations against white people.

It sounds to me like he wants to change the subject by changing the argument and has little genuine interest in seeing racial prejudice disappear.

[Hootie]

It's funny how everyone pretends to not be racist, but everytime Whitlock writes one of these articles where he puts the dumbass "race card" pulling black idiots like Jesse Jackson in their place everyone suddenly pulls the "can't believe I side with Whitlock on this one!"

Gee...I wonder why...95% of this board (if not more) are white and middle-upper middle class...

[Sully]

He seems to do far better when removed from a situation and not writing about athletes or sports personalities he knows.

[KcMizzou]

He seems to do far better when removed from a situation and not writing about athletes or sports personalities he knows.
I agree.

[Just Passin' By]

It's funny how everyone pretends to not be racist, but everytime Whitlock writes one of these articles where he puts the dumbass "race card" pulling black idiots like Jesse Jackson in their place everyone suddenly pulls the "can't believe I side with Whitlock on this one!"

Gee...I wonder why...95% of this board (if not more) are white and middle-upper middle class...



So, every time Whitlock slams someone for racist comments, the "white and middle-upper middle class" side with Whitlock, and you find that racist?

[Deberg_1990]

It's funny how everyone pretends to not be racist, but everytime Whitlock writes one of these articles where he puts the dumbass "race card" pulling black idiots like Jesse Jackson in their place everyone suddenly pulls the "can't believe I side with Whitlock on this one!"

Gee...I wonder why...95% of this board (if not more) are white and middle-upper middle class...

Theres a difference between being racist and prejudice. Most everyone has built in prejudices.

Racist implies hate. Just because someone sides with JWhit, doesnt mean they are racist. Your choice of words was poor.

[Pitt Gorilla]

My point is that he can criticize a white man without throwing out examples of black racism, but he feels compelled to make nebulous accusations of racism against Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and Sean Hannity when addressing racist comments made by Jesse Jackson.Perhaps he will next time. I can't imagine someone feeling the need to keep score when sufficient data to determine much of anything doesn't seem to exist.

[|Zach|]

"I dont normally agree with Whitlock.....but this article is dead on"

ROFL @ myself.

Oh hey old friend. Usually it isn't the first post out of the gate. It takes a a few posts.

[Saul Good]

Perhaps he will next time. I can't imagine someone feeling the need to keep score when sufficient data to determine much of anything doesn't seem to exist.

So what purpose do you think it served to make accusations of racism against Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh in both the opening and closing paragraphs of an article about Jesse Jackson, LeBron James, and Dan Gilbert?

[Saul Good]

In this case I'd allow that it helps frame his remarks against a movement leader. He's staking out supposedly neutral ground and signaling that he's offering this column from the viewpoint of an observer of race relations rather than someone who tends to come down on one side or the other.

So you're saying that Whitlock needed to make it clear that he recognizes that whites can be racists just in case the reader might not have been aware of this notion?

Reader: "Oh my gosh. Jason Whitlock sure lets white people off easy. I wonder if he realizes that white people can be racist against blacks. After all, he only accused Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity of being racists in the first paragraph. He's gone half a column since then without accusing them of being racists"

keeps reading

Reader: "Never mind. He just accused them of being racists again. Opening and closing a completely unrelated article with accusations of racism against Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity really helps me realize that Whitlock can see things from an angry black man's point of view and not just from a white man's perspective."

[Deberg_1990]

So what purpose do you think it served to make accusations of racism against Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh in both the opening and closing paragraphs of an article about Jesse Jackson, LeBron James, and Dan Gilbert?

His entire job is to be a muckraker and spur conversation. In that aspect hes very much like Hannity and Limbaugh.

[Pitt Gorilla]

So what purpose do you think it served to make accusations of racism against Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh in both the opening and closing paragraphs of an article about Jesse Jackson, LeBron James, and Dan Gilbert?Perhaps he thinks they are racist, but I'm not sure where you think he wrote that.

[okcchief]

I'm so sick of Lebron.

I can't wait until Tim Tebow is busted snorting a rail road track off of his erection while Tiger Woods does him from behind. They would still never shut the fuck up about these three assholes.

[ClevelandBronco]

My point is that he can criticize a white man without throwing out examples of black racism, but he feels compelled to make nebulous accusations of racism against Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and Sean Hannity when addressing racist comments made by Jesse Jackson.

What in the hell do Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and Sean Hannity have to do with this story? Nothing. They have absolutely nothing to do with this story.

On the one hand, Whitlock says:



and



Then, he proceeds to sandwich these comments with completely unrelated racial accusations against white people.

It sounds to me like he wants to change the subject by changing the argument and has little genuine interest in seeing racial prejudice disappear.

And it sounds to me like you're a bit too hypersensitive. But if it distracts you from the main point he's making, then you're right.

[ClevelandBronco]

So you're saying that Whitlock needed to make it clear that he recognizes that whites can be racists just in case the reader might not have been aware of this notion?

Reader: "Oh my gosh. Jason Whitlock sure lets white people off easy. I wonder if he realizes that white people can be racist against blacks. After all, he only accused Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity of being racists in the first paragraph. He's gone half a column since then without accusing them of being racists"

keeps reading

Reader: "Never mind. He just accused them of being racists again. Opening and closing a completely unrelated article with accusations of racism against Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity really helps me realize that Whitlock can see things from an angry black man's point of view and not just from a white man's perspective."

If you didn't like the column you didn't like the column. I'm sure you have your reasons, even if I find them trivial.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

My point is that he can criticize a white man without throwing out examples of black racism, but he feels compelled to make nebulous accusations of racism against Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and Sean Hannity when addressing racist comments made by Jesse Jackson.

What in the hell do Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and Sean Hannity have to do with this story? Nothing. They have absolutely nothing to do with this story.

On the one hand, Whitlock says:



and



Then, he proceeds to sandwich these comments with completely unrelated racial accusations against white people.

It sounds to me like he wants to change the subject by changing the argument and has little genuine interest in seeing racial prejudice disappear.

Yeah, a guy who coined the phrase the Black KKK is unfairly lobbing criticism at whites.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

He couldn't resist opening and closing his article by taking shots at Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity for no reason whatsoever. Even when he's rightfully criticizing a black person, he's compelled to lob racial bombs at white conservatives.

Considering the brain damage those two idiots have foisted upon the electorate, he can take as many "shots" as he pleases, and I'll buy him a drink for every one of them, every time.

[FAX]

When it comes to punkin chuckin', the best punkin is one that still has a good stem attached. That way, you can grasp your punkin by its stem, build up momentum by whirling around a few times, then chuck that punkin quite a distance. Otherwise, if you select a punkin with no stem or a punkin with one of those real stubby stems, you are forced to grasp your punkin with both hands and sort of pitch it shot put style or heave it from between your legs like a sissy free throw. Either way, you're not going to get a lot of distance chuckin' a punkin with no stem. That's why world class punkin chuckers always use punkins with a good, solid stem.

FAX

[Shag]

Pretty good article by Whitlock, but I found the below to be amusingly and incredibly ironic:

I could pretend Jesse Jackson speaks for such a tiny minority that his inflammatory, predictable and misguided remarks about LeBron James and Dan Gilbert are unworthy of rebuke.

[Extra Point]

"He invited white billionaires to grovel at his feet. And Jesse Jackson wants to call Gilbert a slave owner. (N***a,) (p)lease."

I wonder if that was going through anyone's mind, reading that line, perhaps Whitlock's?

Great article, Whitlock. Whatever you've been taking lately, found in a neutral corner, has cleared your mind.

[Red Brooklyn]

The purpose is to balance the argument by showing you there are idiots and bigots on both sides. He could have named any number of them. He chose the biggest, most obvious targets on both sides. I believe some people would call that "Fair and Balanced" reporting.

Good article.

[Saul Good]

Whitlock's article is fine. It's doing exactly what he intended to do. He spews racist blather all year long (against whites) whether or not the actions were actually racist. Then, when a black kook does something too obvious to ignore, he calls them on it so that all of the white readers think that he doesn't have an axe to grind.

Whitlock made his bones by bashing whitey and then proceeded to move to Leawood, KS and live in the whitest suburb in the country. Hypocritlock does what Hypocritlock does.

[jspchief]

Whitlock's article is fine. It's doing exactly what he intended to do. He spews racist blather all year long (against whites) whether or not the actions were actually racist. Then, when a black kook does something too obvious to ignore, he calls them on it so that all of the white readers think that he doesn't have an axe to grind.

Whitlock made his bones by bashing whitey and then proceeded to move to Leawood, KS and live in the whitest suburb in the country. Hypocritlock does what Hypocritlock does.I was thinking along the same lines. I don't read his stuff regularly enough to accuse him of doing it often or lately, but Whitlock's done his fair share of race baiting in the 10 or so years I've been reading. Kind of seems like he's talking out of both sides of his mouth.

[vailpass]

Charles Barkley on DP show this morning had a pretty good take on the LB and Jesse situations.
Said LB has a right to do what he wants though he should have told Cleveland first and the whole TV show thing was just plain stupid.
Said Gilbert was like a woman sho just got dumped and was acting all bitter about it.
Said he likes Jesse but Jesse needs to calm down, just cool it with this ridiculous slave talk.

[Lzen]

He couldn't resist opening and closing his article by taking shots at Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity for no reason whatsoever. Even when he's rightfully criticizing a black person, he's compelled to lob racial bombs at white conservatives.

This is what is wrong with the article. Everything else is fine.

[Lzen]

Perhaps he thinks they are racist, but I'm not sure where you think he wrote that.

Sheesh, are you really this naive?

Jesse has a constituency, a passionate group of idiots who believe the best way to combat white-wing political bigots such as Limbaugh and Hannity is with black-wing political bigotry.

It’s not surprising so many of us fall for the crap spewed by Jesse, Rush, Al, Hannity and all the rest.

[Chief Henry]

I guess I'm very bored with Whitlock. He's so predicatable and has been.
He only includes Rush and Hannity in the article to try to upset the "white crackas" .

Like I said, he's very predicatable.

[ClevelandBronco]

I guess I'm very bored with Whitlock. He's so predicatable and has been.
He only includes Rush and Hannity in the article to try to upset the "white crackas" .

Like I said, he's very predicatable.

So are the white crackers, apparently.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Sheesh, are you really this naive?Where is he claiming they are racist? How exactly are you defining political bigotry?

[Chief Henry]

So are the white crackers, apparently.

You are wrong, its "crackas"

[chiefzilla1501]

So you're saying that Whitlock needed to make it clear that he recognizes that whites can be racists just in case the reader might not have been aware of this notion?

Reader: "Oh my gosh. Jason Whitlock sure lets white people off easy. I wonder if he realizes that white people can be racist against blacks. After all, he only accused Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity of being racists in the first paragraph. He's gone half a column since then without accusing them of being racists"

keeps reading

Reader: "Never mind. He just accused them of being racists again. Opening and closing a completely unrelated article with accusations of racism against Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity really helps me realize that Whitlock can see things from an angry black man's point of view and not just from a white man's perspective."

Umm, referring to Rush and Hannity as bigots isn't a stretch by any means. And it's a perfectly appropriate example. White people shouldn't say all black people are race card shitmongerers b/c Jesse Jackson is, just as black people shouldn't say all white people are elitist bigots just because Rush and Hannity are. I think the example was more than appropriate.

It's not like he's calling Wolf Blitzer a bigot. He's talking about two guys who have a reputation for being elitist.

[joesomebody]

So what purpose do you think it served to make accusations of racism against Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh in both the opening and closing paragraphs of an article about Jesse Jackson, LeBron James, and Dan Gilbert?

I feel it speaks more of Jason's political views that any latent racism.

Reverend Jackson is an extremest liberal and is the antithesis of Glen Beck.

I saw it as sort of trying to relay the fact that while Rev Jackson is 10 shades of crazy on the liberal side, Limbaugh, Hannity, and Beck are 10 shades of crazy on the conservative side.

Mentioning this in the article was sort of a way to say, "Hey we all know Jessie Jackson is nuts, but he's not alone in being bat shit crazy."

I especially liked this line, "It’s not surprising so many of us fall for the crap spewed by Jesse, Rush, Al, Hannity and all the rest."

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

I feel it speaks more of Jason's political views that any latent racism.

Reverend Jackson is an extremest liberal and is the antithesis of Glen Beck.

I saw it as sort of trying to relay the fact that while Rev Jackson is 10 shades of crazy on the liberal side, Limbaugh, Hannity, and Beck are 10 shades of crazy on the conservative side.

Mentioning this in the article was sort of a way to say, "Hey we all know Jessie Jackson is nuts, but he's not alone in being bat shit crazy."

I especially liked this line, "It’s not surprising so many of us fall for the crap spewed by Jesse, Rush, Al, Hannity and all the rest."

Damned fine post, Sir.