Patterico's Pontifications

7/12/2010

Racial Epithets

Filed under: Race — DRJ @ 6:19 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Apparently Jesse Jackson thinks LeBron James is a multi-millionaire slave:

“Shortly after James announced his decision last week, [Cleveland Cavalier owner Dan] Gilbert fired off an incendiary letter to Cleveland’s fans, ripping the 25-year-old and promising to deliver a title before James wins one. He called James’ decision “cowardly” and later told The Associated Press he believes James quit during a handful of Cavaliers playoff games.
***
Jackson said Gilbert’s comments were “mean, arrogant and presumptuous.”

“He speaks as an owner of LeBron and not the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers,” the reverend said in a release from his Chicago-based civil rights group, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. “His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality. He sees LeBron as a runaway slave. This is an owner employee relationship — between business partners — and LeBron honored his contract.”

Meanwhile, the NAACP is set to condemn as racist the Tea Party movement for harboring “racist elements that are a threat to our democracy.”

Post-racial America: Denounce first, worry about proof later.

— DRJ

90 Responses to “Racial Epithets”

  1. reverend jackson
    lose dignatay when he do
    gloria steinem

    ColonelHaiku (9cf017)

  2. When I was a part of a small group that was instrumental in closing down a day laborer (read: illegal crimmigrant) in our little town i was often called a racist. My stock rely was always,
    “Hell yeah I’m a racist…I love NASCAR!”
    Always left them bemused.
    Seriously, does the word even have any heft any more after its chronic overuse?

    Gazzer (800a42)

  3. Well, I think Jesse Jackson is a hymie.

    Some chump (e84e27)

  4. I don’t think you’re being fair to Jackson on this.
    He was pointing out that James, having fulfilled his contract with the Cavs, was free to do whatever he wanted, and had no obligations to Gilbert or anyone else. As Ayn Rand would say, James chose according to his own scheme of values and not someone else’s. He wanted to play with teammates he could esteem and trust, and with whom he already has a firm friendship (which he now has in the form of Wade and Bosch) on a team that has the potential to win a championship–two things he obviously did not get from Gilbert during the seven years, who seems to be under the illusion that James had some duty over and above his contract simply because he had been playing with the Cavaliers.

    Of course, it’s now my team James is playing for; perhaps I might have felt less benignant towards Jackson if it wasn’t 🙂

    kishnevi (6c49d9)

  5. I don’t think you’re being fair to Jackson on this.

    I don’t think Jackson was being fair to the owner of the Cavaliers. There’s no way a reasonable person could claim that Gilbert was acting like a slave owner. And it’s perfectly fair to call Jackson out on his incessant race-baiting.

    Some chump (e84e27)

  6. Slaves ?? In the NBA ?? unreal

    EricPWJohnson (cedf1d)

  7. Memo to Jesse the J; slaves didn’t get multi-year contracts that most likely will involve tens of millions of dollars, and they certainly didn’t get a choice of venue.

    http://powip.com/2010/07/priorities/

    But, you know, in Fairness to the Rev, race-baiting is in his self styled job description. And should he wake up one day and find himself in a country sufficiently post racial for his tastes, no doubt his first thoughts would be along the lines; I guess I’ll have to look for a real job now…

    Bob Reed, call sign "h8ter" (5f2db5)

  8. This is why pretty much nobody in Chicago, including the media, pays any attention to JJ anymore–and haven’t for years.

    elissa (f370de)

  9. Gilbert was being an asshole, but not all assholes are slave owners.

    Kevin Murphy (5ae73e)

  10. As for the NAACP, isn’t Holder a member? They should watch what they do with rocks in that glass house.

    Kevin Murphy (5ae73e)

  11. who can find fault with
    fervent desire to escape
    cleveland ohio?

    ColonelHaiku (9cf017)

  12. Meanwhile, the NAACP

    Isn’t an acronym that includes letters standing for “colored people”, in and of itself, rather…RACIST!!!!?

    More importantly, the acronym, in order to be more accurate, actually should denote the words “National Association for the Advancement of Nitwit Leftwingers.”

    Moreover, the group’s mission statement should be: “If most of the “colored people” of America ever have the gall to become ideologically moderate to conservative, we’ll force them to the back of the bus and then throw them under it!!”

    Mark (411533)

  13. I don’t think you’re being fair to Jackson on this.

    In as much as it was inappropriate for the owner to react as he did, it is equally even more inappropriate for Jackson to purposely choose to use the incendiary slave, in any form, to make an equivalency. He knew full well what the implication would be because that was his intent. I believe it’s far worse what Jackson did because he is a practiced racebaiter resulting in a far more practiced manipulator and exploiter. He’s made a career of it.

    Dana (1e5ad4)

  14. Tickets to a Cavaliers Game — $50

    Gilbert’s offer to LeBron — $130MM

    Being called a bigot b/c you called out a spoiled child who just turned down $140MM contract for a $110MM contract — Priceless

    ** When do we have the pleasure of eulogizing this dirtbag? **

    HeavenSent (a9126d)

  15. “Being called a bigot b/c you called out a spoiled child who just turned down $140MM contract for a $110MM contract — Priceless”

    HeavenSent – The difference in state taxes between Ohio and Florida made the Miami offer more attractive. Just an FYI.

    daleyrocks (1d0d98)

  16. “He has gotten a free pass,” Gilbert told the AP in a phone interview late Thursday night. “People have covered up for [James] for way too long. Tonight we saw who he really is.”

    On a side note, I think maybe Gilbert himself gave his star player a pass on more than one occasion. James’ mom, team members, coaches, etc may have covered his bad behavior, but I think Gilbert did too – maybe even more so – which might explain his immense feeling of betrayal…

    Dana (1e5ad4)

  17. Dana – But at least James has abilities, unlike Obama, unless you count reading from a teleprompter.

    daleyrocks (1d0d98)

  18. Considering the NAACP’s resolution to condemn the Tea Party, it’s telling that Michelle Obama was their keynote speaker today. Although her remarks were about childhood obesity, her mere presence gives tacit approval to the organization and their causes at large.

    Dana (1e5ad4)

  19. I see the NBA fined Gilbert $100K for running his mouth.
    I’d have fined him too, if for no other reason than I had to field a call from Rev. Jackson.

    Someone on Al Sharpton’s staff should be fired for losing out on getting Al out there first

    SteveG (11baba)

  20. The Cavaliers had made their decisions on players to draft, trade for, etc., around James. James was the main man on their team and the management was trying to place others around him, so I think the Cavaliers had reason to be upset. Also, the fans had seen him as “the home town kid who stayed around”, so much for his being a “home town kid”.

    I saw the end of one of the games the Cavs lost to Boston, maybe their third loss in the series. It was the most disgusting last 1:30 in basketball I have ever seen. I would have been tempted to bench if not fire the entire team. And it wasn’t because of mistakes, it was because of the lousy attitude and effort. How much that was because of James vs. other players vs. coach I have no idea.

    Jordan wasn’t just a gifted athlete, he was a fierce competitor and was willing to share the spotlight if that was what was necessary for the team to win. Puking his guts out on the sideline and then going back into the game was Jordan, driving the ball as decoy then kicking it back out to Steve Kerr to take the winning shot was Jordan. Maybe LeBron had too much success from the start of his BBall playing and is complacent.

    I don’t know all of what Gilbert said, so I pass on whether he went over the top. As for Jackson, I’m inclined to think he said what he did to get publicity and maybe some coat-tail hanging on with James.

    As far as the NAACP goes, they once were a highly respected organization. At least one former NAACP official, I think at the state level, is a Tea Party “member” and said it was a bunch of nonsense, of course, no guarantees on that person getting quoted in the MSM.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  21. Here is what Gilbert said.

    Dana (1e5ad4)

  22. 19.I see the NBA fined Gilbert $100K for running his mouth.
    I’d have fined him too, if for no other reason than I had to field a call from Rev. Jackson.

    Comment by SteveG

    A player leaves to go to another team, the owner is mad and speaks out, insulting the player, and the NBA sees the need to do anything???

    I think you’re right, Steve, about why the fine was given.

    You’d have thought that being rich and having a chance to make the old owner eat his words on the court would have been the way to settle it.

    But, since we’re going there… I’m insulted that LeBron didn’t want me to play on his team. I bet he just thinks white boys can’t jump. I want the NBA to fine him (and give the fine to me, since I’m the one who was insulted). Who out there wants to take the case?

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  23. Thanks, Dana.

    I understand the need to fine a coach, owner, or player who complains about a ref or something else that undermines the integrity of the game, but I see no reason why Gilbert should be fined.

    If I was Gilbert, I would ask myself what I think the fine will be when I tell the NBA commissioner what I think about his lack of spine, of course, that will be in private.

    It wasn’t simply a personal rant, it was a PR communication with the fan base. James gets an hour on ESPN to himself and Gilbert can’t be allowed one letter???

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  24. The NBA is about making money. If they give just one player $140 million, how much do you think the owners are raking in? Don’t rock the money train.

    BTW, does anybody really think Michael Jordan “left” the NBA for two years because his true passion was minor league baseball?

    nk (db4a41)

  25. Time for y’all to brush up on Objectivism 101. Claiming an obligation that is not in some fashion earned or compensated for, is a claim to own the person you making the claim against. Whether it’s for five minutes or five lifetimes.

    There’s a number of things on which I think Rand was wrong; but when she was right, boy she was right.

    kishnevi (0e3a73)

  26. Claiming an obligation that is not in some fashion earned or compensated for

    So, Gilbert said that LeBron should play for free?

    Seriously, kishnevi, this is a pretty weak argument.

    Some chump (e84e27)

  27. Earth to Jesse–being pissed off at a selfish prick isn’t racism. Nor is pointing out that your “everything’s racist” schtick is old, tired and disgusting. PS Please remind your kid that Senate seats shouldn’t be bought or sold.

    kevin (74ccb0)

  28. Kevin brings up a more interesting story. Jesse raised a kid who would attempt to bribe his way into the US Senate. these people are not civil rights leaders and really don’t pretend to be.

    Trying to intensify bitterness between races is just about the most unpatriotic thing a person can do short of voter fraud or terrorism.

    But there’s an obvious effort afoot to get the races as edged out against one another. Such short term thinkers.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  29. I attended a Tea Party on Saturday. Not sure how many, several hundred anyway. There were no racist signs or statements. The main speaker was a black man, quite impressive and he didn’t use a teleprompter. The only sign was carried by my friend. She has a real problem with our Representative, Raul Grijalva. He has told people to boycott Arizona over SB1070. So the sign said, “Oust Grijalva”.

    There was no rioting. Everyone was attentive to all the speakers. The MC said no Democrat accepted an invitation to speak. And there was free ice cream for everyone.

    PatAZ (9d1bb3)

  30. Offering ice cream is so obviously Racist!
    Consider yourself denounced.

    AD - RtR/OS! (809c7f)

  31. DRJ

    > Post-racial America: Denounce first, worry about proof later.

    Oh, if anything that is too charitable. they based their condemnation on an event that it should be obvious didn’t happen anyway. i mean no one can be sure what anyone said, but no one spat on anyone. And to make a tired riff, if the man didn’t spit, you must acquit!

    So either 1) the facts don’t matter or 2) they will believe a black man over a white man no matter what the evidence is.

    Take your pick.

    Aaron Worthing (A.W.) (f97997)

  32. It can’t be 2, Aaron, or they would have Ken Gladney’s back.

    It could be 1, perhaps refined to the extent that they set out to instigate an incident with the Tea Partiers at the Obamacare protest, and when faced with real post-racial Americans, decided to deny the tremendous fruit of the labors of the real (now dead) NAACP and MLK.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  33. Offering ice cream is so obviously Racist!
    Consider yourself denounced.

    http://www.wxkndr.com/ electrical heater

    jack (987355)

  34. 4.I don’t think you’re being fair to Jackson on this.

    — Might as well have stopped after the first three words, kishnevi.

    Icy Texan (4a2bd8)

  35. nk, the point of your latest non sequitur spew is WHAT?

    Icy Texan (4a2bd8)

  36. Reverend Jackson: “He speaks as an owner of LeBron and not the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers,”
    — Possibly the most subjective statement ever made in the history of mankind.

    “His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality. He sees LeBron as a runaway slave.”
    — In reference to the following line: is it not possible that a business owner may feel betrayed by a business partner or employee (especially his HIGHEST PAID EMPLOYEE) that fails to perform up to standard?

    “This is an owner employee relationship — between business partners — and LeBron honored his contract.”
    — Another subjective statement. LeBron’s performance on the court was up to standard because he showed up and played . . . or because the reverend deemed it to be so . . . or something.

    Icy Texan (4a2bd8)

  37. Meanwhile, the NAACP is set to condemn as racist the Tea Party movement for harboring “racist elements that are a threat to our democracy”

    — Meanwhile, the NAACP continues to deny, despite all of the documented evidence to the contrary, that it “harbors” any racist elements.

    Icy Texan (4a2bd8)

  38. Truly great players in any team sport make those around them better. The NBA game is less of a team sport than it once was, though.
    .
    Still, a free agent is a free agent, prima donna or team player, and the owner is just whining now. Sure, he built his team to support James, but for the last three years or so he’s known the expiration was coming, so if he bet the farm on James without a signed extension, that’s on him, not James.

    Adjoran (ec6a4b)

  39. Icy Texan, otra vez, with his early a.m. dry heaves.

    nk (db4a41)

  40. Jackson – Race Baiting Jackass
    Gilbert – Lack of Anger Management Jackass
    NAACP – League of Race Baiting Believers in Unicorns Jackasses

    I am still astounded that the leader of the NAACP called Kenneth Gladney an Uncle Tom, not black enough to protect. That is about as redonkulous a dumbassed thing to say as anything ever.

    Also, Mel Gibson is a racist. The media will cover the rich, crazy white racist ad nauseum so that they don’t have to cover those racists approved by the Obama administration.

    Vivian Louise (643333)

  41. Dustin

    Well, maybe it can be refined to “liberal black people”–as in they always believe the liberal black people?

    But yeah, i think its more likely to be 1.

    btw, i am amused by imao’s observation that if you recite the full name of the NAACP most people would think you were a racist. lol

    Aaron Worthing (A.W.) (e7d72e)

  42. BTW, does anybody really think Michael Jordan “left” the NBA for two years because his true passion was minor league baseball?

    There are still many who actually believe that fiction, and seem unable to recall that Jordan was in hock to the Mob for millions after so many losing bets. He was warned previously to rein it in, and after too many incidents they had no choice but to “suspend” him. I blame his extreme competitiveness, which is why he was such a great b – baller.

    Dmac (52f1e4)

  43. There’s really no winners in this whole LeBron James situation.

    1) While Gilbert’s rant is perfectly understandable in the context of having his team and fanbase scorned for greener pastures, it was incredibly immature. I don’t blame him for feeling as if LeBron c*ckteased him for the last 3 years and then walked away without so much as a thank you. But considering his follow-up comments in which he called LeBron a “quitter” in the Boston series, why the hell would he want someone like that on the team to begin with? Who wants a player who quits in crunch time, no matter how talented he is? Gilbert’s comments were mainly the sour grapes of an owner who lost his bonus baby and only drawing card.

    2) LeBron had every right to shop his services after his contract ran out, and going to Miami to play with Wade and Bosh alongside makes perfect sense for someone who wants to win a championship. That said, the ESPN special on his decision was a complete joke, a crass attempt by a spoiled brat to get the media to slobber all over him for a couple of hours. He tried to assuage this by donating the TV time money to charity, but he could have done that without the rimjob that ESPN gave him.

    3) ESPN lost whatever shred of credibility they may have had left as a news organization, the sad end of a long downward spiral that’s been going on since the mid-1990s. The examples of the Worldwide Leader becoming nothing more than a sports gossip and hype show are too numerous to list here, but this event finally broke the camel’s back.

    4) Jackson became an even bigger joke among blacks than he already was.

    Another Chris (2d8013)

  44. Denounced. Denounced and condemned. All of you. Racists. That is all. Well, not quite all. Jesse Jackson is as irrelevant as the AMC Pacer and felt compelled to go all Hotten-stupid for a little attention. When will the MFM ask Barcky or Michelle or Gibbs if they believe the Tea Partiers are racists?

    JD (a30317)

  45. um, yeah, you know the routine by now…

    off topic but i figured you guys might be interested…

    apparently it is disturbing the peace to preach jesus in a muslim festival. http://www.detnews.com/article/20100712/METRO/7120412/1361/4-missionaries-charged-in-Dearborn-festival-proselytizing

    you know, okay, american muslims here is the test. demand that these charges be dropped. show us that the people who got rowdy because someone dares to preach the gospel are not good muslims. either that or admit implictly that islam is not compatible with freedom.

    In any case, the police should drop this case.

    Aaron Worthing (A.W.) (e7d72e)

  46. btw, as for Action Jackson, you know the man is a racist. i mean he has said that one time he was walking at night and heard footsteps behind him and was relieved to see it was a white guy.

    so i tend to ignore what a racist says on race.

    I thought the anger at Lebron, and really the general interest and passion on the issue was, well, bizarre. its just a game, so let’s all calm down. but i didn’t see anything racist though i suppose you will find it if you are bound and determined to.

    Aaron Worthing (A.W.) (e7d72e)

  47. LeBron is trying to challenge Teh One for the title of the top ranked narcissist in the world. Right now, he is a close second.

    JD (08bae5)

  48. #15, Daley

    Not really b/c 50% of the games are played out of state and every ball player I know files in each and every state. So the actual taxes you pay is sometimes in between.

    In addition, I am sure the tax authorities look very closely at RESIDENCE when determining taxes. That is to say LeBron, so long as he keeps his home in Akron, will be subject to something.

    Same thing happened to Jeter who claimed a FL address but was told by NY, pay up for the whole year.

    That analysis presented by some is at best very simplistic

    HeavenSent (a9126d)

  49. #15, either way my point is the “Slave” took millions less to play in Miami.

    I found the analogy insulting to actual runaway slaves..

    HeavenSent (a9126d)

  50. Comment by nk — 7/12/2010 @ 9:41 pm

    24.The NBA is about making money.
    — Is this supposed to be some sort of “for love of the game” declarative statement? Do you support free music downloads as well? Should everyone with a talent share it with the world, gratis?

    If they give just one player $140 million, how much do you think the owners are raking in?
    — If they have any business sense, they take in more than they expend in payroll; which is NOT to say that the Cavs somehow made over $140 mil in profit. Maybe they paid him $140 mil and only profited $1.4 mil. So?

    Don’t rock the money train.
    — Don’t try to think and chew gum at the same time.

    BTW, does anybody really think Michael Jordan “left” the NBA for two years because his true passion was minor league baseball?
    — No, but who cares?

    Icy Texan (4a2bd8)

  51. JD

    Just wait until Lebron gets a nobel prize.

    ah, but wait a minute. at best lebron can only be number 3.

    second is obama.

    And first…

    Kenye West.

    Aaron Worthing (A.W.) (e7d72e)

  52. Icy Texan, I am sick of your drive-by dryheaves. You contribute little to discussions except sneers, and basically … just go pleasure yourself with an armadillo.

    nk (db4a41)

  53. nk complains about others contributing only sneers?

    Have Blue (854a6e)

  54. At least Icy Texan refrains form advocating genocide at random intervals.

    Have Blue (854a6e)

  55. nk, I don’t think an armadillo would have you.

    MIke K (0ef8c3)

  56. mike

    just curious… how exactly would an armadillo consent, anyway?

    Aaron Worthing (A.W.) (e7d72e)

  57. Wade didn’t exactly cover himself in glory during this whole kabuki dance of BS. It was quite clear from the outset that the three players had already agreed to go to Miami after the Olympics were over. This entire charade was only done to somehow convince the apparent dunces among the sporting public that they really, really wanted to talk to the other teams in the bidding (in order to avoid charges of collusion? Who cares?). Most of the baseketball fans here in Chicago knew that there was no way in hell Wade would ever come back to his hometown, there are only bad memories for him for the most part (his ex – wife from a bitter divorce still lives here) – and yet he came here twice just to tell the great unwashed how “intrigued” he was by the Bulls (after just dissing the hell out of them only weeks before – slick!).

    The NBA has become a bad joke in all of this, and is the main reason why I stopped watching the games about eight years ago. If the strike goes off as planned, it will effectively kill the entire league off for many generations of potential fans. Just ask baseball how well that worked out for them – took almost two decades to regain their prior attendance figures.

    Dmac (52f1e4)

  58. I stopped caring what Jesse thinks on any particular subject long ago. He’s not worth listening to.

    Frank Drebbin (8096f2)

  59. Painted Jaguar: DO NOT confuse an armadillo with a hedgehog, no matter what the occasion.

    … as irrelevant as the AMC Pacer
    Comment by JD — 7/13/2010

    MD was on the floor laughing for several minutes. Between guffaws he said that was very, very funny, and reminded him of when he took “driver’s Ed” in high school and drove an AMC Matador.

    Neither of us knew anything about Jordan, the Mob, and betting. We thought he was just sleep walking after his dad was killed- is there a link between debts, Mob, and father being killed?

    Claiming an obligation that is not in some fashion earned or compensated for, is a claim to own the person you making the claim against.
    Comment by kishnevi —

    I think it means a person is self-centered and immature, and if you put it in terms of ownership few would see it that way.

    Yes, everyone had reason to be upset, yes it was handled badly in some way by all involved, and the fine made about as much sense as looking for parts to rebuild one of the said Pacers.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  60. “I found the analogy insulting to actual runaway slaves..

    Comment by HeavenSent”

    Exactly. The NAACP badly wants to be seen as relevant and necessary to civil rights. Michelle Obama tells them to really ramp up the grievance mongering, but it’s all very insulting to the actual civil rights movement.

    They used to be about civil rights, but now they are simply about democrats getting power and hustlers getting paid.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  61. First, you can read the open letter, here: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2010/07/gilberts_letter_to_fans_james.html

    dustin, heavensent

    Its hard to say it is insulting to runaway slaves, seeing that every man woman and child who were alive in 1865 in america are dead now. but I get the thought.

    Its sort of like my sarcastic comment in another forum about polanski. I said something like, “and don’t forget to cite the holocaust as a justification for letting polanski get off easy. because lord knows the murder of millions of jews entitles one to a little teen ass rape.”

    It cheapens the horror of the crimes invoked. Slavery and the holocaust were too evil to be invoked in rebuking a basketball team owner or in justifying letting a rapist go.

    Now, I do consider Gilbert’s anger a little misplaced–this is business and not friendship–Gilbert would not be the first to take a matter of money personally. As a law student I was told it was my cases will almost always about money. As a lawyer, it is almost NEVER about money, but about feeling they had been wronged by the other side. And to be blunt, I see nothing in what Gilbert said that had any racial content at all. Gilbert felt that there was a bond of personal loyalty there, that was broken. And while its foolish to get all emotional about something that was really just a matter of money, its not racist.

    Aaron Worthing (A.W.) (e7d72e)

  62. ahhhhhh,

    ok, it’s insulting to the memory of runaway slaves.

    But there are slaves alive today.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  63. A.W.,

    I was taught that law is about money, too, and often it is. But my experiences indicate the most determined and hostile opponents are either family members or those who feel a bond has been broken.

    DRJ (d43dcd)

  64. If the NBA is really just about contracts being honored, no one would watch.

    This is what’s so dead about pro sports. It’s supposed to be about teams, sportsmanship, vindication, tasting defeat and victory, representing your city and friends.

    That’s what Lebron rejected, and that’s what Cleveland is trying to preserve.

    We all have many obligations to one another that are not legal obligations. Jesse Jackson denied this, or at least says referring to them is slavery. No shock, then, that he didn’t honor his wife and family or the civil rights movement (by twisting it into a money hustle).

    You cannot build much with contractual obligations alone. That’s been a premise to the civil rights movement all along. The laws were twisted to make segregation, property in people, poll taxes, etc seem legal. But we got the law right because it was on conflict with a greater law that we only pretend is supremely vested in the Constitution.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  65. This is why pretty much nobody in Chicago, including the media, pays any attention to JJ anymore–and haven’t for years

    Really? Which is why Jackson has a weekly column in the Sun Times and a weekly radio show on WVON.

    BT (74cbec)

  66. Just a thought on the timing of J.Jacksons’slave comment. Isn’t it interesting that literally within a day of the Blago trial revealing that JJ Jr was present at a meeting to plan out the purchase of Obama’s Senate seat, that the old man knocks him off the front page with his slave comments? It has worked as the media are now focused on daddy. It will remain to be seen whether Jr will pay any price for this. My bet is that he won’t but we shall see.

    BT (74cbec)

  67. Comment by BT — 7/13/2010 @ 2:50 pm

    Somebody thinks they are buying racial peace.

    AD - RtR/OS! (9f28e2)

  68. I think this may be the first time I’ve said this but Jackson has a point. Not that LBJ is a slave. He is not. He got well paid, did all he was supposed to do and when his contract was up he left.

    But the reaction of the Cleveland owner (coach?)sounds as if he thinks LBJ is his slave. His ranting about how dare LBJ leave is pretty unseemly. He wants to keep him, make him a better offer, whatever that might be. He does not “own” LBJ and has no right to act as if he thinks he does.

    John Henry

    John Henry (44aca1)

  69. John Henry, I think Cleveland was expecting some extralegal loyalty. The way many businesses, families, teams often do. No implied property right was expressed. No intent to force Lebron to work under harsh conditions with no compensation.

    They are expecting a team player to choose loyalty over a bigger payday.

    He’s treating him as the opposite of a slave. I admit it’s naive these days to expect anything like that from most pro athletes.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  70. “That analysis presented by some is at best very simplistic.”

    HeavenSent – I find it simplistic to assume that James does not have financial advisors telling him that if he accepts a lower contract from Miami and maintains his principal residence in Ohio he would both look like and be a complete chump because 100% of his games would be subject to some level of state tax. By moving his principal residence to Florida, less than half his games would be subject to state income tax – his home games, and games against Houston, Orlando, Dallas, and San Antonio. Maybe all those ball players you know could confirm that.

    daleyrocks (1d0d98)

  71. Conservatives would never use racial epithets. Code words are much better.

    Jackson’s an ass.

    JEA (2c3a8c)

  72. There goes that old projector again, spraying to all fields.

    AD - RtR/OS! (9f28e2)

  73. JEA, we don’t use code words, you donkey orifice!

    Icy Texan (4a2bd8)

  74. That’s “armidiller” to you, ya yankee hosebag!

    Icy Texan (4a2bd8)

  75. #
    Conservatives would never use racial epithets

    Is the point of this argument that the NAACP’s charges against the Tea Party are fake but accurate? That someone of those millions must have been racist, though the efforts to frame them completely failed?

    I think we know who the real bigots are. NAACP’s horrible commentary against Ken Gladney shows us their true nature.

    Perhaps one day the Tea Party will be twisted around into a mockery of its present noble intentions, just like the NAACP. Hopefully after it has made strides towards limited government.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  76. A couple of other blogs have noted that the NAACP praised Robert KKK Byrd.

    He’s a dog whistle equal opportunity guy, whereas the Tea Party is dog whistle racist. To mere humans, it appears the KKK is racist and the Tea Party is color blind, so thank goodness the modern NAACP is here to set us straight… strangely in line with the democrat talking points for some bizarre reason.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  77. JEA, my grandson is less than half white, you fainting-goat turd.

    John Hitchcock (9e8ad9)

  78. Dustin,

    I do not understand your point about “extralegal loyalty”. Lebron James is an employee of the Cavs. Nothing more, nothing less. As an employee, he has ever legal (as you agree) as well as every moral right to change jobs if he thinks another suits him better.

    This whole idea of “loyalty” and teams is a crock of crap in my opinion.

    I think the criticism of James is wrong. I think that, as Jesse Jackson said, it seems to imply some sense of ownership of LBJ by the Cavs as well as Cavs fans. I can understand that they feel bad to see him go. But “disloyal”?

    Give me a break. They don’t own LBJ. LBJ is the only one who owns LBJ.

    You will need to explain to me much better than you did why the Cavs have any moral claim against him and/or why he has any moral obligation to stay.

    John Henry

    John Henry (44aca1)

  79. I don’t need to explain anything to you.

    I already said the concept of loyalty is naive when discussing pro athletes these days.

    Did you miss that part or did you ignore it?

    The Cavs wanted their star player to believe in working together to get a glorious championship for the sake of sport.

    If you reject that, you reject that. OK. Whatever.

    Did I claim there was a moral obligation? No.

    Is he disloyal? Of course. If you deny that you’re just denying the English language.

    This isn’t that important to me. This kind of athletic atmosphere is boring.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  80. Of course, what I did say was that hoping Lebron would choose loyalty over money was the opposite of a slaveholder ordering his slave to do as told without consideration of his views.

    I didn’t say anything about moral obligations. I don’t know if I was just being unclear, which is possible, or if this is some strawman. I don’t have to prove that players are morally obligated to remain with their teams. No one believes that. It’s stupid.

    I just note that there is something to the idea that friends can take care of eachother and achieve things other than personal maximum gain. This isn’t controversial… and it also isn’t the way pro sports work. Which is sad.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  81. Aaron Worthing (A.W.) #56 – in nk’s case (given his fascination with the topic), only under extreme duress, I suspect …

    Alasdair (e7cb73)

  82. John Henry

    What is this BS?

    > But the reaction of the Cleveland owner (coach?)sounds as if he thinks LBJ is his slave. His ranting about how dare LBJ leave is pretty unseemly. He wants to keep him, make him a better offer, whatever that might be. He does not “own” LBJ and has no right to act as if he thinks he does.

    Here let me explain. Gilbert has a misplaced belief that Lebron should feel personal loyalty to him. Dustin thinks that it is not misplaced. But either way, Gilbert is no different that anyone else who thought they had a personal bond with an employee, only to see them flee to greener pastures. That’s not ownership, that is camaraderie, or perhaps mistaken camaraderie. And there is nothing morally wrong with that.

    Now it is also true that a lot of masters felt that they had been good to their slaves and that they owed them loyalty. The difference isn’t the rhetoric, but the reality. The reality is that by simply being slaves, they were all mistreated, not to mention the horrific deprivations that often occurred under slavery. By comparison, only an idiot would pretend that Lebron was mistreated by the cavs. Maybe he was “underpaid” but only under an arrangement he freely consented to.

    > This whole idea of “loyalty” and teams is a crock of crap in my opinion.

    Just because you don’t subscribe to an attitude, doesn’t mean no one else can without being called a racist or a slaveholder.

    > I think the criticism of James is wrong.

    You can think it is wrong—as indeed I do—without dragging racism or slavery into it.

    > They don’t own LBJ.

    Do you mean Lyndon B. Johnson, the man, or the road in Dallas (I-635)named after him?

    JEA

    > Code words are much better.

    Just because liberals are in the habit of trying to hide who they are doesn’t mean conservatives are, too.

    Seriously, what are you calling yourselves this week? Progressives? And then when we learn that we don’t want progressivism either, that its just the same old liberalism, I guess you will pick a new name, right?

    Aaron Worthing (A.W.) (e7d72e)

  83. 81

    that took some effort to cross reference, but it was funny enough to be worth it.

    Aaron Worthing (A.W.) (e7d72e)

  84. “Code words are much better.”

    Dawg, dog whistles can be a lot of fun too.

    daleyrocks (1d0d98)

  85. Heh!

    nk (db4a41)

  86. Monkeys chatter and fling poo;
    What on Earth is there to do?

    nk (db4a41)

  87. AW, is it really ‘wrong’ to ask for loyalty?

    I haven’t paid enough attention to know how this ideal was expressed. I’m guessing, since this is pro sports, it was expressed in an ugly and over the top fashion, full of anger. Or maybe he was sincere and calm in expecting better from his team.

    That’s not relevant to my point.

    What’s ‘wrong’ or ‘misplaced’ about a sports team counting on eachother beyond their contractual obligations?

    What’s wrong is that loyalty is considered unnecessary.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  88. Dustin

    Of course there is nothing inherently wrong with loyalty, but it really, really is not the cultural norm in these pro teams. I mean just how many people on the Dallas Cowboys, for instance, were even from Texas, let alone the DFW metroplex?

    Maybe it would be nice to establish that kind of culture in pro sports, but I don’t think its reasonable to think it exists now and that makes the guy’s reaction inappropriate, albeit not racist or master-ish or any crap like that.

    Aaron Worthing (A.W.) (f97997)

  89. Well said, AW. That sums it up very nicely.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  90. So here it is 4 days later, and you still haven’t explained your comments. Tick-tock, son.

    Icy Texan (c06a05)


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