Tom Finneran: On Oprah, Barkley, and Bullying
Friday, November 22, 2013
How can racial progress be a universal duty when the responsibility falls only to one side?
Don’t get me wrong. Oprah is iconic, oft times quite loveable, as well as exceedingly generous. Her embrace of reading and literature is laudable. Her life story is inspirational. And her support for education as a means to grow and thrive should be applauded. Hooray for Oprah.
But she is badly off the rails of late, making accusatory statements regarding President Obama’s critics that are way out of bounds. Whenever she does this, she does harm to both white and black Americans. Criticism of Barack Obama’s second term performance should be seen as a color-blind American tradition of voter fatigue. All polls have a shelf life and the President’s expiration date seems to be happening sooner than he might like. Nonetheless, he is now a member of a previously all-white club— the second-term Presidents whose popularity ebbs and whose critics grow in number. Welcome to the club, Mr. President.
Credit where credit is due
Oprah recently opined that the growing criticism of the President was attributable to American racism, as if his previous supporters, now expressing reservation or even disappointment in his performance as President, had suddenly donned white sheets and joined the local chapter of the KKK. Oprah might do well to remember that no President in modern history took office with as much national hope and goodwill as Barack Obama did in 2009. That hope and goodwill was not offered by black Americans alone. Many millions of white Americans donated, worked, prayed, and voted for Barack Obama in each of his elections. Indeed, it seems fairly clear that if Barack Obama had been a white U.S. Senator from Illinois, he would never have been elected to the office in the first place. Let’s give white America credit where credit is due. They are so far beyond the everyday racism of previous generations that Oprah should apologize for her slander of them.
More harmful than the slander to white Americans, however, is the weight given by black Americans to Oprah’s accusation. She is iconic. She is inspirational. She is liked. And she is trusted. Her words have impact and to those folks whose words have impact, there is an obligation to think and speak carefully, particularly upon polarizing issues. Oprah flunked here, badly.
It doesn't stop there
Speaking of polarizing issues, how about the “N-word”? It has flared up recently in the sports world where its apparently frequent use in the locker room and on the playing fields is a fact of life. An otherwise unknown offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins, whose surname is Incognito, is white. He is also a crude and cruel idiot. He stands charged with “bullying” a fellow offensive lineman whose name is Martin. Martin is black. Martin stands about 6’7” and he weighs about 320 pounds. Enter confusion.
How can someone who stands 6’7” and who weighs 320 pounds be bullied? He couldn’t be bullied by an angry grizzly bear let alone by a punk like Incognito. Sure Incognito is a pretty big guy too but just about every soldier, athlete, or city kid knows that the best response to a bully is to punch him in the face. Repeatedly. And when you’re as big as Martin you should be able to punch like a wrecking ball.
Enter more confusion. Apparently the white creep Incognito made ample use of the “N-word” in mocking and bullying Martin. Now it seems to me that Martin has two very valid reasons to smack Incognito in the teeth: the general bullying, compounded with the racial insult.
Now for the ultimate in confusion: most of Incognito’s and Martin’s teammates are black, and most of them are siding with Incognito! How is white America to make any sense of this at all? For years and years we have been told by our parents that the use of the “n-word” is forbidden. We have been told that it is insulting, offensive, degrading, and hurtful to our fellow human beings. We have scrupulously passed that prohibition down to our children. Yet song after song, locker room talk, and subway chatter fill our ears with its everyday utterance. In fact, NBA legend Charles Barkley has essentially told white America to butt out of his life, that he will talk with his friends and acquaintances in any way he chooses, and that it’s no one else’s business what words he chooses to use. Apparently in black mouths the ”N-word” is a term of endearment! Of admiration! Of respect! Who knew? Perhaps someone should tell Incognito’s lawyers…
America’s essential freedoms should and do protect Oprah, Incognito, Barkley and their opinions. But America’s history is such that all of them, black and white, might want to think about hypocrisy, double standards, and basic decency. Race remains one of America’s great struggles and they might want to choose the right side of history.
Related Articles
- Tom Finneran: Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and St. Ann’s Parish
- Tom Finneran: Sometimes You Just Have To Talk About Sports
- Tom Finneran: There’s Much To Like About Jim McGovern
- Tom Finneran: Just Say No (To A Special US Prosecutor)
- Tom Finneran: The Crime of the Century
- Tom Finneran: To Boldly Go…
- Tom Finneran: MLK’s Haunted History
- Tom Finneran: The Death of Common Sense in American Education
- Tom Finneran: US Congress–What’s Wrong With These Guys?
- Tom Finneran: Obama’s Dominoes
- Tom Finneran: The Fuse Is Lit
- Tom Finneran: We’ll Always Have Paris… And Silly Women
- Tom Finneran: A Good Man Earns High Office
- Tom Finneran: Of God, And Gods, In The OR
- Tom Finneran: The Good News On Race In America
- Tom Finneran: White America, Black America
- Tom Finneran: America’s New Grand Canyon
- Tom Finneran: Putin By A TKO
- Tom Finneran: The Nightmare of the Middle East
- Tom Finneran: From Russia With Love
- Tom Finneran: Race—The Great American Debate
- Tom Finneran: The Pope Hits A Home Run
- Tom Finneran: Happy Birthday, America
- Tom Finneran: Six Things A Community Has To Have
- Tom Finneran: The Shutdown Sins Of Both Parties
Follow us on Pinterest Google + Facebook Twitter See It Read It