Angry White Men
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by Tyduffy
During an interview with James Brown for HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel," Donovan McNabb stressed that African-American quarterbacks faced more criticism than white quarterbacks. McNabb stated, "There's not that many African-American quarterbacks, so we have to do a little bit extra." When asked if Carson Palmer and Peyton Manning did not also face the same criticism, he responded, "I love those guys. But they don't get criticized as much as we do. They don't."
McNabb made headlines again yesterday when he refused to back down from his comments.
His comments, unsurprisingly, have sparked an enormous negative backlash, mostly from white columnists. Here is a Jay Mariotti gem, for example. The basic line of argument is discrediting McNabb's comments because Rex Grossman receives far more criticism than anybody.
Racism is not just employing derogatory terms for someone or stringing someone up on a lamppost. It merely involves treating people differently because of the color of their skin. The Civil Rights movement dealt with these overt forms of racism (for the most part), but a subtle and often more insidious form of it still plagues our society.
Race is still widely acknowledged to be a factor in nearly every facet of life in America. The race of the victim and the perpetrator has been deemed such a crucial bias that states like Illinois have suspended Capital Punishment. It has been demonstrated to be statistically significant in hiring practices, housing, and loan approvals. Why is sports considered a magical oasis that is somehow immune?
The attitude of Mariotti and other white columnists is, quite frankly, astounding. Dismissing a comment on a general trend, by citing a specific example that doesn't coincide fails to contradict the statement. White people tend to have a higher income than African-Americans. The fact that Michael Jordan is a multi-millionaire does not disprove that statement. Similarly, the fact that Rex Grossman is criticized and called a "retarded vagina" does not disprove that black quarterbacks face an inordinate amount of criticism.
An article often tells one more about the author than it does about the subject. The flippant dismissals, the faulty logic, and the shock that McNabb would refuse to apologize speak volumes. The irrationality, the anger, and the vitriol are signs of insecurity. Those who so often point their critical lens at others, should perhaps take a more discerning look at themselves.
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